Design and Experiments for a Mars Methane Analogue Mission Rover Operations

Paper number

IAC-12,A3,3A,17.p1,x15336

Author

Dr. Ala' Qadi, Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Ed Cloutis, Univeristy of Winnipeg, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Lyle White, McGill Univeristy, Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Christopher Nicol, Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University, Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Adam Mack, Faculty of Engineering, Carleton University, Canada

Coauthor

Prof. Alex Ellery, Carleton University, Canada

Coauthor

Prof. Claire Samson, Carleton University, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Emile Haddad, MPB Communications Inc., Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Roman Kruzelecky, MPB Communications Inc., Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Wes Jamroz, MPB Communications Inc., Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Paul Mann, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. J.F. Bell III, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Alexandre Boivin, Carleton Univeristy, Canada

Coauthor

Ms. Jessica Stromberg, University of Winnipeg, Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Roland Wilhelm, McGill Univeristy, Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Kevin Olsen, Univeristy of Toronto, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Boswell Wing, McGill University, Canada

Coauthor

Mr. Brian Wong, McGill University, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Alain Tremblay, UQAM, Canada

Year

2012

Abstract

The search for signs of past or extant life on Mars is a high priority for future Mars exploration. This search will likely be undertaken with a variety of landed and orbital missions. 
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), through its Analogue Missions program, is supporting a microrover-based analogue mission designed to simulate a Mars rover mission geared toward identifying and characterizing methane emissions on Mars. This analogue mission program will run until late 2012. In June 2011, we conducted our first Mars methane analogue mission deployment at the Jeffery Mine in Asbestos, Quebec. The deployment and testing was conducted over three days using a Pioneer Rover and scientific instruments including Raman, Piccaro, ASD and EMIS for testing rock and gas samples.
This paper describes the rover operations carried out in this mission in terms of  planning, deployment, communication and equipment setup, rover path parameters  and evaluation throughout the whole deployment.

Abstract document

IAC-12,A3,3A,17.p1,x15336.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

(absent)