Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports Volume 39 April 6, 2001

20010023093 Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA USA
Mechanical Abrasion as a Low Cost Technique for Contamination-Free Sample Acquisition from a Category IVA Clean
Platform
Dolgin, B., Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech., USA; Yarbrough, C., Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech., USA;
Carson, J., Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech., USA; Troy, R., Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech., USA; Concepts
and Approaches for Mars Exploration; July 2000, Part 1, pp. 95; In English; See also 20010023036; No Copyright; Avail:
CASI; A01, Hardcopy; A03, Microfiche
The proposed Mars Sample Transfer Chain Architecture provides Planetary Protection Officers with clean samples that are
required for the eventual release from confinement of the returned Martian samples. At the same time, absolute cleanliness and
sterility requirement is not placed of any part of the Lander (including the deep drill), Mars Assent Vehicle (MAV), any part of
the Orbiting Sample container (OS), Rover mobility platform, any part of the Minicorer, Robotic arm (including instrument sensors),
and most of the caching equipment on the Rover. The removal of the strict requirements in excess of the Category IVa cleanliness
(Pathfinder clean) is expected to lead to significant cost savings. The proposed architecture assumes that crosscontamination
renders all surfaces in the vicinity of the rover(s) and the lander(s) contaminated. Thus, no accessible surface of Martian rocks
and soil is Earth contamination free. As a result of the latter, only subsurface samples (either rock or soil) can be and will be collected
for eventual return to Earth. Uncontaminated samples can be collected from a Category IVa clean platform. Both subsurface
soil and rock samples can be maintained clean if they are collected by devices that are self-contained and clean and sterile inside
only. The top layer of the sample is removed in a manner that does not contaminate the collection tools. Biobarrier (e.g., aluminum
foil) covering the moving parts of these devices may be used as the only self removing bio-blanket that is required. The samples
never leave the collection tools. The lids are placed on these tools inside the collection device. These single use tools with the lid
and the sample inside are brought to Earth in the OS. The lids have to be designed impenetrable to the Earth organisms. The latter
is a well established art.
Derived from text
Mars Surface Samples; Cleanliness; Contamination; Soil Sampling
20010023094 NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX USA
Martian Chronology: Goals for Investigations from a Recent Multidisciplinary Workshop
Nyquist, L., NASA Johnson Space Center, USA; Doran, P. T., Illinois Univ., USA; Cerling, T. E., Utah Univ., USA; Clifford, S.
M., Lunar and Planetary Inst., USA; Forman, S. L., Illinois Univ., USA; Papanastassiou, D. A., Jet Propulsion Lab., California
Inst. of Tech., USA; Stewart, B. W., Pittsburgh Univ., USA; Sturchio, N. C., Illinois Univ., USA; Swindle, T. D., Arizona Univ.,
USA; Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration; July 2000, Part 1, pp. 96-97; In English; See also 20010023036; No Copyright;
Avail: CASI; A01, Hardcopy; A03, Microfiche
The absolute chronology of Martian rocks and events is based mainly on crater statistics and remains highly uncertain. Martian
chronology will be critical to building a time scale comparable to Earth’s to address questions about the early evolution of
the planets and their ecosystems. In order to address issues and strategies specific to Martian chronology, a workshop was held,
4-7 June 2000, with invited participants from the planetary, geochronology, geochemistry, and astrobiology communities. The
workshop focused on identifying: a) key scientific questions of Martian chronology; b) chronological techniques applicable to
Mars; c) unique processes on Mars that could be exploited to obtain rates, fluxes, ages; and d) sampling issues for these techniques.
This is an overview of the workshop findings and recommendations.
Derived from text
Mars (Planet); Chronology; Planetary Geology; Planetary Evolution
20010023096 Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO USA
Extraction of Water from the Martian Regolith
Duke, M. B., Colorado School of Mines, USA; Baldwin, R. M., Colorado School of Mines, USA; King, R. H., Colorado School
of Mines, USA; Knecht, R. D., Colorado School of Mines, USA; Muff, T., Colorado School of Mines, USA; Holland, B., Colorado
School of Mines, USA; Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration; July 2000, Part 1, pp. 99-100; In English; See also
20010023036; No Copyright; Avail: CASI; A01, Hardcopy; A03, Microfiche
Access to usable water on Mars is important for human missions. Water would be used for life support and as a source of rocket
propellant. Among the potential sources of water that have been discussed are extraction from the atmosphere, permafrost, and
subsurface liquid water. The most ubiquitous and widespread source of water is likely to be bound water in the regolith, which
would have to be obtained by heating the regolith to 500 C. Whereas this may seem complicated and energy-intensive, we are
studying small (-20kg each) robotic systems for regolith excavation and thermal extraction capable of producing an amount of
water per year approximately 30 times the combined mass of equipment required, including the power supply for the extraction
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