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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Relay Telecommunications for the Coming Decade of Mars Exploration

Over the past decade, an evolving network of relay-equipped orbiters has advanced our capabilities for Mars exploration. NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, 2001 Mars Odyssey, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), as well as ESA's Mars Express Orbiter, have provided telecommunications relay services to the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, and to the 2007 Phoenix Lander. Based on these successes, a roadmap for continued Mars relay services is in place for the coming decade. MRO and Odyssey will provide key relay support to the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, including capture of critical event telemetry during entry, descent, and landing, as well as support for command and telemetry during surface operations, utilizing new capabilities of the Electra relay payload on MRO and the Electra-Lite payload on MSL to allow significant increase in data return relative to earlier missions. Over the remainder of the decade a number of additional orbiter and lander missions are planned, representing new orbital relay service providers and new landed relay users. In this paper we will outline this Mars relay roadmap, quantifying relay performance over time, illustrating planned support scenarios, and identifying key challenges and technology infusion opportunities.

Edwards, C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Warm-Based Glacial Landforms and Past Climate Signals: Icelandic Eskers as Proxies for Small Sinuous Ridges on Mars

The surface of Mars exhibits plentiful geomorphic evidence for glacial processes, but the history of the cryosphere on Mars remains debated [e.g., 1, 2]. Recent hydrological modeling predicts that warm-based ice sheets on Mars may have resulted in subglacial incised channels (e.g., valley networks) and eskers [3]. Evidence on Mars for warm-based glaciation includes candidate moraines, bedrock channels, and candidate eskers [e.g., 4-6]. Eskers are sinuous ridges comprising glaciofluvial sediments deposited by meltwater flowing through tunnels at the bed of warm-based large glaciers [e.g., 7, 8]. They provide direct evidence of basal melting of ice and preserve glaciofluvial sediments. Warm-based glacial transport is primarily driven by meltwater and can chemically weather the underlying bedrock. An alternative signature of past climate on Mars may thus be the geochemical record, due to alteration by interactions with glacial meltwater, preserved in esker sediments and strata. At present, the sedimentology and stratigraphy of terrestrial eskers is poorly understood. This study will combine sedimentology, geochemistry, and geomorphology to better constrain the unique properties of eskers resulting from warm-based glaciation on Mars-like substrates by leveraging a natural laboratory in Iceland.

A. M. Rutledge↗
NASA NTRS2015

Multi-Spacecraft Autonomous Positioning System

As the number of spacecraft in simultaneous operation continues to grow, there is an increased dependency on ground-based navigation support. The current baseline system for deep space navigation utilizes Earth-based radiometric tracking, requiring long-duration observations to perform orbit determination and generate a state update. The age, complexity, and high utilization of the ground assets pose a risk to spacecraft navigation performance. In order to perform complex operations at large distances from Earth, such as extraterrestrial landing and proximity operations, autonomous systems are required. With increasingly complex mission operations, the need for frequent and Earth-independent navigation capabilities is further reinforced. The Multi-spacecraft Autonomous Positioning System (MAPS) takes advantage of the growing interspacecraft communication network and infrastructure to allow for Earth-autonomous state measurements to enable network-based space navigation. A notional concept of operations is given in figure 1. This network is already being implemented and routinely used in Martian communications through the use of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey spacecraft as relays for surface assets. The growth of this communications architecture is continued through MAVEN, and future potential commercial Mars telecom orbiters. This growing network provides an initial Marslocal capability for inter-spacecraft communication and navigation. These navigation updates are enabled by cross-communication between assets in the network, coupled with onboard navigation estimation routines to integrate packet travel time to generate ranging measurements. Inter-spacecraft communication allows for frequent state broadcasts and time updates from trusted references. The architecture is a software-based solution, enabling its implementation on a wide variety of current assets, with the operational constraints and measurement accuracy determined by onboard systems.

Anzalone, Evan↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Online Reinforcement Learning Controller Design For Mars Ascent Vehicle

This paper presents a neural network (NN) approximator-based online reinforcement learning (ORL) controller design for Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) under parametric variation and significant external disturbances. The ORL controller, which does not require any offline training, involves two NNs where an action NN produces optimal short-term control performance while a critic NN evaluates the performance of the action NN using an approximated cost function. The simulation example with comparisons against baseline Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) and gain scheduled pole-placement PID (GS-PP-PID) controllers show the proposed controller’s effectiveness and robustness under parametric variation and high external disturbances.

