is there life on mars?mars. exomars (exobiology on mars) is a two-part astrobiology project to...

NewSpace International - September/October 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com12

Mars has long held captive the imaginationsof people across the globe. Occasionallyvisible with the naked eye, the distant RedPlanet has always appeared at the very edgeof what might one day be possible. As Marsexploration projects ramp up, the planetseems to edge closer within our grasp, andwe can’t get enough of it.

The Red Planet has been the focus of humanimagination for centuries. The fourth planet away fromthe Sun, and the second smallest planet in our solarsystem, Mars’ surface conditions and the presence ofwater arguably make it the most hospitable planetnearby after Earth.

Long-held concerns about the future habitability ofEarth have increased focus on off-world settlements inrecent years, with both the Moon and Mars being primarytargets. Private and publication organisations alike havebeen investing heavily in studies and developingtechnologies for potential future colonization efforts,including NASA, Roscosmos, the Chinese NationalSpace Administration, the European Space Agency(ESA), Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, Mars One and Boeing.

It’s not just Mars’ proximity that makes it a potentialcandidate for humanity’s first off-world base. Indeed,Mars and Earth have certain similarities that render theRed Planet a curious prospect for settlement:

• The Martian day is 24 hours, 39 minutes and35.244 seconds. In contrast, the Moon day isalmost 30 Earth days long.

• With an axial tilt of 25.19°, similar to Earth’s 23.44°,Mars has seasons much like Earth, although eachis about twice as long, as the Martian year isaround 1.88 Earth years.

• Recent discoveries have confirmed the presenceof water in ice form on Mars.

The differences between Mars and Earth, however,are numerous. Each would need compensating for inorder to establish a successful human settlement.

• Mars’ gravity measures 38 percent of Earth’s;while microgravity has been found to causeadverse health effects including muscle loss andbone mineralization, it is not yet known whetherMars’ gravity will have the same effects. Furtherstudies are required.

• The Martian atmosphere is 95 percent carbondioxide, 3 percent nitrogen, 1.6 percent argon, andtraces of other gases, including oxygen, totallingless than 0.4 percent. Earth’s atmosphere, incontrast, is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percentoxygen, and 1 percent other gases.

• The lack of magnetosphere in the Martianatmosphere means that solar particle events andcosmic rays easily reach the surface, while thethin atmosphere does not keep out UV rays.

• Martian atmospheric pressure is below theArmstrong limit where humans can survivewithout pressure suits.

• Average surface temperatures of -87 to -5°C aremuch lower than are found on Earth. Indeed, Marshas an eccentric orbit; thus, temperature andImage: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin

Mars from horizon to horizon

IstherelifeonMars?

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#MARS #SETTLEMENT #ESA #MARSEXPRESS

solar constant variations are much higher thanEarth.

• Mars is 52 percent farther away from the Sun thanEarth, and the amount of solar energy reachingthe Martian surface is just 43.3 percent of whatreaches Earth.

Scientists and engineers across the globe would haveus believe that these differences are just challenges tobe overcome with technology; habitats can, in theory,be created to support human life even on Mars, whileadvanced communications solutions can help solve thepsychological challenges of living so far from Earth.Companies and organisations the world over are dulygetting in on the action – the race to Mars is on!

Mars Express celebrates 15 years of explorationThe ESA’s Mars Express programme is celebrating itsfifteenth year of operations this year. Launched fromKazakhstan in 2003, the Mars Express Orbiter hasproduced global maps tracing the planet’s geologicalactivity, water, volcanism and minerals, studied canyons,polar ice caps, impact craters and volcanoes, probedthe surface with radar, and explored the Martianatmosphere. A recent upgrade to Mars Express softwarehas extended the lifetime of the mission, possiblythrough to the mid-2020s.

In July, a new study based on ten years of data fromthe radar instrument on Mars Express indicated that thecomplex Martian atmosphere does in fact behave as asingle, interconnected system, with processes occurringat low and mid-levels significantly affecting those seenhigher up. Mars’ atmosphere continuously leaks intospace; the planet has lost the majority of its denser andwetter atmosphere, causing it to evolve into the dryplanet we see today. Understanding the atmosphere isvital for future missions to Mars, particularly for futuresettlement possibilities. The new findings couldpotentially help scientists to understand how Mars’atmosphere evolves over time – not only with respectto external disturbances such as space weather and theactivity of the Sun, but also with respect to Mars’ ownstrong internal variability and surface processes.

“The lower and middle levels of Mars’ atmosphereappear to be coupled to the upper levels: There’s a clearlink between them throughout the Martian year,” saidLead Author Beatriz Sánchez-Cano of the University ofLeicester. ”We found this link by tracking the amount ofelectrons in the upper atmosphere – a property that hasbeen measured by the MARSIS radar for over a decadeacross different seasons, areas of Mars, times of day,and more – and correlating it with the atmosphericparameters measured by other instruments on MarsExpress.”

