Geology Reference
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the mission is likely to be extended as long as the space-
craft and instruments are healthy and new data can be
obtained by the project. Study of Mercury will continue
with the launch of BepiColombo in 2014. This joint ESA -
JAXA mission will place two spacecraft in orbit around
Mercury in 2020 to obtain more information on the geol-
ogy, interior, magnetosphere, and tenuous atmosphere.
As the most Earth-like planet in our Solar System and
because it is a close neighbor, Mars is a focus in planetary
exploration ( Chapter 7 ). NASA ' s Mars Science
Laboratory (MSL), launched in 2011, carries a rover
named Curiosity ( Fig. 11.1 ), which is the size of a small
car, with a scienti c payload designed to advance astro-
biology exploration (Grotzinger, 2009 ). The primary
objective is to assess the biological potential of a key
target site to determine the nature of organic compounds
and the chemical building blocks of life in the search for
signs of past and present life (Grotzinger, 2009 ). In addi-
tion, the general geology of the site is being studied,
including the rock record, to assess long-term atmospheric
evolution and cycling of water and carbon dioxide
between the surface and the atmosphere. The rover is
powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator and
will operate for at least one Mars year (686 Earth days).
The landing site for the MSL is on the floor of Gale crater
( Fig. 11.2 ) in the equatorial region of Mars. The crater is
about 154 km in diameter and has a huge central peak that
shows layering suggestive of repeated episodes of sedi-
mentary deposition.
As part of NASA ' s Discovery Program, the Mars
Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN),
led by PI Bruce Jakosky, will be launched in 2013 to be
Figure 11.1. A family portrait of NASA
s Mars
rovers, showing progression in size from the Mars
Path nder rover, Sojourner (center), that
operated onMars in 1997, to the Mars Exploration
Rovers (left side), two of which began operations
in 2004, to the car-size Mars Science Laboratory
(right) (NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory).
'
Figure 11.2. Gale impact crater in Mars
equatorial region is
the landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory. The area of
operations is shown by the ellipse in this THEMIS image. Gale
crater is about 154 km in diameter and displays complex
sedimentary deposits on its
'
floor, some of which appear to
have been emplaced by fluvial channels cut into the crater
rim. (NASA PIA14290).
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