SAN FRANCISCO Outlining a vision for future space exploration that includes both robotic and manned missions, Michael Sander, manager of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's exploration systems and technology office, told a group of chip designers Thursday (April 28) that American industry is "just beginning to crack open the door" to commercially driven enterprise in space, something he said would be a critical part of long-term exploration.
Delivering a keynote address at Mentor Graphic Corp.'s User2User Conference in Santa Clara, Calif., Sander described a number of planned missions designed to further explore the solar system, focusing on Mars.
Likening the exploration of the solar system to the exploration of the western U.S. frontier, Sander said study of Mars is reaching a more mature stage with the establishment of permanent robotic outposts and preliminary discussions about commercially driven enterprise in space.
"We are starting to see an infrastructure developing around Mars," Sander said. "This is a very exciting time."
Sander, who spent much of the 70-minute address talking about historical exploration that occurred in the last half of the 20th century, noted that the complexity of systems and spacecraft used in space exploration has grown exponentially. In a nod of appreciation to the designers in attendance, Sander said that "without American industry exploring the frontiers of technology," the exploration of the solar system would not have been possible.
Sander cited U.S. President George Bush's January 2004 initiative committing the U.S. to a long-term human and robotic program to explore the solar system, starting with a return to the moon. While there are currently no planned manned missions to the moon or Mars, Sander outlined several future unmanned NASA missions designed to study Mars:
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Scheduled for launch in August, the orbiter will track changes in the Martian atmosphere, look for evidence of ancient seas and examine surface minerals for clues about past Martian climate changes. The orbiter will carry a powerful camera capable of taking sharp images of surface features the size of a beach ball. At the conclusion of its two-year mission, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter would serve as a data relay station for future Mars missions.
Phoenix: Plans call for the Phoenix to land in an ice-rich region of the Martian north pole in May 2008 and use a robotic arm to dig into the arctic terrain in search of clues to the geologic history of water on the planet. It will also search for evidence of possible habitable zones that could support microbial life.
Mars Telecommunications Orbiter: This satellite will orbit Mars at a higher altitude than most orbiters and provide enhanced data relay for surface missions. It will communicate with Earth via two radio bands and an optical communications terminal. Mars Telecommunications Orbiter's launch date is currently Jan. 1, 2009.
Mars Science Laboratory: A long-range, long-duration mobile lab scheduled to be launched in 2009. Its mission will be to continue the study of Martian geology from the surface and pave the way for a possible future sample return.
Mars Sample Return Lander: A mission to return samples of rock and soil to Earth. Current plans call for the first sample return mission to be launched in 2014, though NASA is considering launch as early as 2011.