Later in the same month, radar data collected by theMars Express pointed to a pond of liquid water buriedunder layers of ice and dust in the south polar region ofMars. We’ve been aware for some time that liquid waterused to be prevalent on Mars’ surface, and that ice canbe found on the surface even today. Early results fromthe Mars Express showed that ice exists at the planet’spoles, buried in layers by dust, and the presence of liquidwater at the base of the polar ice caps has long beensuspected. Scientists have now developed newtechniques for utilising the Mars Advanced Radar forSubsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument

(MARSIS) to confirm the presence of liquid water onMars.

The ground-penetrating radar investigation hasshown that the south polar region of Mars is made ofmany layers of ice and dust down to a depth of about1.5km in the 200km-wide area analysed in the study. Aparticularly bright radar reflection underneath thelayered deposits is identified within a 20km-wide zone.Analysing the properties of the reflected radar signalsand considering the composition of the layered depositsand expected temperature profile below the surface,the scientists interpret the bright feature as an interfacebetween the ice and a stable body of liquid water, whichcould be laden with salty, saturated sediments. ForMARSIS to be able to detect such a patch of water, itwould need to be at least several tens of centimetresthick.

“This subsurface anomaly on Mars has radarproperties matching water or water-rich sediments,” saidRoberto Orosei, Principal Investigator of the MARSISexperiment. “This is just one small study area; it is anexciting prospect to think there could be more of theseunderground pockets of water elsewhere, yet to bediscovered.”

“We’d seen hints of interesting subsurface featuresfor years, but we couldn’t reproduce the result from orbitto orbit, because the sampling rates and resolution ofour data was previously too low,” added AndreaCicchetti, MARSIS Operations Manager. “We had tocome up with a new operating mode to bypass someonboard processing and trigger a higher sampling rateand thus improve the resolution of the footprint of ourdataset: Now we see things that simply were notpossible before.”

ExoMars breaks groundThe ESA and Russian Space Agency Roscosmos havealso joined forces to expand human understanding ofMars. ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars) is a two-partastrobiology project to search for evidence of life onMars. The first part is a Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) researchand communications satellite which was launched toMars’ orbit in 2016. The TGO has a planned lifetime ofseven years in orbit, where it will study trace gases,primarily methane, in the Martian atmosphere, that couldbe evidence of biological activity. It will also act as thecommunications link between the planned 2020ExoMars rover, and Earth. The second part of the projectis a land rover, will be launched in 2020, and is expectedto operate through 2022.

In April, the ExoMars TGO returned its first images ofMars from its orbit above the planet. The TGO’s Colourand Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) captureda 40 km-long segment of Korolev Crater located high inthe northern hemisphere. The orbiter’s camera is one offour instruments on the TGO, which also hosts twospectrometer suites and a neutron detector. Thespectrometers began their science mission on 21 Aprilwith the TGO making its first tests of the atmosphere,looking at how molecules in the atmosphere absorbsunlight: Each has a unique fingerprint that reveals itschemical composition. A long period of data collectionwill be required, as the trace gases comprise less thanone percent of the volume of the planet’s atmosphere.The camera will eventually help characterise featureson the surface that may be related to trace gas sources.


#MARS #LOCKHEEDMARTIN #EXOMARS

Image: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS

ExoMars image: Korolev Crater

“We were really pleased to see how good this picturewas given the lighting conditions,” said AntoinePommerol, a member of the CaSSIS science teamworking on the calibration of the data. “It shows thatCaSSIS can make a major contribution to studies of thecarbon dioxide and water cycles on Mars.”

Back on Earth, May saw the ExoMars rover begin arigorous test campaign that will ensure it can survivethe launch, landing and day-to-day operations on Marsin 2020. The rover will be the first of its kind to drill up to2m below the surface, determining whether evidenceof life is buried underground, protected from thedestructive radiation that impinges the planet’s surface.

To ensure operability on Mars, the rover’s ‘structuraland thermal model’ was transferred from Airbus

Defence and Space in Stevenage, UK, to the Airbus sitein Toulouse, France, where it has been shaken on avibration table to determine whether it can survive thestress of launch into space. Two months of thermal testsunder Mars atmosphere conditions will fully qualify therover for being able to withstand the frigid temperaturesand large daily temperature variations on Mars. The testswill be conducted in a chamber to simulate the lowatmospheric pressure of Mars – less than 1 percent ofEarth’s average sea level pressure – and its carbondioxide-rich atmosphere. The rover will also need tooperate at temperatures down to -120°C.

