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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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NASA NTRS2014

Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Propulsive Entry, Descent, and Landing of a Capsule Form Vehicle

This paper describes a critical portion of the work that has been done at NASA, Ames Research Center regarding the use of the commercially developed Dragon capsule as a delivery vehicle for the elements of a high priority Mars Sample Return mission. The objective of the investigation was to determine entry and landed mass capabilities that cover anticipated mission conditions. The "Red Dragon", Mars configuration, uses supersonic retro-propulsion, with no required parachute system, to perform Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) maneuvers. The propulsive system proposed for use is the same system that will perform an abort, if necessary, for a human rated version of the Dragon capsule. Standard trajectory analysis tools are applied to publically available information about Dragon and other legacy capsule forms in order to perform the investigation. Trajectory simulation parameters include entry velocity, flight path angle, lift to drag Ratio (L/D), landing site elevation, atmosphere density, and total entry mass, in addition engineering assumptions for the performance of the propulsion system are stated. Mass estimates for major elements of the overall proposed architecture are coupled to this EDL analysis to close the overall architecture. Three synodic launch opportunities, beginning with the 2022 opportunity, define the arrival conditions. Results state the relations between the analysis parameters as well as sensitivities to those parameters. The EDL performance envelope includes landing altitudes between 0 and -4 km referenced to the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter datum as well as minimum and maximum atmosphere density. Total entry masses between 7 and 10 mt are considered with architecture closure occurring between 9.0 and 10 mt. Propellant mass fractions for each major phase of the EDL - Entry, Terminal Descent, and Hazard Avoidance - have been derived. An assessment of the effect of the entry conditions on the Thermal Protection System (TPS) currently in use for Dragon missions shows no significant stressors. A useful payload mass of 2.0 mt is provided and includes mass and grow allowance for a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), Earth Return Vehicle (ERV), and mission unique equipment. The useful payload supports an architecture that receives a sample from another surface asset and sends it directly back to Earth for recovery in a high Earth orbit. The work shows that emerging commercial capabilities as well as previously studied EDL methodologies can be used to efficiently support an important planetary science objective. The work also has applications for human exploration missions that will also use propulsive EDL techniques

EDL↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Mossbauer investigation of iron-rich terrestrial hydrothermal vent systems: lessons for Mars exploration

Hydrothermal spring systems may well have been present on early Mars and could have served as a habitat for primitive life. The integrated instrument suite of the Athena Rover has, as a component on the robotic arm, a Mossbauer spectrometer. In the context of future Mars exploration we present results of Mossbauer analysis of a suite of samples from an iron-rich thermal spring in the Chocolate Pots area of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and from Obsidian Pool (YNP) and Manitou Springs, Colorado. We have found that Mossbauer spectroscopy can discriminate among the iron-bearing minerals in our samples. Those near the vent and on the surface are identified as ferrihydrite, an amorphous ferric mineraloid. Subsurface samples, collected from cores, which are likely to have undergone inorganic and/or biologically mediated alteration (diagenesis), exhibit spectral signatures that include nontronite (a smectite clay), hematite (alpha-Fe2O3), small-particle/nanophase goethite (alpha-FeOOH), and siderite (FeCO3). We find for iron minerals that Mossbauer spectroscopy is at least as efficient in identification as X-ray diffraction. This observation is important from an exploration standpoint. As a planetary surface instrument, Mossbauer spectroscopy can yield high-quality spectral data without sample preparation (backscatter mode). We have also used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), in conjunction with energy-dispersive X ray (EDX) fluorescence spectroscopy, to characterize the microbiological component of surface sinters and the relation between the microbiological and the mineralogical framework. Evidence is presented that the minerals found in these deposits can have multi-billion-year residence times and thus may have survived their possible production in a putative early Martian hot spring up to the present day. Examples include the nanophase property and the Mossbauer signature for siderite, which has been identified in a 2.09-billion-year old hematite-rich chert stromatolite. Our research demonstrates that in situ Mossbauer spectroscopy can help determine whether hydrothermal mineral deposits exist on Mars, which is significant for exobiology because of the issue of whether that world ever had conditions conductive to the origin of life. As a useful tool for selection of samples suitable for transport to Earth, Mossbauer spectroscopy will not only serve geological interests but will also have potential for exopaleontology.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
NASA NTRS1998

