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  • Phase-A Design of a Mars South Pole Exploration Mission: MARS PENGUIN

    Paper number

    IAC-22,A3,IPB,36,x73185

    Author

    Mr. Francesco Ventre, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Mr. Nicola Boscolo Fiore, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Ms. Elisa De Astis, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Mr. Vahid Nateghi, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Mr. Claudio Pedrazzini, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Mr. Massimo Piazza, France, Infinite Orbits

    Coauthor

    Mr. Lorenzo Pisani, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Mrs. Sabrina Saban, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Coauthor

    Prof. Michèle Lavagna, Italy, Politecnico di Milano

    Year

    2022

    Abstract
    During the last 60 years, several space missions have been designed and launched to explore our neighboring planet, Mars. 
    Most of these expeditions had the goal of mapping the planet and evaluating some of its key characteristics, such as terrain configuration and composition. 
    In this context, in 2018 the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS) instrument, on board the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express Orbiter, led to the discovery of a subglacial lake located at the South Pole of Mars, in the same area where several geysers were first observed in the late ’90s. 
    This discovery suggested complex seasonal dynamics associated with both the Mars icy caps and led to the launch of some missions to inspect the main features in situ. However, none of the attempts was successful. 
    This paper presents the phase-A design of a fully European rover mission, called MARs South Pole ExploratioN and Geysers in-sitU Investigation (MARS-PENGUIN), to sample the icy crust above the South Pole subglacial lake in different locations and characterize the aforementioned geysers’ phenomena from a close distance.
    The mission, composed of a service module, a rover, and a martian helicopter, is designed to reach the subglacial lake region during the martian spring, in 2029, after a ten-month cruise, to spot the geysers during their activity period.
    This work reports the requirements, the feasibility analysis, and the preliminary technical development for each subsystem. Moreover, the operational phase is characterized, with an emphasis on the sampling strategies adopted to meet the mission objectives.
    Abstract document

    IAC-22,A3,IPB,36,x73185.brief.pdf

    Manuscript document

    IAC-22,A3,IPB,36,x73185.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

    To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.