A closed compartment inside the rover, whereMartian soil samples will be analysed, will be thermallycontrolled to maintain temperatures between 20°C and-40°C. Following completion of the test campaign inAugust, the rover will be shipped to Lavochkin, Moscow,where it will be sealed inside a replica descent moduleand again subjected to vibration, shock and thermal

tests.Another test model will soon start an eight month-

long campaign focusing on the rover’s movements andnavigation over a variety of different ground types,ranging from fine-grained soil to larger boulders.

In July, meanwhile, the UK Space Agency launcheda competition to name the ExoMars rover, as announcedby Tim Peake at the Farnborough International Airshow.“Mars is a fascinating destination, a place where humanswill one day work alongside robots to gather newknowledge and search for life in our Solar System,” saidPeake. “The ExoMars rover is a vital part of this journeyof exploration and we are asking you to become part ofthis exciting mission and name the rover that will scoutthe Martian surface.”

Lockheed Martin moves forward with Mars visionLockheed Martin has historically engaged in a greatmany Mars missions with NASA and other internationalbodies. The company’s vision for future spaceexploration is based around its Mars Base Campconcept, a crewed Mars laboratory orbiter conceptcommissioned by NASA. The concept features a strongfoundation of today’s technologies, including Orion, theworld’s first deep space crew capsule, a super heavylaunch system, a crew habitat, and solar electricpropulsion technology.

“We developed a concept called Mars Base Campthat shows the systems and architecture for how to gethumans to Mars with Orion. It’s very achievable withtechnology we have now. We see it as a NASA-ledmission with international involvement and most of thesystems being built by industry. It’s a three-year mission,and from orbit, the six person crew can study the planetup close, conduct science with remote rovers or dronesand even retrieve surface samples to bring home,” RobChambers, Director of Human Spaceflight Strategy atLockheed Martin, told NewSpace International.

Back in July 2017, Lockheed Martin announced aparticularly interesting new project that reaped a lot ofmedia attention. The company is refurbishing a shuttle-era cargo container, the Donatello Multi-PurposeLogistics Module (MPLM), used to transfer cargo to theInternational Space Station (ISS) into a deep spacehabitat prototype for NASA at the Kennedy SpaceCenter. This prototype will integrate evolvingtechnologies to keep astronauts safe while onboard andoperate the spacecraft autonomously whenunoccupied. Interestingly, the team will rely heavily onmixed reality prototyping using virtual and augmented

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Mars Express

Image: ESA/ATG medialab; Mars: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin

ExoMars Rover structural model

Image: Airbus Defence and Space

Trace Gas Orbiter at Mars

Image: ESA/ATG medialab

reality. Through this approach, the team can reduce costand schedule, as well as identify and solve issues earlyin the design phase.

“It is easy to take things for granted when you areliving at home, but the recently selected astronauts willface unique challenges,” said Bill Pratt, Lockheed MartinNextSTEP Program Manager. “Something as simple ascalling your family is completely different when you areoutside of low Earth orbit. While building this habitat,we have to operate in a different mindset that’s moreakin to long trips to Mars to ensure we keep them safe,healthy and productive.”

Under a public-private partnership (PPP), NASAawarded Lockheed Martin a Phase II contract for theNext Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships(NextSTEP) habitat study contract. As part of Phase II,the team will refine the design concept developed inPhase I and work with NASA to identify key systemrequirements for the Deep Space Gateway, a plannedlunar-orbit space station, that will have a power andpropulsion system, a small habitat for the crew, adocking capability, an airlock, and logistics modules.Included in this work, the team will build a full-scalehabitat prototype in the Space Station Processing Facilityat NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and a next-generationdeep space avionics integration lab near Johnson SpaceCenter.

“We are excited to work with NASA to repurpose ahistoric piece of flight hardware, originally designed forlow Earth orbit exploration, to play a role in humanity’spush into deep space,” said Pratt. “Making use of existingcapabilities will be a guiding philosophy for LockheedMartin to minimize development time and meet NASA’saffordability goals.”

The work will occur over 18 months and will buildupon the concept study performed in Phase I. Phase IIwill also focus on mixed reality and rapid prototypingand working on concept refinement and risk reduction.The new results, which will be provided to NASA, willfurther the understanding of the systems, standards andcommon interfaces needed to make living in deep spacepossible.

Lockheed Martin is making great effort to incorporateits Generation Beyond K-12 science, technology,engineering and math (STEM) education initiative intoits future deep space exploration projects. In April,Lockheed Martin announced the winners of a nationwidecontest asking students to design a Mars-orbitingscience lab and living space (or Mars Base CampHabitation Module) that will dock with NASA’s Oriondeep space spacecraft.