Thermal and evolved gas analyzer

The Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) instrument will perform calorimetry and evolved gas analysis on soil samples collected from the Martian surface. TEGA is one of three instruments, along with a robotic arm, that form the Mars Volatile and Climate Survey (MVACS) payload. The other instruments are a stereo surface imager, built by Peter Smith of the University of Arizona and a meteorological station, built by JPL. The MVACS lander will investigate a Martian landing site at approximately 70 deg south latitude. Launch will take place from Kennedy Space Center in January, 1999. The TEGA project started in February, 1996. In the intervening 24 months, a flight instrument concept has been designed, prototyped, built as an engineering model and flight model, and tested. The instrument performs laboratory-quality differential-scanning calorimetry (DSC) over the temperature range of Mars ambient to 1400K. Low-temperature volatiles (water and carbon dioxide ices) and the carbonates will be analyzed in this temperature range. Carbonates melt and evolve carbon dioxide at temperatures above 600 C. Evolved oxygen (down to a concentration of 1 ppm) is detected, and C02 and water vapor and the isotopic variations of C02 and water vapor are detected and their concentrations measured. The isotopic composition provides important tests of the theory of solar system formation.

Williams, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Environmental Assurance Program for the Phoenix Mars Mission

The Phoenix Mars mission involves delivering a stationary science lander on to the surface of Mars in the polar region within the latitude band 65 deg N to 72 deg N. Its primary objective is to perform in-situ and remote sensing investigations that will characterize the chemistry of the materials at the local surface, subsurface, and atmosphere. The Phoenix spacecraft was launched on August 4, 2007 and will arrive at Mars in May 2008. The lander includes a suite of seven (7) science instruments. This mission is baselined for up to 90 sols (Martian days) of digging, sampling, and analysis. Operating at the Mars polar region creates a challenging environment for the Phoenix landed subsystems and instruments with Mars surface temperature extremes between -120 deg C to 25 deg C and diurnal thermal cycling in excess of 145 deg C. Some engineering and science hardware inside the lander were qualification tested up to 80 deg C to account for self heating. Furthermore, many of the hardware for this mission were inherited from earlier missions: the lander from the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 (MSP'01) and instruments from the MSP'01 and the Mars Polar Lander. Ensuring all the hardware was properly qualified and flight acceptance tested to meet the environments for this mission required defining and implementing an environmental assurance program that included a detailed heritage review coupled with tailored flight acceptance testing. A heritage review process with defined acceptance success criteria was developed and is presented in this paper together with the lessons learned in its implementation. This paper also provides a detailed description of the environmental assurance program of the Phoenix Mars mission. This program includes assembly/subsystem and system level testing in the areas of dynamics, thermal, and electromagnetic compatibility, as well as venting/pressure, dust, radiation, and meteoroid analyses to meet the challenging environment of this mission.

thermal testing↗
NASA NTRS1975

Analysis and design of a capsule landing system and surface vehicle control system for Mars exploration

Problems related to an unmanned exploration of the planet Mars by means of an autonomous roving planetary vehicle are investigated. These problems include: design, construction and evaluation of the vehicle itself and its control and operating systems. More specifically, vehicle configuration, dynamics, control, propulsion, hazard detection systems, terrain sensing and modelling, obstacle detection concepts, path selection, decision-making systems, and chemical analyses of samples are studied. Emphasis is placed on development of a vehicle capable of gathering specimens and data for an Augmented Viking Mission or to provide the basis for a Sample Return Mission.

Gisser, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Thermal Design, Analysis, and Sensitivity of a Sample Tube on the Martian Surface

NASA will launch a rover to Mars in 2020 to collect and cache samples of Martian rocks and regolith for potential return to Earth on a future mission. The collected samples will be placed in tubes, hermetically sealed, and deposited on the surface of Mars for a period of up to 10 years. Preventing the deposited samples from overheating is an important consideration in order to ensure their scientific integrity. The samples are required to remain below 60 °C, however there is a goal to keep them below 40 °C. This temperature requirement is challenging, considering that the maximum surface temperature of Mars is 38 °C and the tube must be thermally controlled through only passive means. As a result, a significant effort has been made to design a tube to contain the samples and investigate innovative tube surface treatments that maintain proper sample temperatures without significant adverse effects of sample contamination. The tube uses a specialized aluminum oxide coating to prevent overheating on the Martian surface. The maximum predicted tube temperature is relatively insensitive to local thermal inertia, ground contact, and ground slope, but is very sensitive to landing site latitude and dust deposition. The maximum predicted sample temperature in the +/- 30° landing latitude range with worst case assumptions is 54 °C, but many of the potential landing sites have significantly cooler maximum predicted sample temperatures. This paper describes the thermal design, analysis, and sensitivity studies performed on the sample tubes and also discusses operational considerations.

