In the first step of a two-step process, NASA selected
\nfour proposals for detailed study as candidates for the 2007
\n“Scout” mission in the agency’s Mars Exploration Program.
\n
\nNASA’s Mars 2007 Scout selection process is the first fully
\ncompeted opportunity for scientific missions to the Red
\nPlanet. <\/p>\n
\n“This Scout selection will serve as a trailblazer for what we
\nplan to be a continuing line of a small, yet exciting, class
\nof Mars missions,” said Orlando Figueroa, Director for the
\nMars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters, Washington.<\/p>\n
\n“These four outstanding proposals represent innovative ideas
\nfor exploring Mars on a modest budget to answer several
\npriority questions about the Red Planet,” said Dr. Ed Weiler,
\nAssociate Administrator for Space Science at NASA
\nHeadquarters. “I’m very pleased that this competition
\nproduced such a wide range of incredibly exciting ideas and I
\ncongratulate all members of the science teams involved,” he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\nFollowing detailed mission-concept studies, due for
\nsubmission by July 2003, NASA intends to select one of the
\nmission proposals by August 2, 2003, for full development as
\nthe first Mars Scout mission. The mission developed for
\nflight will be launched in 2007.<\/p>\n
\nThe selected proposals were judged to have the highest
\nscience value among 25 proposals submitted to NASA in August
\n2002 in response to the Mars Scout 2002 Announcement of
\nOpportunity. Each will receive up to $500,000 to conduct a
\nsix-month implementation feasibility study focused on cost,
\nmanagement and technical plans, including educational
\noutreach and small business involvement. <\/p>\n
\n“Each of the selected missions pursues some of the greatest
\nunknowns about potential biological activity on Mars,
\nincluding such issues as the presence of organic molecules or
\ntheir byproducts,” said Dr. Jim Garvin, NASA’s Lead Scientist
\nfor Mars Exploration in Washington.<\/p>\n
\nThe selected mission concepts, and the Principal
\nInvestigators, are:<\/p>\n
\n* SCIM (Sample Collection for Investigation of Mars):
\nProfessor Laurie Leshin, Arizona State University, Tempe.
\nThis innovative mission would sample atmospheric dust and gas
\nusing aerogel and use a “free-return trajectory” to bring the
\nsamples back to Earth. Such samples could provide
\nbreakthrough understanding of the chemistry of Mars, its
\nsurface, atmosphere, interior evolution and potential
\nbiological activity.<\/p>\n
\n* ARES (Aerial Regional-scale Environmental Survey): Dr. Joel
\nLevine, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. ARES
\noffers to provide the first in situ measurements of the near-
\nsurface atmospheric chemistry within the Mars planetary-
\nboundary layer, thereby providing critical clues to the
\nchemical evolution of the planet, climate history, and
\npotential biological activity.<\/p>\n
\n* Phoenix: Dr. Peter Smith, University of Arizona, Tucson.
\nThis mission proposes to conduct a stationary, in situ
\ninvestigation of volatiles (especially water), organic
\nmolecules and modern climate. It aims to “follow the water”
\nand measure indicator molecules at high-latitude sites where
\nMars Odyssey has discovered evidence of large ice
\nconcentrations in the Martian soil. <\/p>\n
\n* MARVEL (Mars Volcanic Emission and Life Scout): Dr. Mark
\nAllen, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. This
\nmission proposes to conduct a global survey of the Martian
\natmosphere’s photochemistry to search for emissions that
\ncould be related to active volcanism or microbial activity,
\nas well as to track the behavior of water in the atmosphere
\nacross a full annual cycle. <\/p>\n
\nThe Mars Scout competition is designed to augment or
\ncomplement, but not duplicate, major missions being planned
\nas part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program or those under
\ndevelopment by foreign space agencies. The selected Scout
\nscience mission must be ready for launch before December 31,
\n2007, within a total mission cost cap of $325 million. <\/p>\n
\nThe Mars Scout Program is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion
\nLaboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for the Office of Space
\nScience, Washington.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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