The contest asked middle school students to submittheir best design ideas for a Habitation Module that willprovide all of the systems and living spaces that a crewneeds for a long mission. The individual winner is fromEast Prairie Elementary School in Skokie, Illinois and theteam winners are from Stoller Middle School in Portland,Oregon.

“Lockheed Martin is already developing designconcepts for a Mars Habitat, and the 2017 GenerationBeyond Video Challenge Contest was a greatopportunity to hear innovative new ideas from the nextgeneration of engineers, builders and explorers who willhelp us get there,” said Tony Antonelli, a former NASAspace shuttle pilot who heads advanced civil spaceprograms for Lockheed Martin. “The goal of Generation



#MARS #LOCKHEEDMARTIN #NASA

NASA Curiosity Mars Rover

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Beyond is to spark student interest in STEM, and thiscontest is one of many ways we’re using exciting topics,like space travel, to engage students in learning.”

Lockheed Martin reached a major milestone in May,when its Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigation,Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) was launched onboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket; it isnow well on its six-month journey to Mars, due to arriveon 26 November. InSight, managed by NASA’s JetPropulsion Laboratory (JPL), will be the first mission tostudy the planet’s interior by measuring its heat outputand observing its rotational variations. It will use theseismic waves generated by Mars quakes and meteoriteimpacts to develop a map of the planet’s deep interior.The resulting insight into Mars’ formation will helpmission scientists to better understand how other rockyplanets, including Earth, evolved.

Lockheed Martin designed, built and tested thespacecraft and is responsible for flight operations duringthe cruise phase as well as entry, descent and landingin November later this year. Once the lander is on Mars,the mission operations team, based in Denver, willsupport science collection through the life of the mission– approximately two Earth years or one Martian year.

“Though the six-month journey is called the ‘quietcruise phase’ there are many things our team must doto make sure we are ready for InSight’s arrival at Mars,”said Tim Linn, InSight Deputy Program Manager andEntry, Descent and Landing Manager. “The spacecraftwill be travelling at a Mars relative velocity ofapproximately 12,500mph, so we need precise entryflight path angle and orientation of the InSight spacecraftto be able to execute a successful propulsive landingand get the lander to a safe speed of approximately5mph before landing softly on the Red Planet.”

Later in August, Lockheed Martin took the next stepin the development of the Orion crew module, poweringup the spacecraft for the first time at the Kennedy SpaceCenter in Florida. NASA’s Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1)will be the first integrated unmanned test of NASA’sdeep space exploration systems: The Boeing-builtSpace Launch System (SLS)rocket, the Orion spacecraft, andthe ground systems at KennedySpace Center in Cape Canaveral.Orion will launch on the ‘mostpowerful rocket in the world’ andfly further than any spacecraftbuilt for humans has ever flown.It will travel 280,000 miles fromEarth over the course of theapproximately three-weekmission and will stay in spacelonger than any ship forastronauts has without dockingto a space station.

“Orion was designed from thebeginning to take humanityfarther into space than we’ve evergone, and to do this, its systemshave to be very robust andreliable,” said Mike Hawes, VicePresident and Orion ProgramManager at Lockheed Martin.“Over the last year, we’ve builtgreat momentum in assembling

the crew module for EM-1. Everyone on the teamunderstands how crucial this test campaign is, and moreimportantly, what this spacecraft and mission means toour country and future human space flight.”

The initial power-on event was the first time thevehicle management computers and the power anddata units were installed on the crew module, loadedwith flight software and tested. Evaluating these coresystems, thought of as the ‘brain and heart’ of the Orioncapsule, is the first step in testing all of the crew modulesubsystems. Although astronauts will not fly in thiscapsule on this flight, a large majority of the subsystemsand avionics are the same design that astronauts willrely on during following missions with Orion into the solarsystem.

With the successful initial power on behind them,engineers and technicians will continue integrating the55 components that make up the spacecraft avionicssuite, connecting them with nearly 400 harnesses. Overthe course of two to three months, as each system isinstalled, they will perform thorough functional tests toensure Orion is ready to move to the all-importantenvironmental testing phase.

“The Orion crew module is essentially complete andwe’re moving soon into environmental testing,” RobChambers, Director of Human Spaceflight Strategy atLockheed Martin, told NewSpace International. “We justinstalled the large heat shield and soon the servicemodule will arrive from Europe where it was built byAirbus. Once at Kennedy, we’ll integrate it with the crewmodule and move into testing. NASA is planning tolaunch Orion onboard the large SLS rocket in late 2019/early 2020 on its Exploration Mission-2 uncrewed testflight that will go out 40,000 miles beyond the Moon ona three-week mission.”

