MEPAG Report to the Planetary Science Subcommittee

Jack Mustard, MEPAG Chair December 3, 2009

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Recent Science Results

•  Recent impacts excavate mid-latitude ground ice that sublimates in a few months

•  Predicted by models and show the most equator-ward presence of water ice in the near surface

Byrne et al., Distribution of Mid-Latitude Ground Ice on Mars from New Impact Craters �Science 325. no. 5948, pp. 1674 - 1676, 2009

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Developments in Mars Exploration Since July PSS Meeting - MEPAG

•  MEPAG meeting July 29-30, 2009 –  Discussed Topical and MEPAG whitepapers as input to the

Decadal Survey –  Achieved community consensus for programmatic direction

•  MEPAG support to date for the Planetary Decadal Survey: –  MRR-SAG –  NET-SAG –  MEPAG Position Papers

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Trace Gases in the Mars Atmosphere •  The NASA-ESA Joint Instrument Definition Team (JIDT) submitted

their final report to NASA MEP and ESA in November 2009 –  Consistent with earlier MEPAG SAG and NASA SDT deliberations and reports –  Advocated a Trace Gas Science Payload for a 2016 ESA Orbiter mission lasting

1 Mars year that will also deploy an ESA demonstration Entry/Descent/Landing package upon arrival at Mars (surface life of a few days)

•  Science goals of Detection, Characterization and Localization, in that priority order –  Presented at Workshop on Mars Methane (see below) –  Document to be posted on MEPAG Web Site

•  Workshop on Mars Methane (Nov. 25-27, 2009, ESRIN, Italy) –  Continued discussion of MEX PFS and ground-based telescopic observations

•  Show similar ranges of methane abundances (0 – 50 ppb) •  Different patterns of spatial/temporal variation (present observations seldom overlap)

–  Models of atmospheric photochemistry cannot reproduce methane variations without postulating a very short methane lifetime (200 days vs 300 yrs)

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Mid Range Rover -SAG •  Presentation given at MEPAG July 29 •  White Paper submitted to Decadal Survey team •  Analysis of first version of “MAX-C” mission concept

completed •  Science concept presented to 1st meeting of Mars Panel •  Mission concept presented to 2nd mtg of Mars Panel •  SAG has finished its work and is issuing its final report •  Mars Panel currently working with Mars Program

Office to further define and cost the mission for the Decadal Survey

•  Dual Purpose:

1.  Achieve compelling in-situ science related to the life question.

2.  Make a definitive step towards sample return by assembling a returnable, scientifically-selected sample cache.

•  Scientific equipment needed:

1.  Contact and remote sensing instrumentation updated from that on MER. No analytic lab needed.

2.  Sample acquisition and caching system.

•  Landing site:

1.  Selectable from orbital data, strong desire to send to a new site 6

Science Engineering Rover Sizing:

1.  The rover needed to carry out this mission would be intermediate in size between MER and MSL (but much closer to MER).

Payload+Science Support Equipment Mass

5+16 kg ~15+50 kg 82+155 kg

MER MSL MAX-C

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Network -SAG •  Evaluation and assessment of the science priorities for a

geophysical network mission for interior measurements (focus on seismology)

•  Analysis of scientific return based on number of stations •  Presentation given at MEPAG July 29 •  Short, preliminary white paper delivered to Decadal

Survey •  Presentation given to second Decadal Survey Mars Panel

November 4, 2009

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MEPAG Goal IV Update: Goal IV - Prepare for Human Exploration

•  The MEPAG Goals Committee is updating Goal IV –  This is in response to the release of “Human Exploration of Mars

Design Reference Architecture 5.0” NASA/SP-2009-566

•  A panel has been assembled and is working the various objectives and investigations –  Panel Membership: Abhishek Tripathi & Darlene Lim (co-chairs)

•  Deanne Rogers, Jim Rice, Dean Eppler, Teresa Segura, David Kass, Greg Delory •  Ex officio: Dave Beaty, Charles Budney

–  Subject matter experts called in to support each objective

•  Results will be presented at the next MEPAG meeting in March 2010

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2-Rover International Science Analysis Group (2R-iSAG)

•  Requested Tasks –  Given the ExoMars and MAX-C rovers as they are currently

defined, what cooperative science can be done? –  Given some leeway with changes to the scientific capabilities of

MAX-C, and with lesser leeway on ExoMars, what additional cooperative science could be done?

•  Panel Membership: –  European scientists: Frances Westall (Co-Chair), Mark Sephton, Gian

Gabriele Ori, Angioletta Coradini, Fred Goesmann, Valérie Ciarletti –  U.S. scientists: John Grant (co-chair), Mike Carr, Danny Glavin, Roger

Phillips, Sherry Cady. Joel Hurowitz –  Ex Officio: Jorge Vago, Dave Beaty

•  MEPAG sought community involvement and coordinated the content of 9 white papers

•  The content of these papers were presented to the Mars Panel of the Decadal Survey

MEPAG Inputs to the Decadal Survey

•  MEPAG also provided a site for the community to post papers, solicit input and comment, and seek support

•  This resulted in 17 additional papers, some of which have been presented to the Mars Panel of the Decadal Survey

MEPAG Inputs to the Decadal Survey

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Priorities of Mars Exploration •  MEP plans, MART, and MATT-3 have been presented and

discussed at the last four MEPAG meetings •  MEPAG community agrees the science goals for the next decade

remain diverse and compelling •  The MEPAG community expressed strong support for MSL,

MAVEN, the trace gas mission and returning to the surface to explore the diversity of environments

•  Sample return can advance the greatest range of Mars science and make critical progress towards understanding if Life even existed

•  The campaign for sample return (caching, launching, capture, return, analysis) allows for a measured approach with branching options was endorsed

•  While not unanimous, the community consensus is to proceed as discussed

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Future Planning •  Continue to provide inputs to the Planetary Science

Decadal Survey •  Finish the current SAG work to be presented at the

next MEPAG meeting •  Next MEPAG Meeting: March 17, 18, Monrovia CA