by Roger Wiens
Chen, Allen, 207
China, 96
“Christmas tree” spacecraft, 15, 18, 20
Clark, Ben, 101
Clegg, Sam, 130, 173, 174, 175, 197, 204
Cold War, 28, 30, 188
Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, 55, 92, 93, 94, 185, 193
Comet Rendezvous and Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission, 14
Comets, 14, 19, 20
See also Stardust
Compact Reconnaissance Imaging
Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM), 179
Contamination
from an aeroshell, 89, 90
on Apollo missions, 17
from Earth, 19
Genesis mission and, 47, 52, 61
incoming, checking for, 139
COTS (commercial, off-the-shelf) parts, 78, 113
Cremers, Dave, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 102
Cronkite, Walter, 7
Curiosity
anomalies present during the landing rehearsal for, 198–199
answering old and new questions with, 214
box protecting ChemCam on, (ins. img. 15)
communications with, during landing, 203–204
complicated operating procedure for, 195–196
countdown to launch of, 188
delayed launch of, effect of, 160, 179
EDL stage of, 161–162, 164, 203, 208
electrical motors for, 154–155
firing on a Mars rock outcrop, (ins. img. 5)
first images of Mars from, 208–209
gravel damage to, 213–214
heat source for, 154, 178
imagining potential disaster scenarios involving, 193–194
impending launch of, 187
installation of ChemCam on, 158, 161
instrument turn-on and testing after landing of, 211–212
kickoff meeting for, 167–172
and the landing ellipse, (ins. img. 11), 202
landing of, 191, 193, 208
landing publicity for, 205
landing risk for, 192
landing site selected for, (ins. img. 11, 12, 16), 183, 201, 202
landing time for, by time zone, 203
landing trajectory for, 202, 203, 204
landing window for, 201
and landing-site meetings, 177–183
latest batch of images and spectra from, analyzing and discussing, 211
launch of, 188–189
launch rocket for, 187, 188, 191
launch stages for, 188
launch window for, 188, 201
lifespan of, 213
lowering of, by Sky Crane, (ins. img. 13), 162
naming MSL as, 148
and new questions arising from Glenelg site, 214
news about the landing of, 203
next set of Mars images from, 209–210
operating temperatures for, 154–155
operational readiness tests for, 194–195, 194–195, 196–199
parachute for, (ins. img. 12), 194, 204, 207, 210
at Paris air show, (ins. img. 9)
press conference after landing of, 209
program for operating, 195
reinstalling RTG on, 164
remote operations of, preparing for, 213
revelations from first few sols of driving, 213
route for, 201–202
RTG-powered, 164, 178
“shake and bake” tests for, 163–164
simulated view of, as it approached Mars, 206, 207
Slow Motion Field Test for, 172–176
team leadership of, 167–172
testing ChemCam after installation on, 161–164
thermal mismatch in design of, addressing, 153–156
total cost of, 160
view of Mount Sharp from, (ins. img. 14)
weight of, (ins. img. 10)
See also Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
Delapp, Dot, 212
Delta II rocket, 45
Descopes, 125–126, 128, 129, 132
Discovery missions
approach to, 15, 16
competing for, 20–22, 27, 31, 34, 35, 85–86, 91
cost cap for, 20
fitting a sample-return mission into, 18
See also Genesis
Disney, 148
Doppler tone, 198
Downlink leads, 195, 196, 197
Dugway Proving Ground, 52, 53
Dust-collection concept, 86, 87
See also Sample Collection for Investigation of Mars (SCIM)
Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN), 212
Earth
close approach of Mars to, 8, 9, 94, 147, 149
dominant rock types on, 174
gravity of, 19
half-ellipse configuration involving Mars and, 201
land area equal to, 177
magnetic fields surrounding, 19
nitrogen isotopes of, 64
orbiting the Sun, 8, 147
oxygen isotopes of, 62, 63
passing Mars, cycle of, 87, 147, 149
rock under the oceans of, 173
tilt of, for launching missions, 41, 45
Earth-to-Mars communications, simulating, 78
Eberswalde site, 181, 182
Edgett, Ken, 168
Elachi, Charles, 132
Electrical leads, 118–119
Engineering models, 111–112, 122, 124, (ins. img. 7), 125, 129, 134, 135, 137, 138, 142
Engineering teams, 112
England, London, 205
Entry, descent, and landing (EDL) stage
activation of, 208
command for, 203
described, 161–162
rover mated with, 164
team involved with, 203, 205, 207–208, 209, 210
European Space Agency, 191
European spacecraft, Halley and, 14
Ferris, Monty, 78, 79, 80, 83, 98
FIDO (Field-Integrated Design and Operations) rover, 77
First Lagrangian (L1) point, 19
Fleming, Cliff, 52–53
Foehlinger, Chuck, (ins. img. 3)
France
proposals from, for the mobile laboratory, 107
Toulouse, people in, watching Curiosity’s landing, 205
French scientists, collaboration with, 98, 100–101, 102, 103, 106, 108, 116–117, 122–123, 126, 129, 130–131, 132, 133, 134, 138, 139, 159, 160, 161, 179, 180, 212, 213