NASA continues on wealth of Mars missionsNASA has worked tirelessly over the years to provide acontinuous flow of scientific information and discoverythrough a carefully selected series of robotic orbiters,landers and mobile laboratories interconnected by a



#MARS #NASA #MARSEPXRESS #ROVER

high bandwidth Mars-Earth communications network.Current missions with NASA involvement include:

• MAVEN: Launched in 2013, the Mars Atmosphericand Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission isobtaining critical measurements of the Martianatmosphere to help understand dramaticclimate change on Mars.

• Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: NASA’s MarsReconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, is ona planetary exploration mission homing in ondetails of Martian terrain with the most powerfulcamera ever flown on a planetary explorationmission.

• Mars Science Laboratory – Curiosity: Launchedin 2011, the Curiosity Rover is investigating Mars’habitability, including its climate and geology, andcollecting data for manned missions to Mars.

• Mars Exploration Rover – Opportunity: The MarsExploration Rover was launched in 2003 to meetseveral targets, including characterizing a widerange of rocks and soils for clues to past wateractivity on Mars.

• 2001 Mars Odyssey: NASA’s oldest spacecraft stillon Mars, the Mars Odyssey launched in 2001 tomake the first global map of the amount anddistribution of many chemical elements andminerals making up the planet’s surface. Havingcompleted that mission, the orbiter now acts asa communications relay for NASA’s ExplorationRovers.

• Mars Express: Launched in 2003, the ESA’s MarsExpress orbiter is helping to answer fundamentalquestions about the geology, surfaceenvironment, history of water and potential forlife on Mars.

• ExoMars: Consisting of the TGO, already in orbit,and a land rover, due for launch in 2020, the ESA’sand Roscosmos’ ExoMars is expected to revealnew information on the exobiology on Mars.

NASA’s Mars missions have been highly successfulto date. Recently in June, the Curiosity Rover found newevidence preserved in rocks on Mars that suggests theplanet could have supportedancient life, as well as new

evidence in the Martian atmosphere that relates to thesearch for current life on the planet. The new findingsinclude ‘tough’ organic molecules in 3 billion year oldsedimentary rocks near the surface, as well as seasonalvariations in the levels of methane in the atmosphere.

“Are these signs of life on Mars? We don’t know, butthese results tell us we are on the right track,”commented Michael Meyer, Lead Scientist for NASA’sMars Exploration Program.

Organic molecules contain carbon and hydrogen, andalso may include oxygen, nitrogen and other elements.While commonly associated with life, organic moleculesalso can be created by non-biological processes andare not necessarily indicators of life.

“Curiosity has not determined the source of theorganic molecules,” said Jen Eigenbrode of NASA’sGoddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland,who is lead author of one of the two new Science papers.“Whether it holds a record of ancient life, was food forlife, or has existed in the absence of life, organic matterin Martian materials holds chemical clues to planetaryconditions and processes.”

Building further on its current collection of successfulmissions, NASA has a stake in several upcomingexploration missions, including; the ExoMars Rover, duefor launch in 2020; the InSight mission, recently launchedand expected at Mars in November; and the Mars 2020mission…

The Mars 2020 mission features a land rover that willconduct geological assessments of its landing site onMars, determine the habitability of the environment,search for signs of ancient Martian life, and assessnatural resources and hazards for future humanexplorers. The instruments on board the rover will beused to identify and collect samples of rock and soil,encase them in sealed tubes, and leave them on thesurface of Mars for potential return to Earth by a futuremission to the planet.

In May, it was announced that NASA’s Mars 2020mission has begun the assembly, test and launchoperations (ATLO) phase of its development, on trackfor a July 2020 launch to Mars. The first planned ATLOactivities will involve electrical integration of flighthardware into the mission’s descent stage. The Mars2020 rover, as well as its cruise stage, aeroshell anddescent stage - a rocket-powered ‘sky crane’ that willlower the rover to the planet’s surface - will undergofinal assembly at the Spacecraft Assembly Facility HighBay 1 at NASA’s JPL. Over the next year-and-a-half,engineers and technicians will add subsystemssuch as avionics, power, telecommunications,

mechanisms, thermal systems andnavigation systems onto the spacecraft.

The propulsion systems wereinstalled earlier this

year on the cruiseand descent

stage main structures.In the same month, it was

revealed that the Mars 2020rover will be accompanied by a

NASA Mars 2020 RoverImage: NASA


#MARS #D-MARS #SETTLEMENT

Mars Helicopter; a smallautonomous rotorcraft thatwill demonstrate the viabilityand potential of heavier-than-air vehicles on theplanet.

“Exploring the Red Planetwith NASA’s Mars Helicopterexemplifies a successfulmarriage of science andtechnology innovation and isa unique opportunity toadvance Mars explorationfor the future,” said ThomasZurbuchen, Associate Adm-inistrator for NASA’s ScienceMission Directorate at theagency headquarters inWashington. “After theWright Brothers proved 117 years ago that powered,sustained, and controlled flight was possible here onEarth, another group of American pioneers may provethe same can be done on another world.”

