About Us:

\>

\> JPL has been assigned responsibility as the Mars Program Office (MPO)
by NASA's

\> Code S for all its Mars exploration efforts. The Technology element
of

\> the Mars Program is referred to as the Mars Technology Program (MTP).

\>

\> MTP supports all of NASA's efforts to identify

\> and assess technology solutions, and to develop components,

\> subsystems, systems, and other products necessary to enable or

\> significantly enhance Mars Program missions.

\>

\>

\>

\> Program Content:

\>

\> This does not need text. The focused and base technologies are

\> elements of this heading. They (i.e., focused and base should be

\> indented)

\>

\> Mars Technology Program: (Cecelia:Note that this is the same content

\> that you already have. I think we should use first part of it here
and

\> then use the text for focused and base as the contents for focused
and

\> base technology. As seen below:)

\>

\> MARS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

\> \[29a9f02b.jpg\]

\>

\> The Mars Technology Program (MTP) is part of the NASA Mars
Exploration

\> Program (MEP). The purpose of MTP is to develop technologies needed

\> for future Mars missions, including Mars Scouts.

\>

\> The two principle program elements of MTP are the Focused Technology

\> and the Base Technology Programs. The Focused Technology Program

\> addresses technologies that are specific and critical to near-term

\> missions, while the Base Technology Program addresses technologies

\> that are applicable to multiple missions and can be characterized as

\> longer-term, higher-risk, and higher-payoff technologies

\>

\>

\>

\>

\> Focused Technology Program:

\>

\>

\>

\> In the recent past, Mars Technology Program\'s focused technology

\> included the Mars Exploration Rover (MER). Currently, the Focused

\> Technology Program supports three upcoming missions baselined for
this

\> decade:

\> Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO, 2005)

\> Mars Science Laboratory (MSL, 2009)

\> Mars Telecom Orbiter (MTO, 2009)

\> MSL requires far more new technology than the other two missions.

\> Currently, the MTP Focused Technology Program is providing the

\> following time-critical deliverables for infusion into the 2009 MSL
mission:

\>

\> \* Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) technology will provide a
precision

\> landing capability (\<10km landing error) and deliver a large payload
(900-1100

\> kg) safely onto the Martian surface. These technologies are being
developed

\> in the specialty areas of optical navigation, guided entry, subsonic

\> parachute, descent propulsion, hazard detection and avoidance, and

\> robust landing. The Optical Navigation Camera for this mission is
being

\> developed under the focused technology of MRO and will be flight

\> tested onboard MRO before its use on MSL.

\>

\>

\> \* Long-life systems capability addresses both the electronic and

\> mechanical elements of MSL. The included elements are: an

\> actuator assembly for rover wheels and robotic arms, an advanced

\> mechanically pumped cooling loop to recycle waste heat from

\> radioisotope power sources, and a lightweight wheel/differential.

\> Long-life surface system components are designed to operate for

\> 1+ Mars year in the Martian environment.

\>

\> \* Robust software for the MSL rover employs Mission Data System
(MDS)-based software

\> architecture and systems engineering methodology. Validation of

\> this software technology involves both the MTP research rover

\> platforms and simulated virtual rovers. The MDS architecture

\> provides a unified framework and reusable software components for

\> flight/ground software.

\>

\> \* Rover navigation and instrument placement provides advanced

\> navigation and approach-and-emplace capability, which allows the

\> MSL rover to extend its mobility range beyond 5km and achieve

\> single-sol target approach and instrument placement. (A \"sol\" is

\> a Martian day.)

\>

\> \* Sample acquisition, handling, and processing includes

\> technologies that enable the extraction of samples from the

\> environment (coring/abrading), transfer of those samples to a

\> sample-processing unit (robotic arm controls), and processing of

\> the samples for delivery to the onboard science instruments (rock

\> crushing and sample distribution).

\>

\> \* Planetary Protection addresses biological contamination control

\> technologies for meeting the planetary protection requirements

\> for MSL. This includes the deployment of a rapid validation

\> method for enumerating spores (4 hours instead of 3 days) and

\> cleaning/maintenance methods for achieving organic cleanliness

\> (10-9 g/cm2) of the MSL sample handling/analysis chain.

\>

\> \* Mars proximity telecom (a.k.a. the Electra Payload) provides a

\> radiation-tolerant/hardened, reconfigurable wireless network node

\> to enable enhanced telecom and navigation capability for all

\> future Mars missions. This payload will be flown on the MRO mission
to validate the technology

\> before it is used on MSL.

\>

\> Base Technology Program:

\>

\>

\> The core of the Base Technology Program is breakthrough technology

\> elements that are not in the critical path of specific missions.

