1. Final report of the MSR Science Planning Group 2 (MSPG2)
- Author
-
Meyer, Michael A, Kminek, Gerhard, Beaty, David W, Carrier, Brandi Lee, Haltigin, Timothy, Hays, Lindsay E, Agee, Carl B., Busemann, Henner, Cavalazzi, Barbara, Cockell, Charles S., Debaille, Vinciane, Glavin, Daniel P., Grady, Monica M., Hauber, Ernst, Hutzler, Aurore, Marty, Bernard, McCubbin, Francis M., Pratt, Lisa M, Regberg, Aaron B., Smith, Alvin L, Smith, Caroline L, Summons, Roger E., Swindle, Timothy D, Tait, Kimberly T, Tosca, Nicholas J., Udry, Arya, Usui, Tomohiro, Velbel, Michael A., Wadhwa, Meenakshi, Westall, Frances, Zorzano, Maria-Paz, NASA Headquarters, European Space Agency (ESA), California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Canadian Space Agency (CSA), The University of New Mexico [Albuquerque], Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), University of Bologna, University of Edinburgh, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), The Open University [Milton Keynes] (OU), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES), NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), NASA-NASA, Indiana University [Bloomington], Indiana University System, NASA, The Natural History Museum [London] (NHM), University of Glasgow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Arizona, Royal Ontario Museum, University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), University of Nevada [Las Vegas] (WGU Nevada), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency [Sagamihara] (JAXA), Michigan State University [East Lansing], Michigan State University System, Smithsonian Institution, Arizona State University [Tempe] (ASU), Centre de biophysique moléculaire (CBM), Université d'Orléans (UO)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC), University of Aberdeen, Meyer M. A., Kminek G., Beaty D. W., Carrier B. L., Haltigin T., Hays L. E., Agee C. B., Busemann H., Cavalazzi B., Cockell C. S., Debaille V., Glavin D. P., Grady M. M., Hauber E., Hutzler A., Marty B., McCubbin F. M., Pratt L. M., Regberg A. B., Smith A. L., Smith C. L., Summons R. E., Swindle T. D., Tait K. T., Tosca N. J., Udry A., Usui T., Velbel M. A., Wadhwa M., Westall F., and Zorzano M. -P.
- Subjects
[SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics] ,Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign - Abstract
International audience; The Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign must meet a series of scientific and technical achievements to be successful. While the respective engineering responsibilities to retrieve the samples have been formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding between ESA and NASA, the roles and responsibilities of the scientific elements have yet to be fully defined. In April 2020, ESA and NASA jointly chartered the MSR Science Planning Group 2 (MSPG2) to build upon previous planning efforts in defining 1) an end-to-end MSR Science Program and 2) needed functionalities and design requirements for an MSR Sample Receiving Facility (SRF). The challenges for the first samples brought from another planet include not only maintaining and providing samples in pristine condition for study, but also maintaining biological containment until the samples meet sample safety criteria for distribution outside of biocontainment. The MSPG2 produced six reports outlining 66 findings. Abbreviated versions of the five additional high-level MSPG2 summary findings are: Summary-1. A long-term NASA/ESA MSR Science Program, along with the necessary funding and human resources, will be required to accomplish the end-to-end scientific objectives of MSR. Summary-2. MSR curation will need to be done concurrently with Biosafety Level-4 containment. This would lead to complex first-of-a-kind curation implementations and require further technology development. Summary-3. Most aspects of MSR sample science can, and should, be performed on samples deemed safe in laboratories outside of the SRF. However, other aspects of MSR sample science are both time-sensitive and sterilization-sensitive and would need to be carried out in the SRF. Summary-4. To meet the unique science, curation, and planetary protection needs of MSR, substantial analytical and sample management capabilities would be required in an SRF. Summary-5. Because of the long lead-time for SRF design, construction, and certification, it is important that preparations begin immediately, even if there is delay in the return of samples.
- Published
- 2022