CURIOSITY: A car-sized, six-wheeled robot destined for...
Transcript of CURIOSITY: A car-sized, six-wheeled robot destined for...
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CURIOSITY: A car-sized, six-wheeled robot
destined for Gale Crater on Mars
Ar#st’s Concept. NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Its mission: to see if Mars ever could have supported small life forms called microbes . . . and if humans could survive there someday.
Ar#st’s Concept. NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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In this ‘family portrait’ you can see our ‘growing’ family!
Spirit/Opportunity
Sojourner
Curiosity
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Curiosity is twice the size of Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity
and five times as heavy.
Ar#st’s Concept. NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Curiosity: By the Numbers
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
Length: 10 feet (3 m) Width: 9 feet (2.8 m) Height: 7 feet (2.1 m) Mass: 1,982 pounds (899 kg) Arm Length: 7 feet (2.1 m) Wheel Diameter: 20 inches (0.5 m) Science Instruments: 10
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Curiosity’s “body” protects its instruments and computers
Its body is high off the ground, so the rover won’t get stuck on any rocks.
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
Deck
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Curiosity’s computer serve as the main “brains” during the cruise from Earth and Mars arrival.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Curiosity has a full back up computer.
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Curiosity’s Computers
Processor: • radiation-hardened central processor with PowerPC 750 • operates at up to 200 megahertz, 10x Spirit & Opportunity’s computers Memory: • 2 gigabytes of flash memory (~8 times as much as Spirit/Opportunity), • 256 megabytes of dynamic RAM • 256 kilobytes of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Instrument Locations
Mastcam!camera heads!
REMS!booms!
UV sensor!
CheMin!Inlet!
RAD!
MARDI!camera head!
DAN!
ChemCam!
APXS & MAHLI!
SAM!Inlets!
3
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Inside Curiosity are two instruments for analyzing powdered samples
Intakes for the CheMin Instrument
Intakes for the SAM Instrument
NASA/JPL-Caltech /Malin Space Science Systems
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Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin)
Main Function: Analyze Mineralogy/Chemical Composition Size: About the size of a laptop computer inside a carrying case Spectrometer Type: An X-ray diffraction and fluorescence instrument Finding minerals that either formed in water or were altered by water in the past helps us understand if Mars ever could have been a habitat for microbes.
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Sample Analysis on Mars (SAM)
Main Function: Identify organic compounds in the rock, soil, or atmosphere Size: the size of a microwave oven. Components: • gas chromatograph for separating
gases to identify them • mass spectrometer for detecting key
elements necessary for life (nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur, oxygen and carbon)
• tunable laser spectrometer for detecting methane, water vapor, and carbon dioxide
Sensitivity: detects less than one part-per-billion of an organic compound Ovens: heat most rock samples to about 1,800 degrees F (about 1,000 degrees C) to extract gases for analysis
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN)
Main Function: Search for signs of water Location: on the rear "bumper" of the rover “body” Capability: Measures hydrogen up to one meter (three feet) below the surface. Sensitivity: Can detect water content as low as 1/10th of 1 percent
Today, Mars does not have liquid water on its surface, but water may be chemically bound in minerals that formed in water long ago.
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD)
Curiosity will help us understand not only the possibility of past life on Mars, but also whether we humans could explore there one day.
Main Function: Collect data about natural high-energy radiation in space and on Mars' surface Location: Rover Deck, pointed toward the sky Size: similar to a jar of spaghetti sauce
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Curiosity can see Mars with 17 Cameras
Science Cameras • Chemistry & Camera: on the mast • Mast Camera: on the mast • Mars Hand Lens Imager: on the arm • Mars Descent Imager: on the rover body Driving & Navigation Cameras • Navigation Cameras: on the Mast • Hazard Avoidance Cameras: on the front and rear of the body
Ar#st’s Concept. NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam)
• Curiosity’s laser can hit a rock or soil target up to 23 feet (7 meters) away with enough energy to pulverize a pinhead spot on the rock.
• A spectrometer studies gas
released to see what types of atoms are in the vapor.
• Curiosity can find out if a rock
seems interesting before it drives over to check it out.
Curiosity uses this tool to see if a rock has been altered by water and if it has elements critical to life as we know it
Ar#st’s Concept. NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Mast Camera (Mastcam)
The telephoto lens can distinguish a football from a basketball from a distance of 7 football fields!
