Mars Science Laboratory Landing Site Mappingor
Why you can’t land (or rove) on Mars without a Map
Matt Golombek & Fred Calef IIIJPL
All images this slide: NASA/JPL-Caltech
LPSC March 20, 2013Planetary Mapping and
Cartography, What, When, How, Why?
VL1 MPF
Opportunity
VL2
Spirit
Landing Sites on MarsPhoenix
Curiosity
Elevation Matters – Amount of Atmosphere to Slow DownAll Sites at Low Elevation
Latitude Matters – Solar Power; Thermal/powerTarget Materials (e.g., ice)
MOLA is Base Map Cartographic & Inertial Frames
MSL Science Criteria MSL Safety Criteria
MSL Science and Safety Constraints:
<25°
<100 m
0.5% CFA <7%
3/20/13 3Golombek, Landing Site Selection
Remove these constraints
1 m to 1000 m
DEMs• Complete CTX DEM
Coverage for Radar Interactions
• 5-6 HiRISE DEMs to Cover Ellipse– Kirk et al. [2011]
• Complete Slope Map (1-5 m)
• HiRISE – 1 m/elevation postings
• CTX – ~20 m/elevation postings
• HRSC – 50 m/elevation postings– Gwinner et al. [2010]
Hierarchical co-registration Kim & Muller [2009] PSS
CTX DEM
• Example CTX DEM 25 m/elevation posting for Radar Interaction
• Complete Coverage of Ellipse
Gale 1 m Slope Map
TouchdownStability
Trafficability
9/29/10 Golombek et al. Rocks 7
VL2
South
North
PSP_1501_2280
400x400 pixels124x124 meters1.5 hectares
VL2HiRISE Changed
Everything
Can See Rocks Directly in HiRISE
Correlate Large Rocks in HiRISE with those Seen from Lander at
All Landing Sites
Measure same size-frequency distribution at surface; follow models from
surface
Golombek et al. [2008]
Golombek, MSL Data Products 8
Gale Rock Map Size-Frequency Distribution
Rocks in 450 m bins
Fit to Model Size-Frequency
Distribution forCumulative
Fractional Area from 1 - 40%
Calculate Probability of Success for All
Rock SizesRocks and Slopes-
Touchdown Simulations
Golombek et al. [2012]
Thermal InertiaGale
Thermal Inertia
Material Properties
Fergason et al. [2012]
Surface Material Properties 10
Gale CraterBlue: Unconsolidated eolilan bedformsGreen: Eolian thin cover over indurated alluviumYellow: Indurated alluviumRed: Indurated or cemented flat-lying unit
11/16/10
Surface Materials
Fergason et al. [2012]
Blue=CraterPink=Mesa*=Probably Escapable**=Inescapable
Gale Potential InescapableHazards
Golombek et al. [2012]
Gale ID. 17** Crater, 400 m diameter 15 to 30° Slopes Loose material on interior slopes, bedforms on floor 232084 m2
137.548, -4.463
Inescapable Coverage shows >15 ° slopes and loose
material around entire crater interior No obvious egress route Bedforms are likely traversable
Only 2 Inescapable
CratersCover 0.13%
of EllipseGolombek et al. [2012]
13
Cratered Plains – No obvious Mobility Concerns
Dark DunesAppear FreshMany Exceed 30°MobilityImpediment
Sample Strata Here
Drive up CanyonHere
Can Access Mineral Strata in CRISMCan drive up mound
Gale Crater“Go To” Traversabilty
5/12/11
Gale Traverse Routes
Paolo BelluttaIn Golombek et al. [2012]
FromTopographyRocks& Material Properties
15
Overview of Dunes
5/12/11 Golombek et al. [2012]
Golombek et al., MSL Data Products 16
SW Routes Through Dunes
5/12/11 Golombek et al. [2012]
Golombek et al., MSL Data Products 17
Traverse Routes in Lower Mound
First fence
Secondfence
Canyon 1
Not Fan
First fence
Secondfence
Canyon 1
Not Fan
Canyon 2
Clay layer
Canyon 2
Clay layer
5/12/11
This completes the M. Golombek portion of the presentation. The presentation by F. Calef will be added to this and posted at a later date.
(2013 April 2)