via slashdot, I just found the new Phoenix Mars Lander site. This mission, set to launch in 2007 and arrive at the Mars pole in May of 2008, will be an extremely exciting one. It won't be a rover like the MER duo, but will carry a pretty hefty science payload including an amazing robotic arm developed by the great folks over at the JPL. The arm will be used to dig and scoop samples for analysis by the lander's extensive set of cameras, an awesome high-temp furnace and spectrometer, and a sweet little wet chem lab and microscopes also provided by the JPL. You can find the science tools rundown over at the Phoenix Technology page.
It's still a ways off but I can remeber thinking the same thing about the MER missions and that seems like just the other day. I can't wait.
update: Hrm. I'm a bit confused by the first paragraph on the MARDI page. Didn't Mike Malin provide the Mars Descent Imager for the MER missions? Is this just outdated text?
update2: After further reading, I think much of this documentation is just old. I'm sure they'll clean things up in the coming months.
Posted by asa at January 15, 2005 09:11 PMMike Malin\Malin Space Science System didn't build the DIMES system for MER, they were involved in relaying the MER EDL data via the MGS\MOC which they manage IIRC. I can't find much data on who built DIMES but Andrew Johnson from JPL seems to have been the ideas man behind it.
The Phoenix page says that the Phoenix MARDI is actually the device that was delivered by MSSS for the Mars Surveyey 2001 lander but that got scrubbed - this page seems to have accurate technical specs for that device http://www.msss.com/mars/surveyor/ms98/lander/mardi/abstract/abstract.html#RTFToC1b
This shows that MARDI on Phoenix will take 10 images varying from around 7.5m to 1cm per pixel.
Phoenix really does seem to be true to it's name - it's going to fly because it can make use of stuff that has been killed off due to previous cancellations and wont include a Rover. Not that I think anyone should complain, the polar landing site is one that I can't wait to see data from.
There is potential for confusion as the the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory will also have a package called MARDI from MSSS however that is a significantly more capable imaging system. This page details the capabilities of the three imaging systems on MSL that MSSS will provide http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/future/phoenix.html. MSL MARDI is a magapixel video camera rather than a still camera limited to a few frames which will give full descent video from just after the heat shield is jettisoned right down to the surface.
Posted by: helvick on January 16, 2005 12:07 AMOops - wrong URL for MSSS package on MSL, here's the right one
http://www.msss.com/press_releases/mslselection/
Thanks, helvick! I knew Malin was involved in the MGS relays and some great MOC photos of the lander locations (including the rovers themselves). I guess I just assumed that the DIMES came from those guys too. Thanks for the added information.
--Asa
Posted by: Asa Dotzler on January 16, 2005 12:35 AM