OER Project Exchange… We’re going to Mars with Megan McGroarty and the Arizona State University Mars 2020 Mastcam-Z Team // April 12 - 14, 2021

Ingenuity is the first powered flight to be tested on a different world, which is a huge milestone in itself and will tell us a lot about flight on Mars for future missions. Ingenuity was stored on the Perseverance and successfully detached from the rover to enter a 30-day test period. For its first flight, the helicopter will take off and hover above the ground for 20 to 30 seconds to land again. As of right now, this first flight is scheduled to happen no earlier than April 14th. With time, Ingenuity will be pushed to greater altitudes and distances, and eventually, the rover will leave Ingenuity behind to continue its mission. 

On sending information back to Earth:

Data from the three antennas on the rover gets sent back to Earth to be received by the Deep Space Network (DSN). The DSN is an international network of antennas (in the desert in California, US; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia) placed in locations 120 degrees apart from each other on the Earth. This is so scientists can receive data from places beyond Earth consistently, like data (and pictures) from NASA’s Perseverance Rover. As for how long it takes, the data itself may take 5 to 20 minutes to reach Earth, but things such as pictures may take longer to piece together and process. For more on the DSN: https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html

Are there future plans or possibilities of sending rock samples, etc. back to Earth for analysis?

Yes! After the samples are deposited onto the surface on Mars from Perseverance, there are two other proposed missions for the future. One would be a “fetch” rover which would retrieve the various tubes and return them to a sample return container in the Mars Ascent Vehicle. The Mars Ascent Vehicle will then launch the tubes into orbit to be collected by the second proposed future mission, an orbiter. The orbiter will rendezvous with the collected samples and then bring them back to Earth. As of right now, with these proposed missions, the earliest we would receive samples back here on Earth would be 2031.

In what ways is Perseverance different from the previous Mars rover?

Perseverance varies from the Curiosity rover (which arrived on Mars in 2012) in its mission and the instruments/technology included on the robot. For one, Curiosity focused mainly on learning more about the geology of Mars. In comparison, Perseverance will be looking for life and collecting/dropping Martian samples for collection at a later date. The rovers' design slightly differs as well to accommodate their different missions and the environments they would rove around in. For example, the arm of Perseverance needs to collect and store samples, whereas Curiosity's arm performs onsite science experiments. To prevent the wear and tear of the tires like what is slowly happening with Curiosity, the wheels on Perseverance are more robust. The Mastcam-Z cameras can now zoom in, focus, and take 3D photos and videos at high speed, which they (the Mastcam cameras on Curiosity) could not previously.

Some of this is beyond my pay grade! Can you explain what a goal related to "habitability and biosignatures" means? Thanks! 

Meg Hufford

Good morning Erik,

Habitability: capable of being lived in (or lived on, in the case of Mars).

Biosignature: characteristic, element, molecule, substance, or feature that can be used as evidence for past or present life.

NASA identified the four objectives for the Mars 2020 mission, but there are many. (Fly, Ingenuity!).

Considering the eight planets in our Solar System, Mars and Earth are observed to be the most similar. The question remains: Could Mars have supported life or chemical combinations to support life in the past?

Past NASA missions have informed our current understanding of the planets, including our Earth. Current missions use improved technology to explore and generate data such as biosignatures that reveal the story of Mars in more precise ways. These findings inform future missions to Mars that will include humans.

Perhaps one of your students!

We appreciate the role of Teachers - hardest job on the planet - thanks for all you do! ~Meg

Thanks for helping us understand your mission, Megan. My kids are keenly interested in how you might go about repairing a breakdown from so far away as well.  ;-)

What would you do if one of the rovers broke down on mars? - answered by Megan

Sadly, there are times when rovers will live out their lifetimes on Mars and they will no longer function or we will lose signal with them here on Earth. In the summer of 2018 after a large dust storm, Opportunity’s almost 15-year mission came to an end when NASA scientists could no longer communicate with the rover. Though, the Opportunity mission was originally expected to last 90 days after landing on Mars in 2004, so the rover explored the surface of the red planet for a long time after that!