See also specific scientists
Gale Crater, (ins. img. 11, 12, 14), 179, 181, 182, 183, 202, 207, 210, 211, 213, 214
Galileo probe, 14
Gamma-ray detectors, 141
Gamma-ray spectrometers, 107
Gellert, Ralf, 171
Genesis, 8, 74, 79, 86, 87, 90, 93, 95, 118, 206
analysis of the samples from, 62, 63
attachment points of the capsule for, 53–54
building the prototype for, 27
contamination of samples from, 61
contingency measures for, 57, 59
crash landing of, and impact of the capsule, 55–56, (ins. img. 2), 193
delayed launch of, 42–43, 45, 46
designing improvements to the model for, 27–28
dry run presentations on, 28–29
and extraction of the solar sample canister, 57–58
failing final selection for first Discovery mission, 31–32
finessing the concept for, period of, 33, 35
first long-term countdown to the launching of, 45–46
full deployment of, (ins. img. 1) giving pre-launch interviews on, 41–43
good solar-wind samples from, obtaining, 58, 59
as a historic mission, 45
and the instrument used to collect oxygen and nitrogen, (ins. img. 3)
launch of, 46, 98, 185, 188
launch readiness review of, 44
launch window of, 41
and locating the concentrator target, 58
main goal of, 62
>
measurement of solar-wind oxygen from, 63, 64
midair capture of reentry capsule planned for, 30, 51, 52–53, 54
month after launch of, 47–48
negative chute for, 55
nitrogen studies from, 64
opening of the capsule for, 47
overheating problem facing, 47–48
picked for the next Discovery mission, 35
planned trajectory of, and reentry sequence, presenting, 29–31
possible disaster scenarios considered in planning, 55–56
potential reentry wind issue and, 30–31, 35
presentation of, before NASA review board, 29–31
press conferences on, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58–59
proposal submitted for, as finalist selection, 27
purpose of, 42
reason for the crash of, 59, 60
and recovering the samples from the sample canister, 59, 61
and recovery of the capsule pieces, 56–59
representing, before a different NASA review board, 35
resonance ionization mass spectrometry and, 27, 71
resubmitting a proposal of, for the next Discovery mission, 34
results from, 63, 64
reviews of, prior to launch date, 44
sample canister lid from, (ins. img. 1)
selected by NASA again as a mission finalist, 34
solar-wind concentrator for, 27, 35, 36, 37–38, 39, 58, 63, (ins. img. 1)
as a success, 64–65
testing the prototype for, 28
time period to fully develop and test instruments for, 35
two years leading up to the launch of, 43–44
See also Solar-wind sample-return mission
Geomorphologists, perspective of, 179–180
Germany, 107, 171
Getting-acquainted process, 112
Gibson, Bill, 140, 141
Glenelg, 211, 214
Goddard Space Flight Systems, 122, 168
Goldin, Daniel, 14–15, 20, 87
Grotzinger, John, 172, 181, 182, 206, 207
Gusev Crater, 214
Gypsum, 175, 176
Halley, comet, 14
Hassler, Don, 171
Hazcams (Hazard Avoidance Cameras), 204, 209
Heat shield, 53, 57, 145, 193, 208, 210
Herkenhoff, Ken, 101
HiRISE instrument, images captured by, (ins. img. 12), 199
Hohmann transfer, 201–202
Horz, Fred, 37
Hubble Space Telescope (HST), 14
Hughes, 96
Imagers, 102, 109, (ins. img. 14, 16), 160, 168, 212, 214
Infrared spectroscopy, 106, 110, 154, 179, 180
Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), 28, 96, 187, 188
Iron, 173
Isotope ratios, 62, 63, 64, 87, 99, 109
James Webb Space Telescope, 127–128
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), 26, 37, 41, 47, 59, 101
assisting in planning solar-wind sample-return mission, 20, 23–24, 25
ChemCam and, 114, 116, 119, 120, 122, 126, 131, 132, 134, 137, 138, 139, 140, 153, 155–156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161
dry run presentations by, involving Genesis, 28–29
first woman scientist at, 18
infrared spectrometers and, 106
and the landing of Curiosity, 191, 206
landing publicity videos released by, 205
and the launch of Curiosity, 189
Mars yard at, (ins. img. 10), 212
media relations at, 56
and the MSL engineering model, 112, 142
operational readiness tests at, 194–195, 196, 197, 198
operations hub at, 203
origins of, 74
payload managers at, 108, 120, 130, 137, 140, 156
press area at, 209
rovers and, 74, 75, 76, 77, 146, 147, 148, 167, 170, 173, 202
satellites and, 74
Slow Motion Field Test and, 174
thermal chamber at, 163
wooing scientists as possible leaders at, 18
See also specific JPL projects and personnel
Johnson Space Center, 11, 37, 39, 92
Juno spacecraft, 188
Jupiter, 14, 20, 149, 168, 188
K-9 rover, 77, 113
Kennedy, John F., 6
Kennedy Space Center. See Cape Canaveral
Keyhole, the, 53
KISS acronym, 156, 158
Knievel, Evil, 55
Lagrangian (L1) point, first, 19
Laser altimeters, 71–72
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)
basalts and, 174
competition facing, 107
