ExoMars: Recent Developments of the "Sample Preparation and Handling System" and the Accommodations and Operations Concept of the Humboldt Payload"

Paper number

IAC-08.A3.3.A7

Author

Dr. Stephan Ulamec, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Jens Biele, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Peter Hofmann, Kayser-Threde GmbH, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Ralf von Heise-Rotenburg, Kayser-Threde GmbH, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Rainer Willnecker, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany

Coauthor

Prof. Tilman Spohn, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Detlef Wilde, EADS SPACE Transportation, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Jörg Bolz, EADS Astrium, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Marco Wolf, EADS Astrium, Germany

Year

2008

Abstract

ExoMars will be the first Mission in the ESA Aurora Program, and is to be launched to Mars in 2013.  The payload will be distributed between a rover (Pasteur Payload, PPL) and the stationary lander platform, (Humboldt Payload, HPL). The latter, including the necessary servicing systems, is generally referred to as Geophysics Environmental Package (GEP).

The GEP has been proposed with a core payload consisting of a seismometer, a meteorological package, an atmospheric probe, a heat flow and physical properties package, and a magnetometer. Additional payload elements have been added after an ESA coordinated Payload Confirmation Review. In the current planning, the Humboldt Payload consists of 11 scientific instruments.

The GEP will be integrated into the Lander platform and consists of several units containing the necessary support equipment (power system, central data management system, communications units, thermal control system) as well as the instruments and deployment mechanisms.

The proposed system design is based on a solar generator and radiothermal heaters to allow long term operations on the surface of Mars. 
The landing areas for the mission are currently foreseen between 15° South and 45° Northern latitude, leading to a challenging power design, keeping in mind the extreme cases in winter, combined with the assumed dust environment.  The proposed concept shall allow operations for a minimum of two years.

Operations of HPL is proposed to be performed decentralised from a dedicated Humboldt Operations Center with major involvement of DLR-MUSC in Cologne. It is foreseen to store data on the GEP for up to two weeks and transmit them via a relay Orbiter (currently it is foreseen to use NASA´s MRO) to ground. The tasks of the HPL Operations Center will comprise control and command of the platform and the payloads in conjunction with related operations planning, as well as data processing, archiving and distribution to the involved investigator teams.

Abstract document

IAC-08.A3.3.A7.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.A3.3.A7.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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