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Rovers for Mars Polar ExplorationMobility is a generic capability needed for Mars exploration. Requirements for mobility range from those needed to get observations of individual rocks all the way to those for getting high-resolution observations of regional areas. The Pathfinder mission and field experiments simulating rover missions provide guidance as to rover capabilities that can reasonably be expected in the next decade. Success of rover missions in achieving science goals depends on having adequate support imaging to enable traverses to targets of high science interest. Rover field experiments to date have used aerial photographs to provide support imaging. Pathfinder Sojourner operated in the field of view of the IMP camera. Plans for the future involve the use of descent imagers. However, the descent imager planned for the 2001 mission achieves resolution adequate to plan rover traverses only in the near vicinity of the lander (within a few hundred meters). Aircraft could provide aerial support imaging with a resolution of 10 cm over the entire area accessible to a rover. Aircraft could also provide the mobility needed to explore regional scale areas
Document ID
19990036056
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Abstract
Authors
Stoker, C.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: The First International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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