# Presentation: 317615

## Deployable InstrumentsFor the Mars Exploration Program G. Delory, UC Berkeley

**Description:**
- Deployable Instruments for landed packages (tethered and standalone)
- Focus on distributed sensors for Electromagnetic Subsurface Exploration
- Integration of electric and magnetic field measurements
- Applications include detection of liquid water to >1 km depths (Magnetotellurics)

**FY03-FY05 Critical Milestones:**
**FY03** Design trade study
**FY04**	Field test of candidate sensors
- 	Design and build standalone system
**FY05** Lab and field testing of standalone and tethered sensor system

**Funding Profile ($K):**

**Technology Tasks:**
- 	Standalone and tethered systems
- 			G. Delory/UC Berkeley
- 	EM Sensor Integration				M. Krupka/Quasar
- 	RF Transciever Development
- 			W. Farrell/NASA GSFC
- 	Field Test Site Selection & Science Support
- 			R. Grimm/SwRI

## FY’04 Milestones

**Standalone station: develop real, workable implementations for:**
- Data processing/acquisition
- RF transceiver
- Power regulation
**Tethered Packages**
- Low noise measurements on the bench and outdoors
**Benchtop integration and calibration of these sensors/systems in preparation for field tests in FY05.**

## Technical AccomplishmentsSINCE LAST QUARTER

**Standalone Station Development**
- An engineering model of a suitable data processor board for geophysical EM signals is now available from other ongoing flight projects at UC Berkeley
- RF Transceiver hardware has been identified that satisfies requirements
**Both of these systems are currently being designed into the standalone station**
**Tethered Sensor Development**
- Data from April ’04 field tests of electric field sensors has been analyzed
- Environmental and system noise characterized
- Periods of low noise have been isolated – satisfies measurement criteria

## Significant Events (1)

**Data processor board arrival**
- Project plan was to use ETUs of data processors in development for other missions
- Enables realistic, “flight-like” implementation at little cost to MIDP
- FPGA-based FFT algorithm, sampling, A/D, filtering ideal for geophysical EM survey
- Current testing under the THEMIS program will produce a near-ready board for MIDP
- Modifications will be needed (addition of simple PIC or 80XX-based controller for transceiver I/F)

## Significant Events (2)

**RF Transceiver System Solution**
- Configurable, COTS, FPGA-based low power & modular system meets requirements
- RF protocol chosen: FSK, 800-1000 MHz, High-level Data Link Control (HDLC) format, TCP/IP ready
- Easy integration into our existing field test data acquisition system

## Significant Events (3)

**Field Test Results for deployable sensor prototypes**
- Tested small, deployable electric field sensors in tethered configuration
- Data analysis shows major environmental noise contributions:
- EM Interference from nearby systems
- WIND!
- Long linear antenna deployables show promise
- Small electric field sensor plates need work(!)

## Plans for Next Quarter (1)

**INTEGRATE these hardware elements into a real standalone station design **
**Continue assessment of tethered sensor performance**
**GOAL: Testing standalone station by FY05**

**Sensor Preamps**

**RF System (ComBlock Boards)**

**Processor Board**

**Battery**

## Financial Status: Obligations & Cost

**Summary breakdown of allocations and costs to date:**

|  | Currently Allocated | Actual Expenditures | Planned
Expenditures |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| UCB | $376,252 | $64,467 | $163,842 | +$99,375 |
| NASA GSFC | $99,900 | $47,800 | $73,850 | +$26,050 |

## Financial Summary

**Overall Financial Status – *****we are underspent***** **
**Explanation – this reflects:**
- Earlier difficulties in subcontracting mechanism to industrial Co-Investigators (QUASAR - see earlier status reports)
- Major procurements for Standalone Station yet to be completed
**Spending anticipated to increase rapidly over the next 6 months as more mature hardware is built and tested**

## Action Items/Issues/Concerns

**Ahead of schedule on sensors, but behind schedule on standalone station – anticipated to complete by first/second quarter of FY05**