MESUR

Last updated

MESUR, the Mars Environmental SURvey was a NASA program designed to explore the planet Mars in preparation for human follow-up missions of the Space Exploration Initiative. The only mission of the program that was completed was MESUR Pathfinder .

Contents

History

MESUR was a planned set of 16 surface missions on Mars that would also set up a planetary network across Mars and work in conjunction with Mars Observer . [1] The original plan was proposed by NASA Ames, [2] but it would eventually include ideas from the competing JPL proposal. It was envisioned as a low-cost method of surveying Mars, with risk tolerance, since a loss of a spacecraft was not fatal to the program, because of multiple relatively cheap space probes.

MESUR Pathfinder would be the "pathfinder" mission for the MESUR program. MESUR regular missions would start landing in 1999. The multi-year MESUR would have 16 more landers, landing in the projected period of 1999-2003, [3] and lasting 10 years. [4] Launches would start in 1996. [5] Several of the landers would carry Sojourner-class rovers. [6] The entire program was projected at a cost of $1 billion US, with per annum spending restricted to $150 million US, starting in FY1994. They were planned to be low-cost missions to Mars, instead of multibillion-dollar missions. [7]

The rovers and landers would have instruments and cameras to examine surface rocks, search for water, perform seismography, and observe meteorology. The seismology experiments would help determine the internal structure of Mars.

After Pathfinder, in 1999, four landers would be launched in a single rocket. At the next launch window in 2001, four more landers would again launch in on a single rocket. Finally in 2003, the last eight landers would launch on two rockets. [8]

On 26 June 1992, NASA unveiled the prototype for Mars Sojourner, Rocky IV, on the 25th anniversary of the first US lunar lander. [3]

After the loss of Mars Observer, the MESUR program was shelved, and Pathfinder became part of the NASA Discovery Program. [9]

Missions

MESUR Pathfinder

The MESUR Pathfinder [10] was launched on December 4, 1996 by NASA aboard a Delta II. After a 7-month voyage it landed on Ares Vallis, in a region called Chryse Planitia on Mars, on 4 July 1997. During its voyage the spacecraft had to accomplish four flight adjustments on 10 January, 3 February, 6 May and 25 June. The lander opened, exposing the rover called Sojourner that would go on to execute many experiments on the Martian surface.

Although the mission was programmed to last a week to a month, it eventually lasted for almost three months. The final contact with the Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although the mission planners tried to restore contact during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. After the landing, the Mars Pathfinder was renamed the Sagan Memorial Station in honor of the famous astronomer and planetologist Carl Sagan. The mission had exceeded its goals in the first month.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viking program</span> Pair of NASA landers and orbiters sent to Mars in 1976

The Viking program consisted of a pair of identical American space probes, Viking 1 and Viking 2, which landed on Mars in 1976. Each spacecraft was composed of two main parts: an orbiter designed to photograph the surface of Mars from orbit, and a lander designed to study the planet from the surface. The orbiters also served as communication relays for the landers once they touched down.

<i>Mars Observer</i> Failed NASA mission to study Mars via a robotic space probe (1992–93)

The Mars Observer spacecraft, also known as the Mars Geoscience/Climatology Orbiter, was a robotic space probe launched by NASA on September 25, 1992, to study the Martian surface, atmosphere, climate and magnetic field. During the interplanetary cruise phase, communication with the spacecraft was lost on August 21, 1993, three days prior to orbital insertion. Attempts to re-establish communication with the spacecraft were unsuccessful.

<i>Mars Pathfinder</i> Mission including first robotic rover to operate on Mars (1997)

Mars Pathfinder is an American robotic spacecraft that landed a base station with a roving probe on Mars in 1997. It consisted of a lander, renamed the Carl Sagan Memorial Station, and a lightweight, 10.6 kg (23 lb) wheeled robotic Mars rover named Sojourner, the first rover to operate outside the Earth–Moon system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lander (spacecraft)</span> Type of spacecraft

A lander is a spacecraft that descends towards, comes to rest on, the surface of an astronomical body. In contrast to an impact probe, which makes a hard landing that damages or destroys the probe upon reaching the surface, a lander makes a soft landing after which the probe remains functional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars Exploration Rover</span> NASA mission to explore Mars via two rovers (Spirit and Opportunity); launched in 2003

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission was a robotic space mission involving two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, exploring the planet Mars. It began in 2003 with the launch of the two rovers to explore the Martian surface and geology; both landed on Mars at separate locations in January 2004. Both rovers far outlived their planned missions of 90 Martian solar days: MER-A Spirit was active until March 22, 2010, while MER-B Opportunity was active until June 10, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars rover</span> Robotic vehicle for Mars surface exploration

A Mars rover is a motor vehicle designed to travel on the surface of Mars. Rovers have several advantages over stationary landers: they examine more territory, they can be directed to interesting features, they can place themselves in sunny positions to weather winter months, and they can advance the knowledge of how to perform very remote robotic vehicle control. They serve a different purpose than orbital spacecraft like Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. A more recent development is the Mars helicopter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exploration of Mars</span> Overview of the exploration of Mars

The planet Mars has been explored remotely by spacecraft. Probes sent from Earth, beginning in the late 20th century, have yielded a large increase in knowledge about the Martian system, focused primarily on understanding its geology and habitability potential. Engineering interplanetary journeys is complicated and the exploration of Mars has experienced a high failure rate, especially the early attempts. Roughly sixty percent of all spacecraft destined for Mars failed before completing their missions and some failed before their observations could begin. Some missions have met with unexpected success, such as the twin Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity which operated for years beyond their specification.