Novak, Keith↗
NASA NTRS2019

Mars Small Spacecraft Studies: Overview

NASA’s Mars Exploration Program is studying a potential Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign consisting of a series of missions over the next decade that would return samples collected at Mars for analyses in terrestrial laboratories. It is anticipated that during such a campaign, many in the Mars science community would seek to continue high-priority science investigations in parallel to those provided by geological and astrobiological sample return investigations. To respond to this anticipated desire of the science community, JPL is performing a study of small spacecraft mission concepts to Mars that could bridge the gap between MSR and other desired science investigations at Mars. The goal of the study is to utilize smaller, affordable missions in performing highpriority science investigations as defined in the National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey, Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) goals, and Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Strategic Knowledge Gaps. The study targets the use of small spacecraft with greater science capability than currently achievable with CubeSats. The target spacecraft wet mass is approximately 100 to 350 kilograms. Methods of access to Mars considered in this study include a self-propelled transit from Earth geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) to Mars as a secondary payload in a rideshare configuration. The study investigates mission concepts, science objectives, mission designs, concept of operations, enhancing technologies, and mission costs, along with launch vehicle interfaces. The cost estimates of the mission concepts studied range from below $100 million to less than $300 million for development through launch. This paper concludes with an outline of several examples of small spacecraft mission concepts to Mars that demonstrate significant scientific capability, are technically feasible, and fit within the desired cost range.

Edwards, Charles D.↗
NASA NTRS2023

The Complex Exhumation History of Jezero Crater Floor Unit and Its Implication for Mars Sample Return

During the first year of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, Perseverance rover has investigated the dark crater floor unit of Jezero crater and four samples of this unit have been collected. The focus of this paper is to assess the potential of these samples to calibrate the crater-based Martian chronology. We first review the previous estimation of crater-based model age of this unit. Then, we investigate the impact crater density distribution across the floor unit. It reveals that the crater density is heterogeneous from areas which have been exposed to the bombardment during the last 3 Ga to areas very recently exposed to bombardment. It suggests a complex history of exposure to impact cratering. We also display evidence of several remnants of deposits on the top of the dark floor unit across Jezero below which the dark floor unit may have been buried. We propose the following scenario of burying/exhumation: the dark floor unit would have been initially buried below a unit that was a few tens of meters thick. This unit then gradually eroded away due to Aeolian processes from the northeast to the west, resulting in uneven exposure to impact bombardment over 3 Ga. A cratering model reproducing this scenario confirms the feasibility of this hypothesis. Due to the complexity of its exposure history, the Jezero dark crater floor unit will require additional detailed analysis to understand how the Mars 2020 mission samples of the crater floor can be used to inform the Martian cratering chronology.

Mars 2020↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

RadLab: A Comprehensive Database and Analysis Toolkit for Space Radiation Measurements Relevant to Space Radiation Biology

RadLab, a new addition to the NASA Open Science Data Repository (OSDR), is a public platform for space radiation data relevant to human space exploration. RadLab consists of a database, a submission portal, and user-friendly visualization and data analysis tools, including a graphical user interface (GUI) and an application programming interface (API). Investigators from ISS partners including Germany, Italy, Canada, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Russia, Japan have committed to providing data from their instruments. RadLab will also include data from other spacecraft in LEO: the Space Shuttle, the Mir space station, biosatellites; and beyond LEO: the lunar and the Martian surface, the heliocentric orbit at 1 AU, Mars orbit, and Earth-Mars space. Once fully operational, RadLab will provide open, centralized access to space radiation physics data relevant to human space exploration; a platform for submission of data by agencies and research institutions responsible for radiation detectors deployed in space; analysis tools to facilitate detector and dataset intercomparison to better understand space habitat radiation environments; capabilities for space biology investigators to determine the radiation environment to which samples were exposed. A RadLab Working Group (RLWG) has been formed, modeled on the GeneLab Analysis Working Groups and comprised of data contributors and users. RLWG tasks include identifying data sources, normalizing data from diverse detectors, expanding the analysis toolkit and, perhaps most importantly, sharing ideas for research exploiting capabilities of RadLab. We will provide an overview of RadLab data and capabilities and discuss examples of its potential as a resource for open science.