The Mars Helicopter weighs in at 1.8kg, with a fuselage‘the size of a softball.’ Twin counter-rotating blades willbite into the thin Martian atmosphere at almost3,000rpm, about 10 times the rate of a helicopter onEarth. The helicopter also contains built-in capabilitiesneeded for operation at Mars, including solar cells tocharge its lithium-ion batteries, and a heatingmechanism to keep it warm through the cold Martiannights.

“The altitude record for a helicopter flying here onEarth is about 40,000 feet. The atmosphere of Mars isonly one percent that of Earth, so when our helicopteris on the Martian surface, it’s already at the Earthequivalent of 100,000 feet up,” said Mimi Aung, MarsHelicopter Project Manager at JPL. “To make it fly at thatlow atmospheric density, we had to scrutinizeeverything, make it as light as possible while being asstrong and as powerful as it can possibly be.”

Once the rover is on the planet’s surface, a suitablelocation will be found to deploy the helicopter from therover and place it onto the ground. The rover then willbe driven away from the helicopter to a safe distancefrom which it will relay commands. After its batteriesare charged and tests are performed, controllers onEarth will command the Mars Helicopter to take its firstautonomous flight into history.

“We don’t have a pilot and Earth will be several lightminutes away, so there is no way to joystick this missionin real time,” said Aung. “Instead, we have anautonomous capability that will be able to receive andinterpret commands from the ground, and then fly themission on its own.”

The full 30-day flight test campaign will include upto five flights of incrementally farther flight distances,up to a few hundred meters, and longer durations aslong as 90 seconds, over a period. On its first flight, thehelicopter will make a short vertical climb to 10 feet,where it will hover for about 30 seconds. As a technologydemonstration, the Mars Helicopter is considered a high-risk, high-reward project. If it does not work, the Mars2020 mission will not be impacted. If it does work,helicopters may have a real future as low-flying scoutsand aerial vehicles to access locations not reachable

by ground travel.“The ability to see clearly what lies beyond the next

hill is crucial for future explorers,” said Zurbuchen. “Wealready have great views of Mars from the surface aswell as from orbit. With the added dimension of a bird’s-eye view from a ‘marscopter,’ we can only imagine whatfuture missions will achieve.”

In other news, in June, NASA achieved another worldfirst, this time for the class of CubeSats, which areopening new access to space: NASA’s MarCO-A andMarCO-B CubeSats have been firing their propulsionsystems to guide themselves toward Mars. The pair ofCubeSats that make up the Mars Cube One (MarCO)mission were both launched in May alongside the InSightlander. They were designed to trail InSight on the wayto Mars, aiming to relay data about InSight as it entersthe planet’s atmosphere and attempts to land. TheMarCOs were not intended to collect any science data;instead, they are a test of miniaturized communicationand navigation technology that can blaze a path forfuture CubeSats sent to other planets.

Both MarCO-A and B successfully completed a setof communications tests in the past couple of weeks,according to John Baker, Program Manager for PlanetarySmallSats at NASA’s JPL. “Our broadest goal was todemonstrate how low-cost CubeSat technology can beused in deep space for the first time,” said Baker. “Withboth MarCOs on their way to Mars, we’ve alreadytravelled farther than any CubeSat before them.”

Should the CubeSats make it all the way to Mars, theywill attempt to relay data to Earth about InSight’s landing.InSight won’t rely on either CubeSat for that data relay,however; that job will fall to NASA’s MarsReconnaissance Orbiter.

D-MARS: Simulating the Martian environmentInterest in Mars research has been proven truly global,as evidenced by Israel’s latest project. The Desert MarsAnalog Ramon Station (D-MARS) programme, locatedin the Mitzpe Ramon area of Israel’s Negev Desert, is aunique enterprise that has established an interplanetaryresearch analog centre aimed at promoting science andtechnology in the country. The station will also serve asan important resource for STEM-driven educationalprograms.

The site was chosen as the geology, aridity,appearance and desolation resembles the Martian

D-MARS site

Image: D-MARS



#MARS #SOIL #SPACEX

Exploring Martian soilESA and NASA are investigating opportunities totransport Martian soil back to Earth, havingsigned an agreement to explore missionconcepts. While orbiting spacecraft haveprovided a wealth of new information,transforming our understanding of the planet, thenext step is to bring samples to Earth for analysis.