<i>Phoenix</i> (spacecraft) NASA Mars lander

Phoenix was an uncrewed space probe that landed on the surface of Mars on May 25, 2008, and operated until November 2, 2008. Phoenix was operational on Mars for 157 sols. Its instruments were used to assess the local habitability and to research the history of water on Mars. The mission was part of the Mars Scout Program; its total cost was $420 million, including the cost of launch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ExoMars</span> Astrobiology programme

ExoMars is an astrobiology programme of the European Space Agency (ESA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover (space exploration)</span> Space exploration vehicle designed to move across the surface of a planet or other celestial body

A rover is a planetary surface exploration device designed to move across the solid surface on a planet or other planetary mass celestial bodies. Some rovers have been designed as land vehicles to transport members of a human spaceflight crew; others have been partially or fully autonomous robots. Rovers are typically created to land on another planet via a lander-style spacecraft, tasked to collect information about the terrain, and to take crust samples such as dust, soil, rocks, and even liquids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human mission to Mars</span> Proposed concepts

The idea of sending humans to Mars has been the subject of aerospace engineering and scientific studies since the late 1940s as part of the broader exploration of Mars. Some have also considered exploring the Martian moons of Phobos and Deimos. Long-term proposals have included sending settlers and terraforming the planet. Proposals for human missions to Mars came from e.g. NASA, Russia, Boeing, and SpaceX. As of 2023, only robotic landers and rovers have been on Mars. The farthest humans have been beyond Earth is the Moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars landing</span> Landing of a spacecraft on the surface of Mars

A Mars landing is a landing of a spacecraft on the surface of Mars. Of multiple attempted Mars landings by robotic, uncrewed spacecraft, ten have had successful soft landings. There have also been studies for a possible human mission to Mars, including a landing, but none have been attempted. Soviet Union’s Mars 3, which landed in 1971, was the first successful Mars landing. As of 2022, the Soviet Union, United States, and China have conducted Mars landings successfully.

SpaceX <i>Red Dragon</i> Modified SpaceX Dragon spacecraft design for a proposed sample return mission to Mars

The SpaceX Red Dragon was a 2011–2017 concept for using an uncrewed modified SpaceX Dragon 2 for low-cost Mars lander missions to be launched using Falcon Heavy rockets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars Geyser Hopper</span> Proposed robotic mission to explore carbon dioxide geysers on Mars

The Mars Geyser Hopper (MGH) was proposed in 2012 as a NASA design reference mission for a Discovery-class spacecraft concept that would investigate the springtime carbon dioxide Martian geysers found in regions around the south pole of Mars.

<i>Sojourner</i> (rover) First NASA Mars rover on Mars Pathfinder mission

Sojourner is a robotic Mars rover that landed in the Ares Vallis channel in the Chryse Planitia region of the Oxia Palus quadrangle on July 4, 1997. Sojourner was operational on Mars for 92 sols. It was the first wheeled vehicle to rove on a planet other than Earth and formed part of the Mars Pathfinder mission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planetary Exploration of China</span>

The Planetary Exploration of China, also known as Tianwen, is the robotic interplanetary spaceflight program conducted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The program aims to explore planets of the Solar System, starting from Mars, and will be expanded to Jupiter and more in the future.

References

  1. ↑ Robert C. Cowen (5 July 199). "Launch Window Nears for Mars Observer". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. ↑ Eric Schine (9 September 1991). "The Lilliptians Who May Conquer Mars". Businessweek. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011.
  3. 1 2 David S.F. Portree (13 October 2012). "Measuring Mars: the MESUR Network Mission (1991)". Wired. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  4. ↑ John Noble Wilford (22 September 1992). "After 17 Years, NASA Prepares for a Return Trip to Mars". New York Times. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  5. ↑ Joseph Bauman (16 September 1993). "Small Instruments Cut Cost of Mars Exploration". Deseret News. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Dennis Romboy (7 June 1995). "Firms's X-Ray Windows Blast Off for Mars in '96". Deseret News. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  7. ↑ John Noble Wilford (8 September 1992). "NASA Plans an Economy Flight to the Solar System's Last Stop". New York Times. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  8. ↑ John Noble Wilford (12 May 1992). "SCIENCE WATCH: NASA Seeks to Send 16 Landers to Mars". New York Times. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  9. ↑ Ben Evans (4 December 2016). "Six Wheels on Martian Regolith: 20 Years Since NASA's Pathfinder Mission Launched to the Red Planet". America Space. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  10. ↑ Kathy Sawyer (13 November 1993). "One Way or Another, the Space Agency Will Hitch a Ride to Mars". The Washington Post. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.