Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the - Solar System ...

FIGURE 1.6 Victoria crater as imaged by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Opportunity rover
traversed the edge of this crater before venturing into it. SOURCE: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of
Arizona.
Medium
The survey identified two medium-class Mars initiatives. They were, in priority order:
1. Mars Science Laboratory—At the time the survey was carried out, this mission was
understood to be a lander capable of carrying out sophisticated surface observations and validating some
of the technologies for a sample-return mission. Since then, the concept has evolved into a large, highly
capable rover mission with a comprehensive payload of remote and in situ instruments. In the process,
the cost of the mission grew substantially, to more than $2 billion. Launch is scheduled for 2011.
2. Mars Long-Lived Lander Network—This globally distributed array of small landers would be
equipped to make comprehensive measurements concerning Mars’s interior, surface, and atmosphere. It
has not yet been implemented.
Small
Two small-class missions were identified. In priority order they were:
1. Mars Scout Program— This line of competitively selected missions is similar in concept to
the Discovery Program. The survey envisaged one such mission every other Mars launch opportunity.
Two Scout missions have been selected: Phoenix was selected in 2003 and launched in 2007; and the
Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission selected in 2008 for launch in 2013.
Subsequently, the program was combined with Discovery.
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