Bringing Martian soil to Earth would require atleast three missions from Earth and one never-been-done-before rocket launch from Mars.NASA’s 2020 Mars Rover is set to collect surfacesamples in up to 31 pen-sized canisters, to becollected at a later date, as it explores the planet.Meanwhile, a second mission with a small roverwould land nearby and retrieve the samples in aMartian search-and-rescue operation. This roverwould bring the samples back to its lander andplace them in a Mars Ascent Vehicle – a smallrocket to launch the football-sized container intoMars orbit. A third launch from Earth wouldprovide a spacecraft sent to orbit Mars andrendezvous with the sample containers. Once thesamples are collected and loaded into an Earthentry vehicle, the spacecraft would return toEarth, release the vehicle to land in the USA,where the samples will be placed in quarantinefor analysis by a team of international scientists.

“A Mars sample return mission is a tantalisingbut achievable vision that lies at the intersectionof many good reasons to explore space,” saidESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration,David Parker. “There is no question that for aplanetary scientist, the chance to bring pristine,carefully chosen samples of the Red Planet backto Earth for examination using the best facilitiesis a mouth-watering prospect. Reconstructingthe history of Mars and answering questions ofits past are only two areas of discovery that willbe dramatically advanced by such a mission. Thechallenges of going to Mars and back demandthat they are addressed by an international andcommercial partnership – the best of the best.At ESA, with our 22 member states and furthercooperating partners, international cooperationis part of our DNA.”

“Previous Mars missions revealed ancientstreambeds and the right chemistry that couldhave supported microbial life on the Red Planet,”said NASA’s Associate Administrator for theScience Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen.“A sample would provide a critical leap forwardin our understanding of Mars’s potential toharbour life. I look forward to connecting andcollaborating with international and commercialpartners on tackling the exciting technologicalchallenges ahead—that would allow us to bringhome a sample of Mars.”

The results of the mission studies will bepresented at ESA’s council at ministerial level in2019 for a decision to continue developing thesemissions. Findings from the ExoMars rovermission may help decide which samples to bringto Earth during the Mars sample return mission.

environment, according to reports. D-MARS will simulatemissions to Mars and other planets, allowing analogastronauts to live on-site as real explorers; the dailyroutine, food, communication and other challenges willbe very similar to those faced in the future during anactual planetary mission. As well as investigating avariety of fields relevant to future off-world missions,including satellite communications, radiation, searchingfor life signs and the effects of isolation, the project willalso increase public interest and awareness in futureMars missions.

In exploring the satellite communications aspects,Spacecom embarked on a joint experiment utilising theAMOS-7 satellite to provide communications links forthe analog astronauts located in the simulated Marshabitat near the Ramon Crater. The experiment,conducted with the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF),tested aspects of long range interplanetary spacecommunications, and examined challenges and issuesthat may arise from manned planetary missions.

“The D-MARS project pulls Israel to the forefront ofspace, and particularly Mars, exploration. With theAMOS-7 satellite, we are adding an interplanetary-typecommunications facet to our experiments by simulatingvarious challenges for our analog astronauts to handleand overcome. This is an amazing opportunity, andmade even more so by our cooperation with Austria’sOeWF which will be conducting a simultaneous analogexperiment in collaboration with ours in Israel,” said HillelRubenstein, D-MARS Project Manager.

Meanwhile, Gilat Telecom was chosen to providesatellite voice and data connectivity to astronauts in theD-MARS programme. From 15-18 February, eightastronauts living in the D-MARS space stationconformed to the expected daily routine for humansliving on Mars and conducted various research projectsat the same time. Gilat Telecom provided connectivityto and within the space station. Astronauts used Pushto Talk (PTT) units to communicate with each other andwith the control room in Rehovot.

“It’s very exciting to be part of an experiment that willadvance space and science exploration. We will ensurethat the astronauts have reliable communications whichwill enable them to complete their mission,” commentedAmi Schneider, VP of Gilat Telecom’s Mobile SatelliteServices.

SpaceX’s Mission to MarsElon Musk has been very vocal in his plans for hiscompany, SpaceX, to bring humans to Mars since wayback in 2007. Development work towards this goal couldbe considered as starting in 2012 with the design of theRaptor rocket engine, which will propel all versions ofthe BFR launch vehicle.

Since one of SpaceX’s key ethos is to make spacetravel affordable, the company’s long-term plansenvisage a re-usable launch vehicle capable of lifting150 tonnes into space. The system will be powered bythe Raptor bipropellant liquid rocket engines for bothstages, using densified liquid methane fuel and liquidoxygen oxidizer. The engine is expected to be test firedfor the first time in 2020.

SpaceX aims to send its first cargo mission to Mars in2022. The objectives for this first mission will be toconfirm water resources and identify potential hazardsin establishing initial power, mining, and life support



#MARS #SPACEX #MISSIONTOMARS #MARSONE

infrastructure. A second mission carrying a crew isplanned for 2024, with primary objectives of building apropellant depot preparing for future crew flights. Thespacecraft used for transportation from Earth will alsobe utilized for the first Mars base.

