Skip to main content

Review of Goals and Plans for NASA's Space and Earth Sciences (2006) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

2 Robotic and Human Exploration oF Mars
Pages 10-15

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 10...
... , the radiation environment, polar processes, atmosphere-surface interactions, and the martian crust and interior science are largely ignored. These science goals, equal in importance to the goal of human exploration, are well articulated in recent reports, especially in the NRC report Assessment of Mars Science and Mission Priorities.9 Overall, it is unclear how these science goals feed into the roadmap's planned mission lines.
Read the entire page →
From page 11...
... MSL missions are expected to cost in excess of $1.5 billion, so the decision for a second MSL mission has significant budgetary impacts on the long-range achievability of the overall Mars exploration plan and how long-range science goals are traded off against a second large mission.14 In addition, it is unclear how the options in the Mars roadmap will be selected, because no decision rules are provided. As presented, NASA's selection of the roadmap's first option would put the Mars Telecommunication Orbiter at risk, threatening future mission communications because current systems are aging.
Read the entire page →
From page 12...
... The NRC solar system decadal survey strongly recommended that Scout missions receive the same commitment as sample return. However, the Mars roadmap's recommended missions put Scout missions at risk, especially if a second MSL is chosen.
Read the entire page →
From page 13...
... The NRC has produced recommendations for MSR infrastructure in previous studies.32,33 Priorities and Decision Rules Although the Mars roadmap lays out a strategy to "define, downselect, and confirm" a human exploration architecture,34 it does not describe a similar process for selecting various mission option paths, the population of those missions with scientific goals and objectives, or architectures for nearerterm objectives such as preparation for and implementation of MSR. The roadmap is also not clear about how the mission sequence depends on new discoveries.
Read the entire page →
From page 14...
... Some of these are addressed in the other roadmaps and in the NRC report The Astrophysical Context of Life.37 Beyond NASA, there is a potential for contributions in this area from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as outlined in the NRC report Life in the Universe.38 These other federal agencies can provide input with regard to assessment of the radiation and biological hazards posed by the martian environment and definition of life-detection methods to be utilized in situ.39,40 REFERENCES 1.
Read the entire page →
From page 15...
... 2002. The Quarantine and Certification of Martian Samples.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • scientific goals
  • mars exploration
  • mars science
  • sample return
  • exploration program

  • mars roadmap
  • mars sample
  • robotic exploration
  • mars telecommunication
  • decadal survey

  • telecommunication orbiter
  • future mars
  • human lunar
  • lunar exploration
  • multiple scientific

  • broad science
  • science laboratory
  • recommended mission
  • mission lines
  • exploration architecture

  • mission priorities
  • nrc solar
  • radiation environment
  • precursor measurements
  • program analysis

  • autonomous drilling
  • crosscutting opportunities
  • human mars
  • mars upper
  • mars reconnaissance


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.