|
|
|
Overview
|
|
In April 2001, a spacecraft will take
off for Mars carrying a rover
designed get between rocks and
hard places on Mars.
Set to touch down in January of 2002, the Mars '01 lander
mission has two primary goals: to study new geologic terrain on
Mars, and to lay the groundwork for eventual human exploration
of Mars. The first of these two goals is the job of the APEX
experiment. The Mars 2001 rover, called Marie Curie, will further
our knowledge of the geology and terrain of the Martian
surface.
Led by Cornell University and run by a team of scientists from
around the world, the APEX experiment will prepare Mars
researchers for the Athena Rover on the 2003 Mars Sample
Return mission: the first space expedition ever designed to
return rock samples from another planet to Earth. In fact, APEX
stands for "Athena Precursor Experiment." Both missions aim to
uncover many secrets hidden in the red planet.
|
|
The Lander
|
Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander.
|
|
Mission Instruments
|
The Lander
The mast of the lander houses two instruments: Pancam at the
top and Mini-TES at its base. A M�ssbauer Spectrometer, the
third of the lander's APEX instruments, is mounted on its robotic
arm.
Pancam
Using two high-resolution, digital
cameras atop the mast, the Pancam
provides a panoramic 3-D view of the
Martian surface with extreme,
unprecedented detail. With a resolution
almost four times that of the cameras on
the Pathfinder and Mars Polar Lander missions, Pancam will offer
the best look at Mars yet. Scientists will see not only where
certain Martian surface features around the Lander are located,
but also which features warrant further investigation. Pancam
imaging can tell the story of Martian rock distribution, dunes,
and maybe ancient waterways. Imaging at different
wavelengths can even tell about the mineralogical make-up of
the Martian surface it pictures.
Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES)
Mini-TES, or the Mini-Thermal Emission
Spectrometer, observes the infrared (or
thermal) radiation emitted by rocks and
soils. Most minerals have their own
distinctive infrared "fingerprint", and
Mini-TES will reveal to scientists what
minerals the rocks and soils around the lander are made of.
Detecting and imaging thermal radiation allows helps scientists
to see what's under thin layers of dust that cover Martian
rocks, aiding in the identification of rock and soil specimens.
Located at the bottom of the mast, the Mini-TES gets a
panoramic view by using the mast like a periscope.
M�ssbauer Spectrometer
The surface of Mars contains a lot of
iron, so the M�ssbauer Spectrometer is
specifically designed to determine the
composition and abundance of
iron-bearing minerals with great
accuracy. Mounted on the robotic arm,
this instrument makes in-situ sample surface observations and
collects dust samples from the air on a magnet for analysis.
Carefully identifying each of these minerals may provide
information about early environmental conditions on Mars.
Getting a closer look at minerals potentially formed in warm,
watery Martian climates might yield clues to the likelihood of
former Martian life.
The Rover
The Alpha-Proton-X-Ray Spectrometer
The Alpha-Proton-X-Ray Spectrometer
sees Mars as elementary. Located on the
rover, the APXS can sample Martian
rocks or patches of soil that are out of
the lander's reach, and determine the
chemical make-up of whatever it's
touching. With alpha particle, proton and x-ray detection
modes, APXS delivers data on which rock-forming elements are
present and in what abundance with accuracy. This information
is particularly valuable in understanding Martian weathering
processes, water activity, and the formation of the Martian
crust.
|
Home
|