Landing the first humans on Mars is one of the greatraces underway today. Recently, Boeing’s CEO DennisMuilenburg made the news when he claimed that theSLS rocket the company is developing for NASA wouldbring humans to Mars ahead of SpaceX. Boeing iscurrently developing the world’s biggest rocket forNASA, complete with 9.2 million pounds of thrust, andmeasuring 38 stories tall. The first test firing is scheduledfor 2019.

Indeed, when CNBC host Jim Cramer asked whetherBoeing or SpaceX would get a man to Mars first,Muilenburg reportedly responded: “Eventually we’regoing to go to Mars, and I firmly believe the first personthat sets foot on Mars will get there on a Boeing rocket.”

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded concisely onTwitter: “Do it.”

Mars One achieves new fundingMars One is another private company with he lofty aimof landing the first humans on Mars. Established in 2011,Mars One plans to form the first permanent humansettlement in the coming decades. Mars One is formedof the not-for-profit Mars One Foundation, whichimplements and manages the project, and the for-profitcompany Mars One Ventures, the controllingstockholder.

The mission is currently in the early mission conceptphase, Phase A. Since Mars One is not an aerospacecompany and won’t be developing any technology itself,the mission requirements have been identified anddiscussed with established aerospace companies.Possible solutions were proposed and discussed afterwhich a baseline mission concept was defined, andrough cost figures were discussed. In this phase,suppliers will be contracted to perform conceptualdesign studies for every major sub-system required forthe permanent settlement mission, leading to acomprehensive technical concept design of the variouscomponents of the mission. The Mars One missiondesign will be updated according to the results of theconceptual design studies and changes will also beincluded when technology matures further. Phase A willresult in a firm baseline design and improved costfigures. The initial concept includes launching a roboticlander and orbiter as early as 2020, to be followed by acrewed mission of four in 2024, and another in 2026,which would not be returned to Earth.

The next phase of development, Phase B, willbe the detailed design of all elements needed tosafely bring humans to Mars. These designs andfurther improved cost figures will allow Mars Oneto move the mission forward to Phases C and D inwhich all elements are built, manufactured,integrated and tested, and launched to Mars. Thisshould lead to full system readiness on the surfaceof Mars, giving the green light for the first crew offour astronauts to start their journey to Mars.

Mars One’s first Astronaut Selection Programstarted in 2013 with the first of four selectionrounds. The first two rounds have already beensuccessfully completed: 100 Round 3 candidates

remain. Mars One is currently preparing for Round Threeand Four. The design for the next rounds is ready andthe next steps are determining the locations and dates,expanding the team of selection and training specialists,and logistics. From the first selection series, up to sixgroups of four will become full time employees of MarsOne, after which they will start training for the mission.Parts of the training will take place in simulation outpostson Earth.

One of Mars One’s main challenges is securingenough funding to move the mission forward. Since itslaunch in 2011, around US$1 million has been raised,mainly through donations, sales of merchandise, privateinvestments, astronaut applications, sponsorships andpartnerships, and speaking engagements. This has beenspent on building a small core team, the first conceptualdesign studies performed by Lockheed Martin andParagon Space Development Corporation, developingand executing the first rounds of the Astronaut SelectionProgram, public outreach, and operational costs. InDecember 2016, Mars One Ventures went public at theFrankfurt Stock Exchange, enabling supporters to ‘own’part of the historic venture.

More recently, Mars One signed an agreement withSwiss investment company Phoenix Enterprises AG;under the agreement, Phoenix will subscribe for MarsOne Ventures AG shares over a twelve month period,raising a total of up to €12 million, with a minimumof €0.5 million to be raised in any one calendar month.

“Mars One has a very innovative business modelcombining branding and media rights with theincreasingly popular topic of space exploration. MarsOne’s historic viewership statistics clearly demonstrateits potential. We are very excited to be providing thefunding required to kick-start Mars One’s activities andwith it the media interest that will be transformative forMars One Ventures AG,” said Oscar Christian, CEO ofPhoenix.

The first proceeds were expected in July 2018. MarsOne Ventures intends to use the proceeds to completeits re-listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, tostrengthen its team, and to pay the license fee to theMars One Foundation. This in turn allows the Foundationto fund the next round of astronaut selection, bringingthe Round 3 candidates together in a desert location totest their team skills. The Foundation will also strengthenthe technical team and will contract aerospacecompanies to perform feasibility studies required tocontinue to the next phases in the Mars mission.Furthermore, Mars One will release a documentaryseries on how to select the best teams to train for amission where teams go to Mars to stay.

Mission to Mars

Image: SpaceX


is there life on mars?mars. exomars (exobiology on mars) is a two-part astrobiology project to...

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