Han Woong Bae↗
NASA NTRS2022

RHU-RPS Long Duration Mars Hard Lander: Meteorology and Seismology Enabled by Radioisotopes (MASER)

Compass Team was tasked by the RPS Project at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to create an independent concept design for a spacecraft (S/C) utilizing low power radioisotope power. A list of candidate missions enabled by milliwatt class radioisotope power was evaluated and thus resulted in the selection of a Mars polar region seismology network of four hard landers. A science rational and science operations plan was developed to establish mission design requirements and S/C subsystem concept designs described herein.

RPS↗
NASA NTRS1996

Micro-Pressure Sensors for Future Mars Missions

The joint research interchange effort was directed at the following principal areas: u further development of NASA-Ames' Mars Micro-meteorology mission concept as a viable NASA space mission especially with regard to the science and instrument specifications u interaction with the flight team from NASA's New Millennium 'Deep-Space 2' (DS-2) mission with regard to selection and design of micro-pressure sensors for Mars u further development of micro-pressure sensors suitable for Mars The research work undertaken in the course of the Joint Research Interchange should be placed in the context of an ongoing planetary exploration objective to characterize the climate system on Mars. In particular, a network of small probes globally-distributed on the surface of the planet has often been cited as the only way to address this particular science goal. A team from NASA Ames has proposed such a mission called the Micrometeorology mission, or 'Micro-met' for short. Surface pressure data are all that are required, in principle, to calculate the Martian atmospheric circulation, provided that simultaneous orbital measurements of the atmosphere are also obtained. Consequently, in the proposed Micro-met mission a large number of landers would measure barometric pressure at various locations around Mars, each equipped with a micro-pressure sensor. Much of the time on the JRI was therefore spent working with the engineers and scientists concerned with Micro-met to develop this particular mission concept into a more realistic proposition.

Catling, David C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Effect of Impacts on the Early Martian Climate

The first images returned by the Mariner 7 spacecraft of the Martian surface showed a landscape heavily scared by impacts. Mariner 9 imaging revealed geomorphic features including valley networks and outflow channels that suggest liquid water once flowed at the surface of Mars. Further evidence for water erosion and surface modification has come from the Viking Spacecraft, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), and Mars Odyssey's THEMIS instrument. In addition to network channels, this evidence includes apparent paleolake beds, fluvial fans and sedimentary layers. The estimated erosion rates necessary to explain the observed surface morphologies present a conundrum. The rates of erosion appear to be highest when the early sun was fainter and only 75% as luminous as it is today. All of this evidence points to a very different climate than what exists on Mars today. The most popular paradigm for the formation of the valley networks is that Mars had at one time a warm (T average > 273), wetter and stable climate. Possible warming mechanisms have included increased surface pressures, carbon dioxide clouds and trace greenhouse gasses. Yet to date climate models have not been able to produce a continuously warm and wet early Mars. The rates of erosion appear to correlate with the rate at which Mars was impacted thus an alternate possibility is transient warm and wet conditions initiated by large impacts. It is widely accepted that even relatively small impacts (approx. 10 km) have altered the past climate of Earth to such an extent as to cause mass extinctions. Mars has been impacted with a similar distribution of objects. The impact record at Mars is preserved in the abundance of observable craters on it surface. Impact induced climate change must have occurred on Mars.

Colaprete, A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Was early Mars warmed by ammonia?

Runoff channels and valley networks present on ancient, heavily cratered Martian terrain suggests that the climate of Mars was originally warm and wet. One explanation for the formation of these channels is that the surface was warmed by the greenhouse effect of a dense, CO2 atmosphere. However, recent work shows that this theory is not consistent for the early period of the solar system. One way to increase the surface temperature predicted is to assume that other greenhouse gases were present in Mars' atmosphere in addition to CO2 and H2O. This possible gas is ammonia, NH3. If ammonia was present in sufficient quantities, it could have raised the surface temperature to 273 K. An adequate source would have been volcanic outgassing if the NH3 produced was shielded from photolysis by an ultraviolet light absorber.