radiation↗
NASA NTRS2010

Enhanced Microbial Detection Capabilities by a Rapid Portable Instrument

We present data describing a progression of continuing technology development - from expanding the detection capabilities of the current PTS unit to re-outfitting the instrument with a protein microarray increasing the number of detectable compounds. To illustrate the adaptability of the cartridge format, on-orbit operations data from the ISS demonstrate the detection of the fungal cell wall compound beta-glucan using applicable LOCAD-PTS cartridges. LOCAD-PTS is a handheld device consisting of a spectrophotometer, an onboard pumping mechanism, and data storage capabilities. A suite of interchangeable cartridges lined with four distinct capillaries allow a hydrated sample to mix with necessary reagents in the channels before being pumped to the optical well for spectrophotometric analysis. The reagents housed in one type of cartridge trigger a reaction based on the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay, which results in the release of paranitroaniline dye. The dye is measured using a 395 nm filter. The LAL assay detects the Gram-negative bacterial cell wall molecule, endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The more dye released, the greater the concentration of endotoxin in the sample. Sampling, quantitative analysis, and data retrieval require less than 20 minutes. This is significantly faster than standard culture-based methods, which require at least a 24 hour incubation period.Using modified cartridges, we demonstrate the detection of Gram negative bacteria with protein microarray technology. Additionally, we provide data from multiple field tests where both standard and advanced PTS technologies were used. These tests investigate the transfer of target microbial molecules from one surface to another. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the new cartridges expand the number of compounds detected by LOCAD-PTS, while maintaining the rapid, in situ analysis characteristic of the instrument. The unit provides relevant data for verifying sterile sample collection protocols, which are critical for conducting accurate scientific experiments during future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Morris, Heather↗
NASA NTRS2005

Compact Micro-Imaging Spectrometer (CMIS): Investigation of Imaging Spectroscopy and Its Application to Mars Geology and Astrobiology

Future missions to Mars will attempt to answer questions about Mars' geological and biological history. The goal of the CMIS project is to design, construct, and test a capable, multi-spectral micro-imaging spectrometer use in such missions. A breadboard instrument has been constructed with a micro-imaging camera and Several multi-wavelength LED illumination rings. Test samples have been chosen for their interest to spectroscopists, geologists and astrobiologists. Preliminary analysis has demonstrated the advantages of isotropic illumination and micro-imaging spectroscopy over spot spectroscopy.

Staten, Paul W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Aluminum oxide barriers in MCrAlY superalloy systems

An investigation was made of sputtered aluminum oxide diffusion barriers to protect gas turbine engine blade and vane alloys from their coatings. MAR M200 + Hf coated with sputtered NiCoCrAlY and MAR M509 coated with sputtered FeCrAlY were obtained both with and without 1 and 2 micron sputtered Al2O3 barrier layers. Electron dispersive X-ray analysis was used to determine the concentration profiles of as-received and heat treated samples.

Kreider, Kenneth G.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Results and Implications of Mineralogical Models for Chemical Sediments at Meridiani Planum

The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) "Opportunity" has explored chemically-enriched sedimentary outcrops at Meridiani Planum, Mars. In its first year, three different crater sites - Eagle, Fram and Endurance - have been explored. Nineteen high-interest outcrop rocks were investigated by first grinding a hole to reach the interior (using the Rock Abrasion Tool, RAT), and then conducting APXS (alpha particle x-ray spectrometry) analysis, MB (M ssbauer) analysis, and close up imaging (MI, microscopic imager). Sixteen elements and four Fe-bearing minerals were assayed to good accuracy in each sample, producing 380 compositional data points. The Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini- TES) obtained spectra on outcrop materials which provide direct indication of several mineral classes. Preliminary reports on Eagle crater and three RAT samples have been published. Chemical trends and a derived mineralogical model for all RAT d outcrop samples to date has been developed.