\> Technologies that can enhance baseline missions as well as new,

\> enabling technologies for future missions are addressed, including
the

\> following:

\>

\> \* Regional Mobility and Subsurface Access involves innovations in

\> autonomous surface vehicles (rovers), airplanes, subsurface

\> access with drills and other robotic devices, and science

\> operations. Current emphasis is on surface and subsurface

\> mobility. Technologies for aerial vehicles are supported by the

\> scout mission technologies (described below).

\>

\>

\> \* Science Instruments and Systems including the development of both

\> remote and in situ instrumentation for addressing scientific

\> objectives, with a focus on the development of new techniques for

\> in situ life detection. Note that all science instrument

\> development is carried out by the Base Technology Program. All

\> science payloads for missions are competed, so the Focused

\> Technology Program does not include any science instrument

\> development.

\>

\> \* Telecom and Navigation technology investments, specifically

\> related to proximity-link-relay communications and in situ

\> radio-based navigation scenarios. Relay communications

\> technologies are aimed at significantly increasing science data

\> return from a wide range of future exploration assets (e.g.,

\> landers, rovers, aerobots, microprobes) while minimizing mass,

\> volume, and energy needs. Next-generation network protocols will

\> ensure interoperability while enabling efficient operations.

\> Additionally, extraction of radiometric information from these

\> proximity links can support precision in situ navigation for

\> scenarios such as approach, surface mobility, and on-orbit

\> rendezvous.

\> \* Advanced Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) Technologies focused on

\> third-generation capabilities, to provide pinpoint landing

\> accuracy through advances in navigation, guidance, and sensors.

\>

\> \* Planetary Protection Technologies include innovative technologies

\> intended to satisfy planetary protection requirements for

\> surface, subsurface and atmospheric missions as well as those

\> technologies that allow sample acquisition for in situ life

\> detection and sample return.

\>

\> \* Scout Mission Technologies are derived from stated needs of the

\> Mars science community, and enable a wide variety of future

\> low-cost missions. MTP will competitively select those

\> technologies that will have the highest payoff for future Scout

\> missions. Technologies developed under this program will be

\> available to the community and are intended to benefit future

\> Scout and baseline missions.

\>

\> \* Advanced Electronics \--in partnership with Applied Physics
Laboratory (APL). Mars Exploration Program is taking

\> advantage of existing expertise at APL and working cooperatively

\> to develop new technologies, mainly in advanced electronics,

\> specifically for Mars applications. The approach is for APL to

\> work with JPL mission planners and flight project personnel to

\> define a set of focused technologies that have a high probability

\> of infusion in future Mars missions.

\>

\> Partners:

\>

\> Mars Technology Program collaborates with and leverages NASA and

\> non-NASA technology efforts to maximize the return for its

\> investments.

\>

\> NASA Partners:

\> - Langley Research Center (LaRC)

\> - Ames Research Center (ARC)

\> - Glenn Research Center (GRC)

\> - Johnson Space Center (JSC)

\> - Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

\> - Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

\>

\> Academia:

\>

\> - Many universities, including MIT, CMU, USC, University of

\> Washington, Washington University, University of Michigan, Stanford

\> University, and Caltech.

\> Industry:

\> - Numerous participants.

\>

\> Government Institutions:

\>

\> - Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

\> - Los Alamos Research Laboratory

\> - Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)

\> - Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) of Penn State

\> - Sandia National Laboratory

\>

\> News:

\>

\> MTP NASA Research Announcement (NRA) is expected to announce its

\> selection during the first quarter of FY \'04. Check here for
updates.

\>

\> Future Missions:

\>

\> (Cecelia, future Mars missions are described in:

\>

\>
ttp://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?&Sort=Target&Target=Mars&MCode=MRO&Display=Dates

\>

\> Simply put a link here)

\>

\>

\> Contacts:

\>

\> Cecelia, put the following in alphabetical order. Make names
clickable

\> so that people can send e-mail to us. (Dave Lavery\'s e-mail is:

\> dlavery@hq.nasa.gov, Karen McBride\'s e-mail address is:

\> kmcbride@mail.hq.nasa.gov

\>

\> Samad Hayati (JPL), Mars Technology Program Manager

\> Richard Volpe (JPL), Regional Mobility and Subsurface Access Manager

\> Sam Kim (JPL), Mars Instrument Development Program

\> Gabriel Udomkesmalee (JPL), Mars Science Laboratory, Focused

\> Technology Manager

\> Dave Lavery (NASA HQ), Program Executive

\> Karen McBride (NASA HQ), Program Executive

\>

\> Give me a call if you have questions.

\>

\> Thank you.

\>

\> Samad

\>