Kasting, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Telecommunications and navigation systems design for manned Mars exploration missions

This paper discusses typical manned Mars exploration needs for telecommunications, including preliminary navigation support functions. It is a brief progress report on an ongoing study program within the current NASA JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) activities. A typical Mars exploration case is defined, and support approaches comparing microwave and optical frequency performance for both local in situ and Mars-earth links are described. Optical telecommunication and navigation technology development opportunities in a Mars exploration program are also identified. A local Mars system telecommunication relay and navigation capability for service support of all Mars missions has been proposed as part of an overall solar system communications network. The effects of light-time delay and occultations on real-time mission decision-making are discussed; the availability of increased local mass data storage may be more important than increasing peak data rates to earth. The long-term frequency use plan will most likely include a mix of microwave, millimeter-wave and optical link capabilities to meet a variety of deep space mission needs.

Hall, Justin R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Atmospheric Science Experiment for Mars: ATMIS for the Netlander 2005 Mission

ATMIS (Atmospheric and Meteorological Instrumentation System) is a versatile suite of atmospheric instrumentation to be accommodated onboard the Netlander Mission slated for launch in 2005. Four Netlanders are planned to form a geophysical measurement network on the surface of Mars. The atmospheric sciences are among the scientific disciplines benefiting most of the network concept. The goal of the ATMIS instrument is to provide new data on the atmospheric vertical structure, regional and global circulation phenomena, the Martian Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and atmosphere-surface interactions, dust storm triggering mechanisms, as well as the climatological cycles of H2O, dust and CO2. To reach the goal of characterization of a number of phenomena exhibiting both spatial and temporal variations, simultaneous observations of multiple variables at spatially displaced sites Deforming a network D are required. The in situ observations made by the ATMIS sensors will be supported by extensive modeling efforts. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Harri, A.-M.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Aqueous Alteration on Mars

The occurrence of extensive valley networks and layered deposits of phyllosilicates and sulfates during the late Noachian/Hesperian periods (approx. 3-4 Gyrs) indicates a past martian climate that was capable of maintaining liquid water at the surface. The planet’s climate drastically changed after these early “episodes” of water to a drier and colder environment during the Amazonian period (past 3.0 Gyrs). The objective of this paper is to describe aqueous alteration/weathering scenarios on Mars based on observations returned by rover and lander missions. The chemistry of most outcrops, rocks, and “soils” that have interacted with water has not been extensively changed from average Mars crustal basaltic composition. Little chemical variation suggests closed hydrologic systems were prominent on early Mars and/or the water/rock ratios were low. Open hydrologic systems occur at local scales, e.g., high Si and Ti rocks and “soil” deposits around a volcanic feature in Gusev crater. Geochemical and mineralogical indicators for aqueous alteration include jarosite and other Fe-sulfates at several locations suggesting acid-sulfate alteration conditions. High Si and Ti rocks, sediments, and “soil” deposits are consistent with basaltic residues extenively leached by extremely acidic fluids. Variations in the Fe/Mn ratio of fracture veins infilled with sulfate-rich materials suggest changes in redox and/or pH conditions of the migrating fluids. The increase of nanophase iron oxides and salts with depth in several “soil” pits escavated by the Spirit rover’s wheel in Gusev crater suggests the translocation/mobolization of these phases by liquid water. This “pedogenic” process is the result of limited water movement through the surface sediments during the Amazonian period; however, it is likely that paleosols exist on Mars that formed during the early “wetter” history of the planet. Soil scientists have the opportunity to continue to (and should) be involved in the exploration of the Red planet.

Ming, Douglas W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The channels of Mars

Early observations of Mars conducted by means of telescopes are considered. Secchi introduced the Italian word 'canale' ('channel') in 1869 to describe apparent lines on the planet's surface. Between 1877 and 1888 Schiaparelli mapped a profusion of 'canali'. Schiaparelli's work led to famous controversies about Mars. This book attempts to investigate the puzzle posed by the Martian channels, taking into account also the results of the studies conducted with the aid of the two orbiting Viking spacecraft which have produced a total number of nearly 60,000 pictures. The channel types are discussed along with questions regarding the distribution, the ages, and the proposed origins of the channels. Attention is given to the geomorphology of Mars, the patterns and networks of Martian valleys, ice and the Martian surface, the outflow channels, catastrophic flood processes, questions of analogy between terrestrial and Martian geographic features, and Martian phenomena associated with water liquid or water ice.

Baker, V. R.↗