Recommendation for the Narrowing of ExoMars 2018 Landing Sites Ref: EXM-SCI-LSS-ESA/IKI-004 Version 1.0, 1 October 2014 The ExoMars 2018 Landing Site Selection Working Group (LSSWG): F. Westall (CNRS, Orléans, F), H. G. Edwards (Bradford Univ. UK), L. Whyte (McGill Univ. CAN), A. G. Fairén (Cornell Univ. USA), J.-P. Bibring (IAS, Orsay, F), J. Bridges (Univ. of Leicester, UK), E. Hauber (DLR, Berlin, D), G. G. Ori (IRSPS, Pescara, ITA), S. Werner (Univ. of Oslo, N), D. Loizeau (Univ. Lyon, F), R. Kuzmin (Vernadzky Inst. Moscow, RUS), R. M. E. Williams (PSI, Tucson, USA), J. Flahaut (VUAmsterdam, NL), F. Forget (LMD, Paris, F), J. L. Vago (ESA), D. Rodionov (IKI, Moscow, RUS), O. Korablev (IKI, Moscow, RUS), O. Witasse (ESA), G. Kminek (ESA), L. Lorenzoni (ESA), O. Bayle (ESA), L. Joudrier (ESA), V. Mikhailov (TsNIIMASH, Moscow, RUS), A. Zashirinsky (Lavochkin, Moscow, RUS), S. Alexashkin (Lavochkin, Moscow, RUS), F. Calantropio (TAS-I, Tori- no, ITA), and A. Merlo (TAS-I, Torino, ITA). 1 Table of Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 5 2 DOCUMENT SCOPE AND INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 3 LANDING SITE SELECTION PROCESS .............................................................................................................. 8 3.1 Landing Site Selection Working Group ............................................................................................................ 8 3.2 Call for ExoMars 2018 Landing Site Proposals ............................................................................................... 9 3.3 First ExoMars 2018 Landing Site Selection Workshop ................................................................................... 9 3.4 LSS Schedule and Next Steps ...................................................................................................................... 10 4 SCIENTIFIC CONSTRAINTS .............................................................................................................................. 12 4.1 Rover Surface Mission ................................................................................................................................... 12 4.2 Surface Platform Surface Mission ................................................................................................................. 12 4.3 Landing Site Scientific Constraints ................................................................................................................ 12 4.3.1 Depositional Age of Terrain..................................................................................................................... 12 4.3.2 Preservation of Organics ......................................................................................................................... 13 4.3.3 Aqueous History ...................................................................................................................................... 13 4.3.4 Availability and Distribution of Outcrops ................................................................................................. 13 4.3.5 Paucity of Dust Coverage ....................................................................................................................... 13 5 ENGINEERING CONSTRAINTS ......................................................................................................................... 14 5.1 EDL Engineering Constraints and Performance Drivers ............................................................................... 14 5.1.1 Landing Elevation .................................................................................................................................... 14 5.1.2 Local Time and Season .......................................................................................................................... 14 5.1.3 Landing Ellipse Size and Orientation ...................................................................................................... 14 5.1.4 Terrain Relief and Slopes ........................................................................................................................ 15 5.1.5 Rock Distribution ..................................................................................................................................... 16 5.1.6 Radar Reflectivity .................................................................................................................................... 16 5.1.7 Atmospheric Parameters ......................................................................................................................... 17 5.2 Rover Engineering Constraints and Design Capability ................................................................................. 17 5.2.1 Mobility System Description .................................................................................................................... 17 5.2.2 Latitude.................................................................................................................................................... 18 5.2.3 Surface Thermophysical Properties ........................................................................................................ 18 5.2.4 Traverse Range and Rover velocity ........................................................................................................ 18 5.2.5 Static Stability and Slope Access ............................................................................................................ 19 5.2.6 Surface Winds ......................................................................................................................................... 19 5.3 Preliminary Summary Tables for Engineering Constraints ............................................................................ 20 6 PLANETARY PROTECTION CONSTRAINTS .................................................................................................... 22 6.1 Mars Special Regions .................................................................................................................................... 22 6.2 References ..................................................................................................................................................... 22 7 PROPOSED LANDING SITES ............................................................................................................................ 23 7.1 Introduction to the Candidate Landing Sites .................................................................................................. 23 7.2 A Note Concerning Site Description and Age Determination ........................................................................ 25 7.2.1 References .............................................................................................................................................. 27 7.3 General Atmospheric Conditions for the 2019 Landing ................................................................................. 28 7.3.1 Expected Atmospheric Dust Loading ...................................................................................................... 28 7.3.2 Horizontal Winds ..................................................................................................................................... 29 7.3.3 Vertical Winds ......................................................................................................................................... 33 7.4 General Atmospheric Conditions for the 2021 Landing ................................................................................. 34 7.4.1 Expected Atmospheric Dust Loading ...................................................................................................... 34 2 7.4.2 Horizontal Winds ..................................................................................................................................... 34 7.4.3 Vertical Winds ......................................................................................................................................... 34 7.5 Mawrth Vallis.................................................................................................................................................. 36 7.5.1 Global Context ........................................................................................................................................ 36 7.5.2 Regional Context ..................................................................................................................................... 37 7.5.3 Topography and Morphology .................................................................................................................. 37 7.5.4 Mineralogy ............................................................................................................................................... 37 7.5.5 Ages .......................................................................................................................................................