What are ways you would send the rover to mars? - answered by Megan

On July 30, 2020, Perseverance was launched into space on the ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. In the past, rovers have also been launched from similar rockets (Curiosity was launched in 2011 on an Atlas V rocket as well). It took seven months for Perseverance to reach Mars on February 18, 2021.

How long did it take to build the rover? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

From the time when the instrument payload was announced (July 31, 2014) to when the rover was shipped off to Cape Canaveral, FL (February 2020), that was a span of five and half years. Early mission design work goes back to 2013, before the Announcement of Opportunity, soliciting scientists for instrument proposals to put on the planned rover. 

How do the camera's pictures get back to earth? How long does it take from the footage from the Rover to get back to earth? - answered by Megan

Data from the three antennas on the rover gets sent back to Earth to be received by the Deep Space Network (DSN). The DSN is an international network of antennas (in the desert in California, US; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia) placed in locations 120 degrees apart from each other on the Earth. This is so scientists can receive data from places beyond Earth consistently, like data (and pictures) from NASA’s Perseverance Rover. As for how long it takes, the data itself may take 5 to 20 minutes to reach Earth, but things such as pictures may take longer to piece together and process. For more on the DSN: https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html 

How long did it take you to make the camera? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

From selection as part of the Mars 2020 mission (July 31,2014) to design, fabrication, assembly, delivery and mounting on the rover, took about five years. If you add in the time to write the instrument proposal, that would be about six years.

What got you interested in designing cameras? Why did you choose to make a camera for spacecraft? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

I am not an optic engineer, my work is developing the ground data systems used to support instruments, like Mastcam-Z. I design processes, write software and documentation, and hire and train staff to operate those instruments and perform data processing on the returned observations (in our case, pictures). Best job ever, getting to see images of Mars (from orbit or the surface), the Moon, and other Solar System bodies.

The proposal for the Mastcam-Z instrument was written by Dr. Jim Bell, the Principal Investigator on the instrument, and a team of scientists and engineers from various organizations. The proposal was based on their collective experience working on previous rover camera systems: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mastcam and the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Pancam.

Does the camera have a battery? What is the power source that they use? What if it breaks, how will you fix it? Will the camera die? - answered by Megan

The Mastcam-Z cameras, as well as the rest of the rover, are powered by nuclear energy. The Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) on the back of the rover converts heat from the radioactive decay of plutonium into energy, which in turn powers the rover. The heat from the decaying plutonium heats the instruments as well, so when the temperature drops on Mars (for example, with day versus night or a change of a season), Perseverance will remain functioning. As for how long the power will last, the MMRTG has a 14-year operational lifetime, which supplies more than enough power for the mission expected to last three Earth years (though it could outlive this expectation). Unfortunately, if the cameras themselves break, as well as with anything else on the rover, there is currently no way to fix them manually.

How does the camera see through all the debris and dust on mars? - answered by Megan

Camera’s closer to the ground of Mars may use a lens cap in between taking photos, whereas the one’s on the mast (the head-like part of Perseverance on the top of the rover), such as the Mastcam-Z cameras, are far enough from the ground where it is not as necessary. If there is a chance that dust could kick up from the ground during a science experiment with the arm (for example with drilling and scooping), then the mast will point away from it. Just like if you were kicking up dirt or in a dust storm, you would point your head the other way to avoid getting something in your eyes. 

Data getting sent back to Earth -answered by Megan

Data from the three antennas on the rover gets sent back to Earth to be received by the Deep Space Network (DSN). The DSN is an international network of antennas (in the desert in California, US; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia) placed in locations 120 degrees apart from each other on the Earth. This is so scientists can receive data from places beyond Earth consistently, like data (and pictures) from NASA’s Perseverance Rover. As for how long it takes, the data itself may take 5 to 20 minutes to reach Earth, but things such as pictures may take longer to piece together and process. For more on the DSN: https://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html

What made you get into NASA and science? - answered by Megan

I became interested in science when I wanted to learn more about the world around me. I remember I was amazed to discover just how much there is outside of our planet and how unfathomable the universe's size is. On the other hand, there is so much to discover here on Earth as well, which is what I love about science, for there are still countless exciting things to learn about and question.

