Mars Science Laboratory

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) was a robotic space probe mission to Mars launched by NASA on November 26, 2011. Its main goal was to land a special Mars rover named Curiosity in a place called Gale Crater on August 6, 2012.

This mission was important because scientists wanted to learn more about whether Mars could ever be a place where life might exist.

The rover carried many different scientific instruments made by teams from around the world. These tools helped scientists study the climate and geology of Mars. By learning more about Mars, we can also prepare for possible future human missions to the planet. The Mars Science Laboratory gave us valuable information about our neighboring planet and its history.

Overview

The Mars Science Laboratory mission landed the Curiosity rover in an area called Aeolis Palus in Gale Crater. The landing was very precise, hitting a small target near a mountain called Aeolis Mons or "Mount Sharp."

This mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. It aims to study Mars using robots. The Mars Science Laboratory cost about US$2.5 billion. Curiosity is larger and carries more scientific tools than earlier Mars rovers like Sojourner, Spirit, and Opportunity.

Goals and objectives

For results and findings, see Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory.

The Mars Science Laboratory mission had four main science goals: to find out if the place where it landed could have supported life, to study the climate, to learn about the rocks and soil of Mars, and to help prepare for people possibly visiting Mars someday.

To help reach these goals, the mission had eight specific things to study:

• Living things: Look for carbon and the basic parts that living things need, and find signs that life might have left behind.
• Rocks and soil: Study what rocks and soil are made of and how they were formed.
• Weather and air: Learn how Mars's air has changed over time and where water and air made of carbon dioxide are found.
• Radiation: Measure different kinds of harmful energy from space and the sun, which is important for planning trips for people to Mars. The rover also checked radiation levels during its trip to Mars and while exploring the surface.

Specifications

Spacecraft

The spacecraft that carried the rover weighed 3,893 kg when it launched. It had parts that traveled between Earth and Mars, a system for landing on Mars, and the rover.

The spacecraft carried special tools to study conditions during its trip to Mars.

Rover

The rover’s name is Curiosity. It weighs 899 kg and can move up to 90 meters per hour. It has six wheels and uses special power to move around.

The rover has two main computers that help it stay safe and work well. These computers help the rover take pictures, move, and use its tools.

The rover can talk to Earth using radio waves. It can also talk to satellites orbiting Mars, which helps send more information back to Earth.

The rover’s wheels are large and special, helping it move over sand and rocks. Each wheel has a pattern that helps scientists know how far the rover has traveled.

Instruments

Curiosity carries several tools to study Mars. It uses cameras to look for interesting spots. It can use a laser to study rocks from far away and has a microscope to look closely at small details.

One tool studies the minerals in rocks to see if water was ever there. Another tool looks for signs of life by studying gases and materials.

There is also a tool that measures radiation, which helps scientists understand the risks for future human missions to Mars.

Other tools measure weather conditions and look for water under the surface. The rover has many cameras to take pictures of its surroundings.

History

The Mars Science Laboratory was picked as the top mission to Mars in 2003. NASA asked scientists for ideas for the rover's instruments in 2004 and chose eight. Testing and building started soon after.

The project had money problems and delays. By 2008, costs were already $400 million over budget. To save time, some instruments were removed or made simpler. The launch was pushed back to late 2011. In the end, the rover cost $2.47 billion—much more than the original $650 million.

The Mars Science Laboratory launched on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on November 26, 2011. It landed successfully in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012, sending its first pictures back to Earth.

The rover was named Curiosity after a public vote in 2009. The name was suggested by a sixth-grader named Clara Ma from Kansas. Over 60 possible landing sites were considered, and Gale Crater was finally chosen because it had signs of past water and minerals that could help preserve signs of life.

Launch

Launch vehicle

The Atlas V launch vehicle can carry up to 8,290 kg to a special orbit around Earth. It has been used for other space missions, like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the New Horizons probe.

The first and second stages of the rocket were put together on October 9, 2011. The spacecraft for MSL was moved to the launch pad on November 3, 2011.