data from, following rover “shake and bake” testing, 164
described, 70
field testing involving, 83, 85
first spectrum displayed from Mars using, 212
focusing attention back on, 95
funding from NASA for, 74, 100
imager added to, 102, 160
integration of, with rovers, planning for, 74–75, 102
involving French scientists in, 98, 100–101, 102, 103
and the Mars Science Laboratory, 99, 100
plans for field testing, 75, 76, 77, 78–79, 80, 81, 83
prototype of, components forming, 78, 101
questioning the technique for, 152
Raman spectroscopy and, 107
Slow Motion Field Test and, 173, 174
sulfur and, 175
two missions sporting, for NASA’s new mission contest, 86
working on, and improvements to, 72–73, 160
See also ChemCam
Lasers
high-power, 70
invention of, 70
low-power, 70
meaning of, as a term, 71
miniaturization of, 70
Moon surface and, 69
protective eyewear for working with, 105, (ins. img. 6), 129, 139, 161, 163
safety incidents involving, 105, 106, 108, 139, 173
Lawrence Livermore Lab, 70
Leshin, Laurie, 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 93
LIBS. See Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)
Limestone, 174, 175
Lockheed Martin Astronautics, 24, 25, 28–29, 30, 202
Long-March rocket, 96
Long-term planners, 195
Los Alamos fire evacuation, 80, 81–83
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), 42, 73
described, 33–34, 69, 123
fire damage at, 83
fire threatening, 79–80, 81
Foreign Visits office, 116
Genesis instrument team at, 25, 35–36
laser accident at, 105, 108
lens designed by, versus JPL-designed lenses, 156, 157, 158
number of workers at, 82, 105
space instrumentation group, location of, 34, 108
studying the geology underneath, 170
time difference between France and, 103
watching the Genesis launch at, 46
See also specific LANL projects and personnel
Los Alamos science museum, 204, 205
Lovell, James, 7–8
Lowell, Percival, 8, 9
Lunar Module (LM), 7–8
Lunar Prospector, 27
Ma, Clara, 148
Mach 29 gas sampling, 89
Magnesium, 174, 175
Mahaffy, Paul, 168–169
MaHLI camera. See Mars Hand Lens Instrument (MaHLI)
Malin, Mike, 168
Malin Space Science Systems, 168
Mariner 9, 9
Mars, 65
ancient riverbed detected on, 213
ancient site on, 179, 180, 183
atmospheric density profile of, 202
atmospheric samples from, collecting, 87
claims about life on, 8–9
close approach of, to Earth, 8, 9, 94, 147, 149
decade devoid of
explorations to, 13
deserted terrain of, feeling evoked by, 214
dominant rock types on, 173, 174
dust-collection concept for, 86–87
Earth passing, cycle of, 87, 147, 149
failed missions to, 60, 88
first-ever landing movie of, 212
gravity of, 145, 202
habitability of, 213, 214
half-ellipse configuration involving Earth and, 201
ideas for small missions to, 20
land area of, 177
landing ellipse for, 203
large crater on, (ins. img. 11, 12, 14), 179, 181, 182, 183, 207, 208
large valley on, 179
lava on, 214
life-detection experiments on, 10, 142
looking for water on, 109
meteorites from, 11, 73, 86, 87, 88
moon of, mission to, 189
motivation to explore, renewed, 73
new missions to, calls for concepts for, 73–74, 85–86
night-sky guides on, 186
number of successful landings on, 191
orbiting the Sun, 8, 147
possibility of a sample-return mission to, 87–88
purported discovery of microscopic fossils on, 73, 88
race to, 10
seeding terrestrial bacteria on, risk of, 178
soil composition of, measuring, 212
spacecraft flybys of, 8
sulfur on, 175
telescope observations of, 8, 9
temperatures on, rovers and, 101, 146, 151, 154
unexpected rock compositions on, 213
Viking program and, 10, 11, 13, 29
water on, issue of, 98–99, 109, 141, 142, 171, 178, 212, 214
wind on, 202, 214
See also specific Mars missions and spacecraft
Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), 88
Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO), 44, 193, 202
Mars Descent Imager (MarDI), 168, 212
Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs), 172
and APXS, 109, 171
ChemCam rock observations versus observations from, 213
imagers on, 102
improved versions of instruments on, 109
launch of missions involving, 93
leadership of, 167, 177, 206
limitations of, 143
motors for the MSL versus, 146
MSL design changes from, due to size issues, 144–145
naming of, 147
payload budget for, 110, 127
payload capacity of, 99
plans for, 77
Raman spectroscopy and, 106–107, 169
thermal spectrometers for, 106
threat to cut funding for, 140, 141
total cost of, 160
twin, 88–89, 98, 102, 128, 143, 147, 167, 206
See also Opportunity; Spirit
Mars Express, 179
Mars Hand Lens Instrument (MaHLI), (ins. img. 15), 168, 212, 214
Mars Instrument Development Program, 100
Mars Observer, 14, 22
Mars Odyssey, 98–99
Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter (MOLA), 72
Mars Polar Lander, 44