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Insight Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport

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Insight Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport InSight Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport Planetary Science Subcommittee Mitch Schulte 2 October 2012 Program Scientist NASA HQ InSight • Discovery selection made in August 2012 • PI - Bruce Banerdt (JPL) • Deputy PI - Sue Smrekar (JPL) • Project Manager - Tom Hoffman (JPL) • Deputy Project Manager - Henry Stone (JPL) InSight Key Dates • Launch: March 8 - March 27, 2016 • Landing: September 20, 2016 • Surface operations: 720 days / 700 sols • First science return: October 2016 • Instrument deployment: 60 sols (including 20 sols margin) • Data volume over 1 Martian year: More than 29 Gb (processed seismic data posted to the Web in 2 weeks; remaining science data less than 3 months, no proprietary period) • End of Mission: September 18, 2018 InSight Objectives • The InSight mission seeks to understand the evolutionary formation of rocky planets, including Earth, by investigating the interior structure and processes of Mars. • InSight will also investigate the dynamics of Martian tectonic activity and meteorite impacts, which could offer clues about such phenomena on Earth. InSight Science Goals • Determine the size, composition, physical state (liquid/solid) of the Martian core • Determine the thickness and structure of the Martian crust • Determine the composition and structure of the Martian mantle • Determine the thermal state of Mars' interior • Measure the magnitude, rate and geographical distribution of Mars' internal seismic activity • Measure the rate of meteorite impacts on the surface of Mars Crust Crust Core Crust Crust Core Core Crust Mantle Mantle Mantle Mantle Mantle Focused Set of Measurements • Single-Station Seismology – Extremely sensitive, broad-band instrument – Surface installation and effective environmental isolation – Advances in single-station seismic analysis – Multiple signal sources • Precision Tracking – Sub-decimeter (~2 cm) X-band tracking • Heat Flow – Innovative, self-penetrating mole penetrates to a depth of 3–5 meters Flight System’s Phoenix Heritage • InSight will fly a near-copy of the successful Phoenix Flight System – System (including hardware, procedures, and personnel) has already operated on Mars – Only minor changes required for InSight Cruise – Proven procedures and personnel available Configuration – Much fewer instruments with a simpler Science mission CRUISE STAGE MGA (2 PLCS) LANDER Surface Configuration BACKSHELL THERMAL ENCLOSURE COVER IDA UHF Entry HELIX ANTENNA Configuration COMPONENT DECK SEIS HP3 HEATSHIELD Instruments SEIS (CNES) RISE (S/C) Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure Rotation and Interior Pressure, Temperature Structure and Wind sensors Small Deep Space Experiment Transponder HP3 (DLR) Heat Flow and Physical Properties Probe Electronics Tether Length Monitor Support Structure IDA (JPL) – Instrument Deployment Arm) Scientific Tether • Embedded T sensors for thermal gradient measurements Tractor Mole (TM) • Hammering mechanism IDC (JPL) – Instrument Deployment • Active thermal conductivity Camera) measurements • Static Tilt sensors Surface Deployment ICC (JPL) – Instrument Context Test Bed Camera) Science Team PI: Bruce Banerdt, JPL Dep. PI: Sue Smrekar, JPL Sami Asmar, JPL Naoki Kobayashi, JAXA Don Banfield, Cornell SEIS PI: Philippe Lognonné, IPGP Lapo Boschi, ETH Justin Maki, JPL Ulrich Christensen, MPS David Mimoun, SUPAERO Véronique Dehant, ROB Antoine Mocquet, Univ. Nantes RISE PI: Bill Folkner, JPL Paul Morgan, Colo. Geol. Surv. Domenico Giardini, ETH Mark Panning, Univ. Florida Walter Goetz, MPS Tom Pike, Imperial College Matt Golombek, JPL HP3 PI: Tilman Spohn, DLR Matthias Grott, DLR Jeroen Tromp, Princeton Troy Hudson, JPL Tim van Zoest, DLR Catherine Johnson, UBC Renée Weber, MSFC Günter Kargl, IWF Mark Wieczorek, IPGP June 15, 2012 Use or disclosure of information contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the Restrictive Notice page of this document. 9 InSight Seismic Data Multiple Signal Sources Multiple Analysis Techniques Faulting Normal Modes Surface Wave Phobos Tide Dispersion Atmospheric Excitation Background “Hum” Impacts Receiver Function Arrival Time Analysis Heat Flow Measurement • HP3 (Heat Flow and Physical Properties Probe) has a self- penetrating “mole” that burrows up to 5 meters below the surface (also flying on Bepi-Colombo). – It trails a tether containing precise temperature sensors every ~30 cm to measure the temperature profile of the subsurface. – The mole contains a heater to determine thermal conductivity during descent. • Together, these yield the rate of heat InSight reference flowing from the interior. landing site • Present-day heat flow at a given location provides a critical boundary condition on models of planetary thermal history. Surface Heat Flow Model (mW/m2) InSight is Delivered to Mars like Phoenix • 20-day Launch Period opening on 8-Mar-2016 – Can launch any of the three vehicles (Atlas V, Delta 4, Falcon 9) – Constant arrival on 20-Sept-2016 • Type 1 transfer with 6.5-month cruise • InSight EDL is comfortably within the heritage Phoenix design capabilities – Known JPL/LaRC/ARC/LM partnership – Science is not a driver for site selection – Landing region in western Elysium Planitia with very mature site selection – Well characterized environment for landing and Science operations InSight Landing Region: Elysium Planitia Viking 2 Utopia Planitia Elysium Mons Cerberus Isidis Fossae Planitia InSight Curiosity Landing Region Spirit Gale Crater Gusev Crater Hellas Basin Surface Deployment and Ops • After landing the instruments are still ~1 Ground Seismometer m from the ground • InSight takes advantage of the large payload mass capability of the Phoenix lander • Will place the seismometer on the surface and cover it with an effective wind Viking 1 and thermal shield – This will allow the seismometer sensitivity to reach the micro-seismic noise level of the planet. • Robust deployment phase includes 20 margin Sols • Routine Science operations last one Martian year • Science starts on Sol 8 (RISE) • SEIS starts acquiring data on sol 36 • HP3 is fully deployed by sol 82 Participant Organizations ARC LaRC .
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