12 research outputs found

    Plumes on Venus: Clues to the Planet's Interior

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    Venus Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (VISAR) for the Venus Origins Explorer

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    One of the three primary science instruments for the proposed Venus Origins Explorer (VOX) mission to the NASA New Frontiers Program is an X-band radar interferometer. This radar is designed to provide improved reolution imagery and topography of Venus as well as make repeat pass oberservations of selected targets to look for deformation signatures from presently active geological processes

    VISAR: Bringing Radar Interferometry to Venus

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    VERITAS is a partnership between scientists and engineers at NASA/JPL and with the German, Italian and French Space Agencies. It is one of four candidate NASA Discovery 2019 missions selected for a Concept Study Phase leading to an eventual NASA selection in the Spring of 2021. VERITAS would carry two instruments, VISAR the X-band interferometric radar provided by NASA/JPL with contributions from ASI and DLR and VEM an infrared spectroscopic mapper provided by DLR. Data from these two instruments would be combined with gravity science data obtained from tracking data of the orbit to investigate tectonic style and ongoing volcanism. After arriving at Venus after a 9-month cruise from Earth VERITAS would begin an 11-month aerobraking phase, which is interrupted after 5 months for 5 months of VEM science observations, before continuing to its final nearly circular polar orbit that varies between 180 and 255 km in altitude where both VISAR and VEM data are collected

    HP³ - Experiment on InSight Mission - Operations on Mars

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    HP3 – the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package – is an experiment package on-board the upcoming NASA Mars Mission InSight (Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigation, Geodesy, and Heat Transport).The InSight Mission will investigate the interior structure of Mars using seismoligical and geodetical measurements and quantify the planetary heat budget by measuring the surface planetary heat flow. InSight is scheduled to be launched in May 2018 and to land on Mars at end of November 2018. The main payloads of the InSight lander are a seismometer (SEIS), the HP3 heat flow probe, as well as the Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE). An ancillary sensor package consisting of atmospheric pressure and temperature sensors (APSS) as well as a magnetometer complement the payload. After landing on Mars the seismometer and HP3 will be deployed onto the Martian surface by the robotic arm of the lander. HP3 is the contribution of DLR (Deutsches zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt, Germany) to the InSight mission. It is designed to determine the geothermal heat flux by penetrating down into the Martian surface to at least 3m, with the goal of reaching 5m depth. HP3 measures the thermal conductivity as function of depth during the penetration phase, and the thermal profile of the subsurface will be monitored for a full Martian year after reaching the final depth. HP3 is composed of the following subsystems: • A set of thermal sensors to determine thermal conductivity and subsurface temperature (TEM) • A self-penetrating probe (termed the mole) to emplace sensors in the subsurface • Two measurements suites to determine the depth of the thermal sensors (TLM & STATIL) • A radiometer to determine the surface temperature forcing (RAD) • The instrument main (backend) electronics (BEE) The HP3 deployable elements are housed inside a support structure, and electrical connections to the lander and BEE are provided by the HP3 supply tethers. The support structure also guides the \ud mole during its initial penetration into the surface.The mole is a mechanically actuated force hammering device for soil penetration. It pulls a tether with thermal sensors and supply lines behind. By penetrating into the Martian subsurface the thermal sensors (TEM) will be deployed. The mole is equipped in its back part with the subsystem STATIL (STATIC Tilt Measurement Suite) which determines the mole inclination during the penetration. The length of paid-out tether is measured by the TLM subsystem (Tether Length Monitor). The path of the mole and the depth of the thermal sensors will be deterimed from the TLM and STATIL data. The radiometer is mounte

    HP3 – Experiment on InSight Mission Wrap-up Operations on Mars

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    HP3 – the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package – is an experiment package on-board the NASA Mars Mission InSight (Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigation, Geodesy, and Heat Transport) to investigate the interior structure of Mars. InSight waslaunched on May 5th, 2018, landed successfully on Mars on November 26th, 2018, and is now operating successfully for more than one Martian year. The main science experiments of the InSight mission are a seismometer (SEIS), the HP3 heat flow probe and the Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE). An Auxciliary Payload Sensor Suite (APSS) consisting of atmospheric pressure, wind and temperature sensors as well as a magnetometer complement the payload. After landing on Mars the seismometer and HP3 were deployed to the Martian surface by the robotic arm of the lander. HP3 is the contribution of DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Germany) to the InSight mission. It is designed to determine the geothermal heat flux by emplacing a suit of temperature sensors to a maximum depth of 5 m, by means of a mechanical hammering mechanism. HP3 is designed to measure the thermal conductivity as function of depth during the hammering phase, and to monitor the thermal profile of the subsurface for a full Martian year