How much does it cost to send a rover to Mars? - answered by Megan

To build and launch the Perseverance rover, it cost approximately $2.4 billion, with another about $300 million for landing and operating the rover on the Martian surface. A lot goes into building and launching a rover suitable for another planet!

What made you become a NASA scientist? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

I am not a scientist, I work at the intersection of Geology and Computer Science. My work is developing the ground data systems used to support instruments, like Mastcam-Z. I design processes, write software and documentation, and hire and train staff to operate those instruments and perform data processing on the returned observations (in our case, pictures). Best job ever, getting to see images of Mars (from orbit or the surface), the Moon, and other Solar System bodies.

What is your inspiration to keep going every day? - answered by Megan

I am no NASA scientist, but I do study Astrobiology (the study of life here on Earth and possibilities for finding it elsewhere) and would love to research more about our planet and others in the future. It is exciting to study something that is still relatively new and unexplored, which makes me look forward to all of the interesting things I have yet to learn. Also questions like these and seeing others with a similar passion and interest in science keeps me inspired as well!

What are some tips for young scientists who wish to work at NASA? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

Find the subjects that you are passionate about. Most of the highly successful people that I know working for NASA are very passionate about the field of study (scientist, engineers, business or other field). That passion leads to not accepting failure or defeat, and rising up to difficult challenges. Just the kind of people you want working on spacecraft going out to explore the Solar System.

How long did it take to build Perseverance, and did you run into any major problems in the building process? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

From the time when the instrument payload was announced (July 31,2014) to when the rover was shipped off to Cape Canaveral, FL (February 2020), that was a span of five and half years. Early mission design work goes back to 2013, before the Announcement of Opportunity, soliciting scientists for instrument proposals to put on the planned rover.

The Mastcam-Z didn’t run into any major problems, but we did encounter several smaller problems during the development and assembly of the camera system. Some components had failures that caused delays, since we had to analyze the failures and decide on a corrective action. These issues were often related to problems with fabrication quality control, or materials quality control.

Has there been any evidence that shows that there might be life on Mars, or that life once existed on Mars? - answered by Megan

An amazing question! Astrobiology is one of the main reasons behind Perseverance’s mission, to search for the possibility of life being or having been on Mars. Two important instruments on Perseverance that will be used to look for life are SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) and WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering), which will work together to map the presence of certain materials and organic molecules on the surfaces of rocks. Additionally, the rover landed in Jezero Crater, a geologically rich area with features to suggest it may have been formed by water in the past. And with water there could be life!

How much does Perseverance weigh, and was this the maximum amount that could be placed on the rocket that sent Perseverance into space? - answered by Megan

The rover weighs 2,260 pounds (1,025 kilograms), slightly less than a compact car. This is due to the large size of the rover (about 10 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall (about 3 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and 2.2 meters tall)) as well as all of the necessary instrumentation attached to it. As for your point about the maximum amount of weight that can be placed on the rocket, that is a great question! The rocket that the rover was launched on was the Atlas V, which can accommodate for a variety of missions, it just depends on the configuration. And of course, there are other rockets used in different missions.

How will the soil samples get back to Earth, and what specifically are you looking for in these samples? - answered by Megan

In a process referred to as “sample caching,” the rover will collect samples with its drill from Martian rocks and soil to then store the sample cores in tubes on the surface of Mars. Those drop-off points are then mapped, to make them easier to find and go back to later on. Eventually, there is the future possibility of that sample being picked up by a future mission to the red planet. From these collected samples, which would be the first collection from another planet, scientists would be able to learn more about Mars and the possibilities of life on it. For more information on sample collection: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/a-martian-roundtrip-nasas-perseverance-rover-sample-tubes

How did you prep the cameras for the space flight and for touching down on Mars? - answered by Megan

As with anything that goes into space, we have to test it first here on Earth. At Arizona State University, devices such as the Mastcam-Z cameras are built within clean labs on campus and then tested under environments similar to what they would experience in space and, in this case, on Mars.

