Mission Overview and Scientific Contributions from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover After Eight Years of Surface Operations
-
Published:2022-04
Issue:3
Volume:218
Page:
-
ISSN:0038-6308
-
Container-title:Space Science Reviews
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Space Sci Rev
Abstract
AbstractNASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, with its Curiosity rover, has been exploring Gale crater (5.4° S, 137.8° E) since 2012 with the goal of assessing the potential of Mars to support life. The mission has compiled compelling evidence that the crater basin accumulated sediment transported by marginal rivers into lakes that likely persisted for millions of years approximately 3.6 Ga ago in the early Hesperian. Geochemical and mineralogical assessments indicate that environmental conditions within this timeframe would have been suitable for sustaining life, if it ever were present. Fluids simultaneously circulated in the subsurface and likely existed through the dry phases of lake bed exposure and aeolian deposition, conceivably creating a continuously habitable subsurface environment that persisted to less than 3 Ga in the early Amazonian. A diversity of organic molecules has been preserved, though degraded, with evidence for more complex precursors. Solid samples show highly variable isotopic abundances of sulfur, chlorine, and carbon. In situ studies of modern wind-driven sediment transport and multiple large and active aeolian deposits have led to advances in understanding bedform development and the initiation of saltation. Investigation of the modern atmosphere and environment has improved constraints on the timing and magnitude of atmospheric loss, revealed the presence of methane and the crater’s influence on local meteorology, and provided measurements of high-energy radiation at Mars’ surface in preparation for future crewed missions. Rover systems and science instruments remain capable of addressing all key scientific objectives. Emphases on advance planning, flexibility, operations support work, and team culture have allowed the mission team to maintain a high level of productivity in spite of declining rover power and funding.
Funder
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics
Reference260 articles.
1. W. Abbey, R. Anderson, L. Beegle, J. Hurowitz, K. Williford, G. Peters, J.M. Morookian, C. Collins, J. Feldman, R. Kinnett, L. Jandura, D. Limonadi, C. Logan, S. McCloskey, J. Melko, A. Okon, M. Robinson, C. Roumeliotis, C. Seybold, J. Singer, N. Warner, A look back: the drilling campaign of the Curiosity rover during the Mars Science Laboratory’s Prime Mission. Icarus 319, 1–13 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2018.09.004 2. W. Abbey, R. Anderson, L.W. Beegle, G. Peters, J.M. Morookian, J. Biesiadecki, J. Carsten, C. Collins, K. Davis, R. Kinnett, D. Klein, S. Kuhn, C. Logan, M. Maimone, J. Melko, A. Okon, J. Reid, M. Robinson, J. Singer, V. Verma, A.R. Vasavada, A look back, part II: the drilling campaign of the Curiosity rover during the Mars Science Laboratory’s second and third Martian years. Icarus 350, 113885 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113885 3. C.N. Achilles, R.T. Downs, D.W. Ming, E.B. Rampe, R.V. Morris, A.H. Treiman, S.M. Morrison, D.F. Blake, D.T. Vaniman, R.C. Ewing, S.J. Chipera, A.S. Yen, T.F. Bristow, B.L. Ehlmann, R. Gellert, R.M. Hazen, K.V. Fendrich, P.I. Craig, J.P. Grotzinger, D.J. Des Marais, J.D. Farmer, P.C. Sarrazin, J.M. Morookian, Mineralogy of an active eolian sediment from the Namib dune, Gale crater, Mars. J. Geophys. Res., Planets 122, 2344–2361 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JE005262 4. C.N. Achilles, E.B. Rampe, R.T. Downs, T.F. Bristow, D.W. Ming, R.V. Morris, D.T. Vaniman, D.F. Blake, A.S. Yen, A.C. McAdam, B. Sutter, C.M. Fedo, S. Gwizd, L.M. Thompson, R. Gellert, S.M. Morrison, A.H. Treiman, J.A. Crisp, T.S.J. Gabriel, S.J. Chipera, R.M. Hazen, P.I. Craig, M.T. Thorpe, D.J. Des Marais, J.P. Grotzinger, V.M. Tu, N. Castle, G.W. Downs, T.S. Peretyazhko, R.C. Walroth, P. Sarrazin, J.M. Morookian, Evidence for multiple diagenetic episodes in ancient fluvial-lacustrine sedimentary rocks in Gale crater, Mars. J. Geophys. Res., Planets 125, e2019JE006295 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JE006295 5. C.N. Achilles, R.V. Morris, E.B. Rampe, T.S.J. Gabriel, D.W. Ming, B. Sutter, S.J. Chipera, D.F. Blake, T.F. Bristow, A.C. McAdam, R.T. Downs, D.T. Vaniman, A.S. Yen, Factors influencing the formation and preservation of X-ray amorphous materials identified in sedimentary deposits at Gale crater, Mars, in Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, vol. 52 (2021). Abstract 2548
Cited by
25 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献
|
|