    HP³ - Experiment on InSight Mission - Operations on Mars

    No full text
    HP3 – the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package – is an experiment package on-board the NASA Mars Mission InSight (Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigation, Geodesy, and Heat Transport). The InSight Mission investigates the interior structure of Mars using seismological and geodetical measurements and quantifies the planetary heat budget by measuring the surface planetary heat flow. InSight was launched on the 5th May 2018 and landed successfully on Mars on the 26th November 2018 and is now operating on Mars successfully for more than one Martian year. The main payloads of the InSight lander are a seismometer (SEIS), the HP3 heat flow probe and radiometer (for surface brightness temperature), as well as the radio science Rotation and Interior Structure Experiment (RISE). An ancillary sensor package consisting of atmospheric pressure and temperature sensors (APSS) as well as a magnetometer complement the payload. After landing on Mars the seismometer and HP3 were deployed onto the Martian surface by the robotic arm of the lander. HP3 is the contribution of DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Germany) to the InSight mission. It is designed to determine the geothermal heat flux by measuring the thermal conductivity and the rate of temperature increase with depth. HP3 is composed of a set of thermal sensors to determine thermal conductivity and subsurface temperature (TEM), a self-penetrating probe (termed the mole) to emplace sensors in the subsurface, two measurement suites to determine the depth of the thermal sensors (TLM & STATIL), a radiometer to determine the surface temperature forcing (RAD). The instrument is controlled by (backend) electronics (BEE) within the InSight lander’s thermal enclosure. The HP3 deployable elements are housed inside a support structure, and electrical connections to the lander and BEE are provided by the HP3 supply tethers [1]. The InSight mission has now been operating on Mars for more than one martian year. The radiometer has been monitoring the surface brightness temperature for a full martian year and has measured thermal effects during Phobos eclipses. The heat flow aspect of the HP3 investigation has unfortunately been less successful. The mole penetration initially proceeded no deeper than ~37 cm (tip depth below surface). During the past 2 Earth years, extensive recovery activities for the mole were performed on Mars to get the mole penetrated deeper into the surface. These activities were supported by the overall InSight team. The mole is now in its final position intruded into the upper surface layer (mole tilt ~30°) and covered with soil. No further penetration attempts will be performed

    VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy): A Discovery Mission

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    Deep understanding of planetary habitability requires identifying key factors that govern the surface environment over time. Venus is the ultimate control case for understanding how Earth developed and maintained conditions suited to life. Venus very likely had elements essential to habitability such as past surface water and a dynamo. Tectonism and volcanism, which create chemical disequilibrium, very likely persist today. What caused Earth and Venus to diverge down different evolutionary paths? VERITAS would create foundational, co-registered data sets of high-resolution topography, imaging, spectroscopy, and gravity, on par with those available for Mercury, Mars, and the Moon. VERITAS would answer outstanding fundamental questions about the evolution of Earth's twin. The VERITAS payload consists of the Venus Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (VISAR) and the Venus Emissivity Mapper (VEM), plus a gravity science investigation. VISAR is an X-band radar that provides: 1) a global digital elevation model (DEM) with 250-m postings and 6-m height accuracy, 2) Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging at 30-m horizontal resolution globally, 3) SAR imaging at 15-m resolution for >25%> \boldsymbol{25\%} of the surface, and 4) surface deformation from repeat pass interferometry (RPI) with 2-cm vertical precision for >12(200 x 200 km)> \boldsymbol{12} \boldsymbol{(\sim 200\ \mathrm{x}\ 200\ \text{km})} targeted areas. VEM covers >70%\boldsymbol{ > 70\%} of the surface in six near-infrared (NIR) bands sensitive to iron composition located within five atmospheric windows, plus eight atmospheric bands for calibration and water vapor measurements. VEM would provide near-global maps of mafic to felsic rock type and will search for active and recent volcanism. VERITAS would use two-way Ka-band uplink and downlink from a low circular orbit (<250 km)\boldsymbol{(< 250\ \text{km})} to create a global gravity field with 3-mGal accuracy of 155-km resolution (degree and order 123). An onboard technology demonstration, the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC-2), may support radio science and navigation with one-way tracking. VERITAS data would enable estimation of elastic thickness (a proxy for thermal gradient) and density differences due to subsurface structures, as well as constraining interior structure, including core size and state. Lockheed Martin builds the spacecraft. VISAR is built by JPL, with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) providing the low power electronics. ASI also provides transponders and a high gain antenna for the telecom system. CNES provides the Ka-band traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA). The German Space Agency (DLR) provides VEM and contributes algorithms for VISAR ground and onboard data processing
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