Clark, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Laser Ablation Ion Funnel: Sampling for in situ Mass Spectrometry on Mars

A considerable investment has been made by NASA and other space agencies to develop instrumentation suitable for in situ analytical investigation of extra terrestrial bodies including various mass spectrometers (time-of-flight, quadrupole ion trap, quadrupole mass filters, etc.). However, the front-end sample handling that is needed to collect and prepare samples for interrogation by such instrumentation remains underdeveloped. Here we describe a novel approach tailored to the exploration of Mars where ions are created in the ambient atmosphere via laser ablation and then efficiently transported into a mass spectrometer for in situ analysis using an electrodynamic ion funnel. This concept would enable elemental and isotopic analysis of geological samples with the analysis of desorbed organic material a possibility as well. Such an instrument would be suitable for inclusion on all potential missions currently being considered such as the Mid-Range Rover, the Astrobiology Field Laboratory, and Mars Sample Return (i.e., as a sample pre-selection triage instrument), among others.

Johnson, Paul V.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Mars aqueous chemistry experiment

The Mars Aqueous Chemistry Experiment (MACE) is designed to conduct a variety of measurements on regolith samples, encompassing mineral phase analyses, chemical interactions with H2O, and physical properties determinations. From these data, much can be learned or inferred regarding the past weathering environment, the contemporaneous soil micro-environments, and the general chemical and physical state of the Martian regolith. By analyzing both soil and duricrust samples, the nature of the latter may become more apparent. Sites may be characterized for comparative purposes and criteria could be set for selection of high priority materials on future sample return missions. Progress for the first year MACE PIDDP is reported in two major areas of effort: (1) fluids handling concepts, definition, and breadboard fabrication and (2) aqueous chemistry ion sensing technology and test facility integration. A fluids handling breadboard was designed, fabricated, and tested at Mars ambient pressure. The breadboard allows fluid manipulation scenarios to be tested under the reduced pressure conditions expected in the Martian atmosphere in order to validate valve operations, orchestrate analysis sequences, investigate sealing integrity, and to demonstrate efficacy of the fluid handling concept. Additional fluid manipulation concepts have also been developed based on updated MESUR spacecraft definition. The Mars Aqueous Chemistry Experiment Ion Selective Electrode (ISE) facility was designed as a test bed to develop a multifunction interface for measurements of chemical ion concentrations in aqueous solution. The interface allows acquisition of real time data concerning the kinetics and heats of salt dissolution, and transient response to calibration and solubility events. An array of ion selective electrodes has been interfaced and preliminary calibration studies performed.

Clark, Benton C.↗
NASA NTRS2016

A Year in Space: Early Results and Lessons Learned from the First Year-Long Expedition Aboard the International Space Station

Two ISS crewmembers recently completed the first year-long orbital stay in two decades. International cooperation was central to the success of Mikhail Kornienko from Russia and Scott Kelly from the United States. Their expedition leveraged current mission experience and capitalized on recent advances in health monitoring technology. This unique effort began in 2012 when the program managers of the ISS partner nations adopted two separate goals: greater multilateral cooperation to increase efficiency of inflight research and a year-long expedition to gain familiarity with in-flight durations approaching that required for a Mars mission. These goals were unified when a set of bilateral Russian and American human research investigations was assigned to the year-long mission, augmented by additional investigations from Europe and Japan. For example, Kelly was assigned 18 investigations (twice the complement on standard six-month missions) including two joint U.S.-Russian studies, and two Russian and two Japanese studies. The core set of American investigations was a repetition of six studies Kelly had done on his previous six-month ISS mission, to allow a direct comparison of physiological and behavioral responses of the longer and shorter durations in this single individual. The remainder of his assignments plus those of Kornienko were drawn from currently active national investigations documenting human adaptation to long-duration spaceflight factors or effectiveness of countermeasures against known deleterious adaptations. The two joint U.S.-Russian investigations were the flagship biomedical studies of the year-long expedition. The "Fluid Shifts" study collocated American research equipment alongside a Russian operational stressor device to document the pattern and impacts of the headward fluid shift long known to occur in weightlessness, including its role in ocular changes recently observed in some astronauts. The "Field Test" study investigated the ability of the astronaut and cosmonaut to perform rudimentary tasks requiring sensorimotor coordination immediately after landing to define human capabilities soon after landing on Mars after an extended transit. Both investigations were highly successful in large part to the thorough integration of the implementation processes of the two partners. Kelly's assignment as the one-year crewmember also provided a serendipitous opportunity for the "Twins Study" comparing changes in his body at the genetic level with those occurring on Earth in his identical twin brother Mark Kelly. Data analysis from this expedition will commence in earnest after frozen in-flight samples are delivered to Earth in May aboard a commercial cargo spacecraft. Detailed results are expected in early 2017. Preliminary results and implementation improvements will be reviewed in this presentation.

