SID #:
Section (e.g. TR 11):
SID:
Section:
Introduction: The importance of the topic. Purpose, method and scope of the paper. A detailed outline of the topics to be covered in the final paper is described below:
Abstract: A self-contained short summary.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Section 1.1: Background: Facts about Mars and about earlier missions.
Section 1.2: Goals and Objectives: Statement of goals and objectives
Chapter 2 : Mission Overview
Section 2.1: Land site selection and Gale Crater: Criteria of selection and geological characteristics of gale Crater and Mount Sharp.
Section 2.2: Technical Details: Details of science payload, spacecraft, rover, communication system, and rocket.
Section 2.3: Mission Timeline: Shows the timeline of events from prelaunch.
Chapter 3 : Mission Detail
Section 3.1: Launch, Cruise and Approach: Details of actual launch of spacecraft, its journey towards Mars and approach.
Section 3.2: Entry, Descend and Landing: Use of guided entry and sky crane.
Chapter 4 : Curiosity
Section 4.1: First Drive: Describe the operations carried out by the rover on landing on Martian surface
Section 4.2: Mission update: Details of scientific exploration done by the Curiosity and major discoveries carried out by scientific instruments.
Chapter 5: Conclusion: Measures success against planned goals and objectives of the mission. Possibility of future manned mission to Mars.
References
Proposal
Introduction to the paper: Mars and Earth have many similarities. The study of Mars helps in understanding Earth and evolution of life form on earth. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is conducting pioneering scientific studies on Mars. The purpose of the paper is to provide important information related to MSL, experiments being carried out and new findings. The paper will cover briefly information on Mars and earlier studies done on Mars. It will describe in detail the Mars Science Laboratory mission including its rover Curiosity. It will describe the scientific experiments already carried out by MSL and conclude with the successes and achievements of the mission.
The paper will be prepared by studying literatures available on NASA website and websites related to astronomy and space science. Website of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, http://Mars.nasa.gov/msl/ has extensive articles, news and information on MSL and Curiosity. The paper will be organized as shown in the outline. Content under each heading of the outline is described below.
Abstract: This will be a concise statement summarizing main features covered in the paper. There will be listing of keywords used in the paper.
Chapter 1: Introduction: It will consist of two sections. Background section will provide detailed facts of Mars like size, mass, gravity, and distance from sun and earth, atmospheric composition and other characteristics. It will cover similarities and dissimilarities between Earth and Mars and their effects on evolution of two planets. Since the spacecraft Voyager’s first taking close-up pictures of Mars in 1965 and the robotic Lander’s first safely landing on the surface of the Mars in 1976, many mysteries of the red planet has unveiled by subsequent mission. Since landing on August 5, 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and the Curiosity rover is exploring the surface of Mars in search of evidence of life form.
Scientific investigations of MSL is based on four goals: I. To determine Mars had environment conditions that could have supported life form. II. Present and past climate of Mars. III. Study geology of the Mars. and IV. Understanding radiation level and other characteristics for human exploration of Mars. To attain these goals, eight objectives have been formulated.
Chapter 2 : Mission Overview: This chapter has four sections. Landing site, Gale crater was selected based on scientific evaluation of evidence of habitability and accessibility of terrain by the Curiosity rover. Gale Crater was formed by meteor strike. The soil around the landing site showed presence of clay and sulfates that indicated possibility of presence of water. Mount Sharp situated in Gale Crater showed extensive deposits.
Section ‘Technical Detail’ will comprise details of Mars Science Laboratory – 10 scientific instruments mounted on the rover for carrying out analysis of samples taken by the robotic arm, environmental study and taking images. This section will also include specification and description of the spacecraft, the rover ‘Curiosity’, the communication system, and the launch rocket. Section ‘Timeline’ chronologically will show the major events starting from prelaunch and cover launch, landing and major events.
Chapter 3 : Mission Overview: There are two section. Section ‘Launch, Cruise and Approach’ will describe actual launch of spacecraft, its journey towards Mars and approach in detail. During the approach to Mars, final maneuvering was carried out to ensure successful entry, descent and landing. New technologies of guided entry and use of sky crane for touchdown ensured safe and accurate landing of the rover.
Chapter 4 : Curiosity: Two sections, first drive and mission update will describe the operations carried out by the rover on landing on Martian surface. Curiosity has carried out many experiments that have already established presence of water, found presence of organic carbon, active methane and presence of biological presence of nitrogen.
Chapter 4 : Conclusion: It can be concluded from the scientific achievements of the MSD till date that the mission is a success and it has met its planned goals and objectives. It has shown that Mars might have been hospitable to live form. There is possibility of future manned mission to Mars.References
“All About Mars”. NASA: Mars Exploration. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, USA, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2016. http://Mars.nasa.gov/allaboutMars/
Gomez-Elvira, J., et al.” Rover Environmental Monitoring Station For MSL Mission”. 4th International workshop on the Mars Atmosphere: modeling and observations. Pierre und Marie Curie University, February 2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2016.
http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/paris2011/abstracts/gomez-elvira_paris2011.pdf
“Mars Exploration”. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute Of Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California, 19 July 2012. Web. 10 Feb.2016. http://mars.nasa.gov/
“MSL Science Corner.” Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute Of Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California, 19 July 2012. Web. 10 Feb.2016. https://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/
“Nasa’s Management Of The Mars Science Laboratory Project”. Office of Audits. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, USA, 8 June 2011. Web. 12 Feb.2016. https://oig.nasa.gov/audits/reports/FY11/IG-11-019.pdf
“News.” Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute Of Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, California, 19 July 2012. Web. 10 Feb.2016. http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/news/whatsnew/
Wall, Mike. “Mars Rover Curiosity's 7 Biggest Discoveries (So Far)”. Space.com, 28 May 2013. Web. 10 Feb.2016.
http://www.space.com/20396-mars-rover-curiosity-big-discoveries.html
Williams, R. M. E. “Martian Fluvial Conglomerates at Gale Crater”. Science, 340 (6136), 1068- 1072, 31 May 2013. Web. 12 Feb.2016.
DOI: 10.1126/science.1237317
