[university name]
ABSTRACT
Studying of the outer space is called space science. The space exploration is the discovery and exploration of the outer space. The study of space is mainly done by the astronomers, later it was made as one of the divisions of space science. The astronomers explore the outer space with the help of the telescope. The physical explorations are conducted by the unmanned robotic probes and human space flight. In early centuries, the space race occurred between the Soviet Union and the United States of America during the period of cold war. The abstract of this research is to explore the secrets in the mars with the help of curiosity mars rover. This research will speak much about the rover instruments.
Keywords: Space exploration, astronomer, physical exploration, rover instruments.
1.0 Introduction
The space research is been carried out using the scientific equipment in the outer space. In early centuries, the Chinese developed the rocket technology for military purpose. In latter half of 20th century, the rocket technology was developed to overcome the earth’s gravity. The space technology started its journey during the 20th century. The advancement in the space technologies were made by the three countries; Soviet Union, America, and Germany. In World War II, United States and Soviet Union created their own missile. These three countries started to explore many secrets in space. The curiosity is a robotic rover, which was launched to explore the secrets in the mars. The curiosity is the one of the ambitious mars mission, flown by NASA. The rover primary mission is to find out whether the mars is or was suitable for life; learn about the red planet environment. The rover has few tools to search for the habitability in the mars. The rover posses many equipments for the research; the equipments are entry descent and landing instrument, mars descent imager, rover environmental monitoring station, alpha particle x- ray spectrometer, sample analysis at mars, and mars hand lens images.
2.0 Cameras
The mast camera is used to take the color images, and color video footage. The mast camera can create panoramas of the landscape around the rover. The mast cam is used to study the martian landscape, rocks and soils; one of the two mast cam systems are used for high resolution and another has low resolution lens. Mast camera can take pictures up to 10 frames/ second.
2.1 Mars Hand Lens Imager
The mars hand lens imager (MAHLI) is a focusable color camera, which was placed at end of the MSL robotic arm. The instrument captures images up to 1600 to 1200 pixels. The color quality of the MAHLI is equal to the customer’s digital camera. The MAHLI can capture images at the distance of 20.5mm and infinity. MAHLI has a close up view of 13.9 micros/ pixel; the MAHLI can capture images with high resolution. The below images were acquired by the flight during pre delivery testing. The camera was located at the robotic arm, which captures the images that are in accessible to the other cameras in MSL. The color imaging can be obtained using the bayer pattern filter. The MAHLI have two sets of white LEDs; the white LEDs are used in the night time imaging. Each LED pair can be independently commanded on/off. MAHLI has two ultra violet LEDs to look for materials. The MAHLI have three instruments, camera head, digital electronics assembly, and calibration head. The calibration head and the digital electronics assembly are connected by JPL.
2.2 Chemistry and Camera
The Chemistry and camera (chemcam) have two remote sensing instruments; induced breakdown spectrometer and the remote micro imager. The chemcam can analyze the larger number of samples compare to the other cameras in the rover. The chemcam team analyzes the soil near the rover. The LBIS instrument fires the laser pulse at the spotted target of rock and soil. The plasma light is a telescope of 110mm; the fiber carries the light into the three dispersive spectrometers, which record the spectra at the range of 240 – 850nm. The RMI instrument has no restrictions for the testing process. The remote micro imager uses the telescope to focus the location. The rock identification is one of the primary duties of the chemcam. The rock identification process used to analyze the composition of rocks in the different locations of mars. The chemcam is used to detect the hydrates, which is considered as the primary source of the water formation. The chemcam is used to analyze the chemical compositions present in the rocks; it is used to find out whether any small biological creatures living inside the mars.
3.0 The Alpha Particle X- Ray Spectrometer
The alpha particle x- ray spectrometer (APXS) is an improved version of APXS. The instruments have a main electronics in the rover body’s sensor head mounted on the robotic arm. The measurements are made by the sensor head on the samples. The samples are sensed with the help of the sensor. The sensor measures the emitted X- ray spectrum for 15 minutes to 3 hours without interacting with the rover. At the end of measurements the rover analyses the science data at 32KB. The software splits the total measurements into equal time slot. The main objective of APXS is to analyze the geological context of the rover. The APXS is fully calibrated using the geological samples in the laboratory. An onboard rock slab is used periodically to check the performance and calibration of the instruments. The data analysis accuracy is ~10%. The APXS data analysis is fast and gives the quick results. The elemental data used in the normative mineralogy. The APXS is improved in the sensitivity by a factor of 3. Additional improved sensitivity for the high elements. The APXS is used to measure the abundance of chemical elements in the rocks and soils. The APXS will take pictures in both day and night.