Charles, J. B.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigating the Applications of In-Situ Resource Utilization for Future Crewed Mars Missions

Several advancements are necessary before humans can safely explore Mars. One emerging strategy is In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU): the process of extracting raw materials found onsite and converting them into usable products to ensure a constant flow of vital resources and greatly reduce overall mission cost. Scientists must confirm the presence and accessibility of these resources for future crewed missions. Our team investigated the feasibility of ISRU in NE Syrtis, a region of Mars with varied geology, mineralogy, and hydrological history. NE Syrtis has abundant subsurface water and a diverse suite of mineral deposits including olivine, phyllosilicates, sulfates, and carbonates–all of which can be leveraged for fuel, medical supplies, and/or construction materials. We conceptualized a joint rover and helicopter expedition to analyze and sample these minerals over a two-year primary mission using Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing (JMARS), Planetary Data Systems (PDS), and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). We plotted a strategic traverse to regions of interest identified from remote sensing data and planned operations at each target. Our mission aimed to prepare for human presence on Mars by demonstrating the utility and viability of ISRU-focused operations.

Zahra M. Ronizi↗
NASA NTRS2012

Investigations Using Laboratory Testbeds to Interpret Flight Instrument Datasets from Mars Robotic Missions

The Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) has laboratory instrumentation that mimic the capabilities of corresponding flight instruments to enable interpretation of datasets returned from Mars robotic missions. The lab instruments have been and continue to be applied to datasets for the Moessbauer Spectrometer (MB) on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), the Thermal & Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) on the Mars Phoenix Scout, the CRISM instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Missions and will be applied to datasets for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) and Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) instruments onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). The laboratory instruments can analyze analog samples at costs that are substantially lower than engineering models of flight instruments, but their success to enable interpretation of flight data depends on how closely their capabilities mimic those of the flight instrument. The JSC lab MB instruments are equivalent to the MER instruments except without flight qualified components and no reference channel Co-57 source. Data from analog samples were critical for identification of Mg-Fe carbonate at Gusev crater. Fiber-optic VNIR spectrometers are used to obtain CRISM-like spectral data over the range 350-2500 nm, and data for Fephyllosilicates show irreversible behavior in the electronic transition region upon dessication. The MB and VNIR instruments can be operated within chambers where, for example, the absolute H2O concentration can be measured and controlled. Phoenix's TEGA consisted of a calorimeter coupled to a mass spectrometer (MS). The JSC laboratory testbed instrument consisted of a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) coupled to a MS configured to operate under total pressure (12 mbar), heating rate (20 C/min), and purge gas composition (N2) analogous to the flight TEGA. TEGA detected CO2 release at both low (400-680 C) and high (725-820 C) temperature and an endothermic reaction in concert with the high temperature release. The high-temperature thermal decomposition is consistent with calcite, dolomite, or ankerite, (3-6 wt.%) or any combination of these phase based upon laboratory testbed experiments. Recent laboratory experiments suggest that the low temperature CO2 release was caused by a reaction between calcium carbonate and hydrated magnesium perchlorate; although, CO2 release by the oxidation of organic materials and Fe-/Mg-rich carbonates cannot be ruled out. MSL landed in Gale crater on August 5, 2012. Although numerous analog samples have been analyzed on the JSC laboratory testbeds, no SAM, CheMin, or ChemCam analyses have been acquired by MSL to date. The JSC SAM laboratory testbed consists of a thermal analyzer coupled with a MS configured to operate under total pressure (30 mbar), heating rate (35 C/min), and purge gas composition (He) analogous to the flight SAM. The CheMin and ChemCam laboratory testbeds were developed and built by inXitu, Inc. and Los Alamos National Laboratory, respectively, to acquire datasets relevant to the MSL CheMin and ChemCam flight instruments.

Ming, D. W.↗