• Color Stereo Imaging
• Mounted at human-eye view: 6.5 feet (2.0 meters) above ground with about 10 inches (25 cm) between them
• Right camera is telephoto, left is wide angle
• Image size is 1600 x 1200 pixels
• HD video 10 frames per second
Telephoto Wide angle
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI)
It can take photos of rocks far away too, and carries its own lighting to take photos at night.
Main Function: Microscopic Imaging Location: On the turret at the end of the robotic arm Color Quality: Like that of consumer digital cameras, can autofocus. Image Size: up to 1600 X 1200 pixels Image Resolution: possibility of 13.9 microns/pixel HD Video: 720p Other: first sends back thumbnails so scientists can select best images to send back to Earth
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Mars Descent Imager (MARDI)
Main Function: Take pictures during descent through Martian atmosphere Location: Mounted on the side of the rover, pointing toward the ground Memory: 8 Gig flash memory allows over 4,000 raw frames HD Video: four color frames per second; close to 1,600 X 1,200 pixels per frame Other: Thumbnails and a few sample frames expected a few days after landing
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Navigation Cameras (Navcams)
The Navigation Cameras can see a golf ball from a distance of 82 feet, or 25 meters away
• Black and white stereo cameras help rover drivers see where to drive
• Aid in ‘autonomous’ navigation and checking actual wheel rotations (often some ‘slippage’ over the ground)
• Image Size: 1,024 by 1,024 pixels
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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• Help in autonomous navigation and avoiding obstacles
• Mounted at the front and rear of the rover’s body, pointing down at the ground, about 27 inches (68 cm) above ground
• Image Size: 1024 X 1024 pixels
• Each has a one-time-removable lens cover to shield from dust kicked up at landing
Hazard Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams)
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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What’s the Weather on Mars Today?
Rover Environmental Monitoring (REMS) • Will record air and ground
temperatures, wind speed and direction, air pressure, humidity, and UV radiation
• Can collect weather readings for at least five minutes every hour
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Mobility System
Rocker/Bogie: • made of titanium tubing • capable of rolling over rocks the size of one of its wheels Wheels: • made of aluminum, with cleats for traction and curved titanium springs Size: 20 inches (0.5 m) in diameter
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
Curiosity’s wheels are also the landing system!
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Six-Wheel Drive
• Each wheel has its own motor, and each of the front and rear wheels have additional steering motors.
• This steering capability
allows the vehicle to turn in place, a full 360 degrees.
• Curiosity has a top speed on hard, flat ground of 1.5 inches (4 cm) per second
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Curiosity’s seven-foot arm holds and moves tools to help scientists get up-close
and personal with Martian rocks and soil.
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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The Robotic Arm
The Arm Carries: • a drill • a brush to remove dust • a soil scoop • a camera for close-up views There are two science tools to understand if Mars ever had conditions suitable for microbial life.
APXS
Drill
“Wrist”
“elbow”
“Shoulder”
MAHLI
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS)
Main Function: Analyze chemical elements in Martian rock and “soil” (regolith) Location: on the turret at the end of Curiosity’s robotic arm Size: About the size of a cupcake Size of Sampled Area: about 1.7 cm in diameter when the instrument is in contact with the sample. Upgrades: Can now operate day or night and takes about one-third of the time to acquire a reading
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech/Max-‐Planck-‐Ins#tute for Chemistry
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Curiosity has three antennas to send and receive data
Ultra High Frequency (UHF) • Communicates with orbiters,
primarily sends data. • UHF band (about 400
megahertz) High Gain Antenna • Hexagon-shaped, about 1 ft in
diameter. • Steerable, used for transmitting/
receiving direct from Earth. • 160-800 kbs per second Low-gain Antenna • Omnidirectional; primarily
receives data • X band, 7-8 gigahertz
Low gain antenna can receive commands from Earth
High gain antenna can receive commands from Earth
UHF Antenna Sends/receives via orbiters
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems
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Curiosity will send data back to Earth’s Deep Space Network
through Mars orbiters Mars Odyssey Orbiter Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Rover Power
Main Function: Provide power to the rover Location: Aft side of the rover Weight: about 99 pounds (45 kilograms) Power Source: Uses 10.6 pounds (4.8 kg) of plutonium dioxide as the source of the steady supply of heat Electrical power produced: slightly over 100 watts
NASA/JPL-‐Caltech
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Follow Curiosity!
Mission Website: mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl
Twi8er: @MarsCuriosity Facebook: MarsCuriosity
Be A MarBan! beamarBan.jpl.nasa.gov
www.nasa.gov/msl