Launch event

MSL was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41 on November 26, 2011, at 15:02 UTC. The launch used an Atlas V 541 from United Launch Alliance. This is a two stage rocket with a large main part called a Common Core Booster, powered by one RD-180 engine. It also has four solid rocket boosters and a Centaur second stage with a payload fairing. The NASA Launch Services Program managed the launch.

Cruise

Cruise stage

The cruise stage carried the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft through space to Mars. The trip was 352 million miles long and took 253 days. The cruise stage had a small propulsion system with eight thrusters using hydrazine fuel in two titanium tanks. It also had its own electric power system with a solar array and a battery.

When it reached Mars, the spacecraft stopped spinning. A cable cutter separated the cruise stage from the main part. The cruise stage flew off into space. In December 2012, pieces of the cruise stage were found by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This helped scientists learn more about Mars.

Mars transfer orbit

The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft left Earth orbit and headed toward Mars on November 26, 2011. This was done by the Centaur upper stage of the Atlas V launch vehicle. Before separating, the spacecraft spun slowly for attitude control during its trip to Mars.

During the trip, eight thrusters helped control the spacecraft’s spin and make small changes to its path. By spinning, it stayed steady. The cruise stage made four adjustments to head toward the right landing site. Information was sent to mission controllers using two X-band antennas. One job of the cruise stage was to control the temperature of the spacecraft’s systems. It released heat from power sources, such as solar cells and motors, into space. In some cases, insulating blankets kept science instruments warm. Thermostats watched the temperatures and turned heating and cooling systems on or off when needed.

Entry, descent and landing (EDL)

See also: Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory

Landing on Mars is hard because the air is too thin for normal parachutes. Earlier rovers landed using airbags, but Curiosity was too heavy. Instead, it used a special system to land.

This system worked by itself, using pre-set software. It landed quickly, in just seven minutes, with four main steps.

Many people watched the landing online. The rover landed very close to its target after traveling a long way. Special software helped the landing be more accurate.

The landing started by steering the spacecraft toward the landing site. This made the landing more precise. The rover was protected by a special shell during its trip through space and when it entered Mars' atmosphere.

After slowing down, a big parachute opened to help the spacecraft come down.

Next, the rover and its landing part separated from the shell. The part used rockets to slow down more.

Main article: Sky crane (landing system)

Because Curiosity was too heavy for airbags, engineers made a new way to land called the sky crane. This system lowered the rover on cables until it touched the ground. After landing, the rover cut itself free from the landing part, which then flew away.

Main articles: Bradbury Landing and Gale (crater)

The rover landed in Gale Crater, a big hole in the ground. Inside this crater is a mountain made of layers of rock that the rover will study. The landing spot was named Bradbury Landing.

Media

Videos

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) launched from Cape Canaveral. NASA made a video called Seven Minutes of Terror to explain how the rover landed. The video showed how MSL landed in Gale Crater.

Images

Curiosity landed on Aeolis Palus near Mount Sharp in Gale Crater. Some pictures include:

• The heat shield that fell away as the rover came down.
• Curiosity under its parachute, seen by HiRISE on the MRO.
• The area where things landed after the landing.
• Curiosity's first picture after landing, showing one of its wheels.
• The rover's first colorful picture of the land on Mars.
• Curiosity's first short drive at Bradbury Landing.

Here are some important pictures of Curiosity:

Curiosity rover – near Bradbury Landing (August 9, 2012)

Curiosity's view of Mount Sharp (September 20, 2012; white balanced) (raw color)

on the way to "Glenelg Intrigue" (November 26, 2012; white balanced) (raw color)"

Curiosity's view from the "Rocknest" looking eastward toward "Point Lake" (center) on the way to "Glenelg Intrigue" (November 26, 2012; white balanced) (raw color)

Curiosity's view of Mount Sharp (September 9, 2015)

Curiosity's view of Mars sky at sunset (February 2013; Sun simulated by artist)