If a camera were to fail, are there any ways for fixing it from Earth? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

Possible failure is one of the reasons for installing two, nearly identical cameras as part of Mastcam-Z. There is no possible way to correct mechanical or physical problems with cameras. Issues that are software based can be updated by patching the software onboard the camera digital electronics assembly (DEA).

Will Perseverance come back to Earth? - answered by Megan

Unfortunately no, Perseverance will remain on Mars. Although, the samples that the rover collects along its journey will eventually be sent back to Earth with future missions.

How many prototypes did you go through in the creation of Perseverance? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

As part of the development process, the Mastcam-Z team delivered both an engineering qualification model (EQM) and as well as a testbed unit (TBU), in addition to the two flight cameras. The design of Mastcam-Z was based on the very successful Mastcam camera system onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (better known as the Curiosity rover), with the addition of zoom capabilities.

Besides the cameras not turning on, what was your biggest fear for this mission? - answered by Ernest from Mastcam-Z Team

The other biggest fear is the rover not turning on after the transition from cruise software to surface software! Luckily we are now past that point in the mission, and the rover (and all its instruments) are working flawlessly.

On images and data getting sent back to Earth - answered by Megan

Data from the three antennas on the rover gets sent back to Earth to be received by the Deep Space Network (DSN). The DSN is an international network of antennas (in the desert in California, US; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia) placed in locations 120 degrees apart from each other on the Earth. This is so scientists can receive data from places beyond Earth consistently, like data (and pictures) from NASA’s Perseverance Rover. The data itself may take 5 to 20 minutes to reach Earth, but things such as pictures may take longer to piece together and process on Earth.

In your opinion, how close are we to putting a person or persons on Mars? - answered by Megan

Personally, I feel we are getting closer to putting a person on Mars, but closer yet even to sending someone to the Moon. In fact, the first crewed mission since the Apollo Missions (which ended in 1972) is scheduled to launch in 2024! This will be one of the first of many planned Artemis missions. One of the goals of Artemis is to establish sustainable exploration by the end of the decade, so we could go further into space to places such as Mars. For more information on the Artemis missions: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/

Hi Zachary,

Most questions are answered below.  answered by the Mastcam-Z Team and Megan McGroarty and by me:-)

1. How long did it take to build Perseverance, and did you run into any major problems in the building process?

From the ASU Mastcam-Z Team:

From selection as part of the Mars 2020 mission (July 31,2014) to design, fabrication, assembly, delivery and mounting on the rover, took about five years. If you add in the time to write the instrument proposal, that would be about six years.

The Mastcam-Z didn’t run into any major problems, but we did encounter several small problems during the development and assembly of the camera system. Some components had failures that caused delays, since we had to analyze the failures and decide on a corrective action. These issues were often related to problems with fabrication quality control, or materials quality control.

2. Has there been any evidence that shows that there might be life on Mars, or that life once existed on Mars?

Meg Hufford's response:

Earth and Mars are the most similar of the eight planets in our Solar System. There are also extreme differences.

"Follow the water" is a strategy NASA uses when looking for signs of life on Mars. Early missions mapped the surface from orbit and viewed images showing evidence of ancient water flows. [Mars Global Surveyor (1997-2007), Mars Odyssey (2001- present), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005-present)] More recent missions with rovers used improved technology and tools; including cameras, on the surface to seek water through  analysis of soil samples.[(Mars Exploration Rovers (2003-2019), Curiosity (2012-present), Perseverance (2020 - NOW!) 

3. How much does Perseverance weigh, and was this the maximum amount that could be placed on the rocket that sent Perseverance into space?