4.0 Chemistry and Mineralogy
An important goal of MSL (mission science corner) is to identify the past or present habitable environment. The chemistry and mineralogy (Chemin) is an instrument that is used to identify and quantify the minerals in the rocks. The chemin is used to analyze the involvement of water and formation. The x-ray beam from the x- ray tube is directed through a transmission of sample cell. A CCD imager is positioned at the opposite side of a single photon counting mode. The CCD is used to measure the charge generated by the diffracted x- rays that strike the detector; it is identified by the energy. The analysis is drawn as a histogram graph. The chemin sample handling equipments are funnel, a sample wheel, and a sample sump: material is dumped after the analysis. The CCD directly detects the individual x- ray photons. The chemin is optimized for a sample chemical analysis. The fluorescence detector is mounted on the tube side. The CCD is placed forward relative to the X- ray beam. The CCD measures the energy of the diffracted x- rays in a single photon count.
5.0 Radiation Access Detector
The radiation assessment detector (RAD) is an energetic particle analyzer. It is used to analyze at the surface of mars. The RAD detects the cosmic rays, energetic particles, and the other particles. The RAD instrument possesses the charged particle telescope; it has the three solid state detector and a cesium iodide. The RAD instrument is mounted at the top desk of the rover. The RAD particle is used throughout the mission. The primary objective of RAD is to characterize the energy particle spectrum on the surface of mars, analyze the radiation effect to the humans, and to study the mars atmosphere transmission model.
6.0 The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station
The rover environmental monitoring station (REMS) is designed to analyze the six atmospheric parameters: wind speed and direction, relative humidity, air temperature, pressure, ground temperature and the UV radiation. The sensors are placed: two booms attached to the rover remote sensing mast. The ultra violet sensing unit is located at the top desk of the rover. Boom 1, which looks at the side, boom 2, which points in the diving directions of the rover. The wind speed and the directions are analyzed by the two dimensional wind sensors. The three wind sensors are located 120 degree apart. The REMS operated for three hours each day. This is due to some constrains in the power availability.
7.0 The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons
The dynamic albedo neutrons are a passive/active neutron spectrometer, which is used to measure the abundance and the depth distribution of the hydrogen materials. In active mode, DAN measures the time delay curve. The scientific objectives of the instrument are to detect the estimation of hydrogen in the subsurface, investigates the layering of hydrogen in the subsurface. The short duration measurement is to detect the water equivalent hydrogen distribution at the surface with an accuracy of 1%. The long duration measurement is used to detect the vertical distribution of water.
8.0 Mars Descent Imager
The mars descent imager (MARDI) is a color camera, which is mounted to the fore port side of the rover. The image pixel of this camera is 1600*1200. The rover software issues command to the camera so the camera operates until it receives “Stop Imaging” command from the software. The data is stored in the permanent flash memory. An 8 giga byte buffer permits the camera to acquire nearly 4,000 raw data. The MARDI’s primary objectives are to determine the exact vehicle location.
9.0 MSL EDL Instrument
The MSL EDL carries the set of engineering sensor. These engineering sensors are designed to measure the atmospheric conditions. The MEDLI consists of seven sensor plugs and seven mars entry atmospheric pressure sensors. The MISP sensor is used to sense the temperature of the martian atmosphere. The MEDS measures the atmospheric pressure during the seven MEDS location during the entry. The MEDS pressure sensors are arranged in a cross pattern.
10.0 Sample Analysis at Mars
The SAM takes more than half the science payload on board. The SAM will be search for compounds like carbon and methane. The SAM will look for the abundant light element like hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The mass spectrometer is used to separate the elements by mass. The gas chromatograph is used to heat the soil and rock until they vaporize. The laser spectrometer is used to measure various isotopes. The main objective of SAM is to find whether the mars support the life present or supported the life in future. The SAM is one of the important equipments in the rover.
Conclusion
The mars mission is one of the ambitious missions of NASA. The mars mission will reveal most of the secrets about the red planet. Each instrument in the mars will provide different information about the red planet. The rover possess mast cam, which is used to take a high resolution pictures. The pictures are used for research. The chemcam is used to find out the chemical deposition of soils and rocks in the red planet. The alpha particle x-ray spectrometer is used to analyze the atomic particles present in the mars, like presents of hydrogen, carbon, etc. Chemmin is used to detect the mineral content in the rocks and the soil. The mars descent imager is used to find the exact vehicle location. MSD EDL instrument carries the engineering sensors, which are used to detect the atmospheric conditions of the mars. The SAM instrument will look for the carbon and methane, which is used to analyze the support of life in the mars. This research paper presents the importance of each instrument installed in the rover and how they can be helpful for the future human exploration to the mars. The successful operation of these instruments will help the future human exploration of the mars; all the best to NASA for future human exploration.
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