Mars Express Status

27-Nov-09

Olivier Witasse, ESA

Mars Express in a nutshell

7700 orbits around the red planet completed.

Good news: the mission is extended (see next slide for details)

All instruments are working very well

Spacecraft is healthy

Almost 400 peer-reviewed publications (see next slides)

The archive is regularly populated. Situation can be improved.

MEX Publications

Special publication ESA-SP

All PI teams got copies. If you want to receive your copy, please contact Olivier Witasse

Mission Extension

The ESA Science Programme Committee (2 October 2009) approved the extension of MEX (and other missions)

These extensions are being firm up to the end of 2010 and indicative for 2011 and 2012.

Mid-Term review in 2010.

Towards the end of 2010, the SPC will be invited to approve a further extension of missions for a new period, again binding for the first 2 years (2011-2012) and, indicative in respect of the remaining 2 years (2013-2014).

Science objectives 2010-2012

Radar sounding of the North Polar cap Characterization of seasonal effects To continue the global coverage at high resolution Monitoring of the atmosphere, methane mapping Study of the upper atmosphere under increasing solar

activity Work with the MSL rover Work with Phobos Grunt

Ideas for the science case 2013/2014 Opportunity to work with four new missions:

MSL-Curiosity Imaging Surface composition and texture Atmosphere (H2O2, CH4, H2O, UV absorption)

Phobos sample return Imaging Phobos Atmosphere/CH4

The Chinese mission Plasma and atmospheric escape

MAVEN Plasma and atmospheric escape

Revisit with MARSIS the North Polar cap with much better illumination conditions.

Improve the global coverage in the Southern mid-latitudes (2014)

Atmospheric studies Upper atmosphere studies

Under varying solar cycle activity Prepare joint observations with MAVEN (arrival in late 2014) Deepest night ever (-50 º SEA, 140º SZA , magnetic anomalies in 2014)

Allow a second very close flyby (below 70 km) of Phobos for gravity

ANY OTHER IDEAS?PLEASE CONTACT OLIVIER WITASSE

Workshops and conferences 2010 1-5 March: LPSC, Houston 28 March-2 April: Workshop Mars, Les Houches 19-23 April: First International Conference on Mars Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (with

accompanying field trip), El Paso, Texas 25-29 April: Geospatial Infrastructure Solutions (GIS) Conference 26-29 April: Where Should We Go On Mars to Seek Signs of Life: or Where are the

Most Promising Landing Sites? The Astrobiology Science Conference, League City, Texas 2-7 May: EGU, Vienna 14-16 June: Chemistry of the Planets, Saint Jacut de la Mer 22-25 June: Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting, Taiwan 5-9 July: AOGS, India 18-25 July: COSPAR, Bremen 19-25 September: EPSC, Roma 3-8 October: DPS, Pasadena 5-8 October: Phobos workshop, Moscow 4-8 October: 5th Alfven Conference: Plasma Interaction with Non-Magnetized Planets/Moons and

its Influence on Planetary Evolution, Sapporo, Japan 18-22 October: Exploring planetary atmospheres with balloons, Paris (TBC) 13–17 December: AGU, San Francisco

2010-2012: pericenter evolution

Phobos flybys in February/March 2010

Phobos landing site observation

High resolution remote sensing

Gravity

Radar

Thermal IR Low resolution

remote sensing

Mars Exploration

Agustin Chicarro

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E X O M A R SE X O M A R S Programme Building Blocks

• ESA and NASA have agreed to embark on a joint Mars robotic exploration programme:

Initially, seek agreement on mission configurations for 2016, 2018, and 2020 opportunities;

ExoMars becomes a key element of the 2016 and 2018 scenario;

ExoMars spreads its objectives over two opportunities.

2016 ESA-led missionLauncher: NASA – Atlas V 421Orbiter: ESAPayload: ESA-NASALander: ESA

2016 ESA-led missionLauncher: NASA – Atlas V 421Orbiter: ESAPayload: ESA-NASALander: ESA2018 NASA-led mission

Launcher: NASA – Atlas V 531Cruise & EDL: NASARover 1: ESARover 2: NASA

2018 NASA-led missionLauncher: NASA – Atlas V 531Cruise & EDL: NASARover 1: ESARover 2: NASA

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20162016

E X O M A R SE X O M A R SMission Objectives

TECHNOLOGY OBJECTIVES Provide data relay services to landed missions until 2022;

Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) of a payload on the surface of

Mars

TECHNOLOGY OBJECTIVES Provide data relay services to landed missions until 2022;

Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) of a payload on the surface of

Mars

SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVE

To study Martian atmospheric trace gases and their sources.

SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVE

To study Martian atmospheric trace gases and their sources.

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E X O M A R SE X O M A R SOrbiter Model Payload

Maximum Mass at launch 600Kg Semi-soft (almost soft) lander with liquid retro-

propulsion Landing gears (TBD) crushable material, vented

airbabags, legs Minimum Payload operated on primary battery (5-7

sol lifetime) Mass less than 5Kg and no deployment mechanisms Science Goals: mostly environmental assessment

E X O M A R SE X O M A R SThe EDLS Demonstrator

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E X O M A R SE X O M A R SInternational Scenario

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Mars Exploration in ESA (1) ExoMars Project

The Science Management Plan for the ExoMars Project (including the 2016 Orbiter and the 2018 Rover) has been finalised and approved for release.

The corresponding AO for the 2016 Orbiter is being approved by ESA and NASA as we speak for release to the community in early January 2010.

The AO for the EDL Demonstrator should follow in June 2010.

Delegations

Meetings with Aurora member country delegations have been taking place recently to review current and future scientific and industrial involvement in all Exploration missions.

Program and budget are being discussed for final endorsement by member states.

Conferences

A workshop is being planned to take place next spring or autumn at ESTEC (or elsewhere) focusing on the scientific investigations of the Network mission to gather support from the science community for a 2020 mission in the Exploration program.

A major conference is also planned at ESTEC in 2011 focusing on the scientific investigations of all Mars missions being run, developed or studied by ESA (from MEX until the Mars Sample Return).

Mars Exploration in ESA (2) Joint ESA-NASA Developments

Joint ESA-NASA Exploration Meetings have been taking place regularly throughout 2009, including Executive Board, JIDT (Orbiter instrumentation definition), JEWG (Engineering Working Group).

Advisory Groups

The IMART (Int. Mars Architecture Group) is being formed to replace the US-only MART Group to provide support to the joint ESA-NASA Mars Exploration program. MEPAG and IMEWG will maintain their existing roles. Ad-hoc and specific science advisory groups will be formed in ESA.

ESA internal organisation

Coordination within ESTEC of various groups working on Mars is ongoing, namely: SRE-SM: MEX, 2016 Orbiter, 2016 Demonstrator, 2018 Rover SRE-PA: MREP studies of 2020, 2022 and MSR missions

Within the ESTEC Mars Information & Coordination (EMIC) Meeting Additional manpower from SRE-SM to support all future missions needs to be put in place. Recent personnel changes include new Dept (SRE-S) and Division (SRE-SM) Heads.