Meg Hufford's response:

The Perseverance rover weighs 2,260 pounds (1,025 kilograms), less than a compact car. Perseverance launched on an Atlas V-541 rocket from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The Atlas V is one of the largest rockets available for interplanetary flight and Ican handle more weight

4. How will the soil samples get back to Earth, and what specifically are you looking for in these samples?

Megan’s response:

In a process referred to as “sample caching,” the rover will collect samples with its drill from Martian rocks and soil to then store the sample cores in tubes on the surface of Mars. Those drop-off points are then mapped, to make them easier to find and go back to later on. Eventually, there is the future possibility of that sample being picked up by a future mission to the red planet. From these collected samples, which would be the first to be collected from another planet, scientists would be able to learn more about Mars and the possibilities of life on it. For more information on sample collection:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/a-martian-roundtrip-nasas-perseverance-rover-sample-tubes 

5. How did you prep the cameras for the space flight and for touching down on Mars?

Meg Hufford's response:

Past experience and: testing, testing, testing! Cameras must survive the intense shock of launch from Earth and entry, descent and landing on Mars. NASA uses thermal vacuum chambers on Earth to duplicate conditions and properties that all instruments will encounter including intense vibration and extreme temperature flux. Getting better with each mission!

6. If a camera were to fail, are there any ways for fixing it from Earth?

From Mastcam-Z Team:

Possible failure is one of the reasons for installing two, nearly identical cameras as part of Mastcam-Z. There is no possible way to correct mechanical or physical problems with cameras. Issues that are software based can be updated by patching the software onboard the camera digital electronics assembly (DEA).

7. Will Perseverance come back to Earth?

No. Perseverance is not equipped for safe return to Earth. Don't be sad. Part of the Mars 2020 mission is to collect soil samples for future robotic “visitors” to collect the sealed sample tubes and return them to Earth for more intense analysis in labs with instruments that cannot go to Mars. Perseverance will help future missions continue to explore!

9. How many prototypes did you go through in the creation of Perseverance?

From Mastcam-Z Team:

As part of the development process, the Mastcam-Z team delivered both an engineering qualification model (EQM) and as well as a testbed unit (TBU), in addition to the two flight cameras. The design of Mastcam-Z was based on the very successful Mastcam camera system onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (better known as the Curiosity rover), with the addition of zoom capabilities.

10. Was there anything that did not make it onto Perseverance that you would have liked to have seen?  If so, what was it?

Meg Hufford's response:

Thank you for such a great question! The making of a NASA mission is a complex process. Perseverance has been equipped to do the tasks of this mission, which is one of several science objectives including sample caching and sample return to Earth.

11. In terms of cost, what percentage of the total budget was spent on the cameras?

From Megan McGroarty:

To build and launch the Perseverance rover, it cost approximately $2.4 billion, with another about $300 million for landing and operating the rover on the Martian surface. A lot goes into building and launching a rover suitable for another planet!

12. Besides the cameras not turning on, what was your biggest fear for this mission?

From Mastcam-Z Team:

The other biggest fear is the rover not turning on after the transition from cruise software to surface software! Luckily we are now past that point in the mission, and the rover (and all its instruments) are working flawlessly.

13. From the time the cameras snap a picture, how long does it take for the image to reach Earth?

Data received from the Perseverance rover takes eight  Mastcam-Z camera as individual images take 3-5 minutes to process into jpg format and are posted on the web in almost real-time. It takes much longer to process panoramic images.

14. Can you explain how the images get from Mars to Earth?

Megan’s Response:

Data from the three antennas on the rover gets sent back to Earth to be received by the Deep Space Network (DSN). The DSN is an international network of antennas (in the desert in California, US; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia) placed in locations 120 degrees apart from each other on the Earth. This is so scientists can receive data from places beyond Earth consistently, like data (and pictures) from NASA’s Perseverance Rover. As for how long it takes, the data itself may take 5 to 20 minutes to reach Earth, but things such as pictures may take longer to piece together and process. https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/communications/ 

https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/communications/

15. In your opinion, how close are we to putting a person or persons on Mars?

Megan’s response:

Personally, I feel we are getting closer to putting a person on Mars, but closer yet even to sending someone to the Moon. In fact, the first crewed mission since the Apollo Missions (which ended in 1972) is scheduled to launch in 2024! This will be one of the first of many planned Artemis missions. One of the goals of Artemis is to establish sustainable exploration by the end of the decade, so we could go further into space to places such as Mars. For more information on the Artemis missions: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/