Mission Overview
================
Development of the Mars Science Laboratory project began in 2003. On
November 26 2011, the Mars Science Laboratory mission launched a
spacecraft on a trajectory to Mars, and on August 6, 2012 (UTC), it
landed a mobile science vehicle named Curiosity at a landing site in
Gale Crater. During the trip to Mars, instrument health checks were
performed and the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) instrument
collected science data. For the primary mission on the surface of
Mars (ending September 28, 2014), the rover explored the landing site
and gathered imaging, spectroscopy, composition data, and other
measurements for selected Martian soils, rocks, and the atmosphere.
These data will allow the science team to quantitatively assess the
habitability and environmental history. The prime mission's science
objectives were to assess the biological potential of the landing site,
characterize the geology of the landing region, investigate planetary
processes that influence habitability, and characterize the broad
spectrum of surface radiation. The first extended mission retains all
of the prime mission's objectives and will also strive to: identify and
quantitatively assess the subset of habitable environments that are
also capable of preserving organic compounds, and explore and
characterize major environmental transitions recorded in the geology of
the foothills of Mt. Sharp and adjacent plains.

The science instruments, with an acronym or abbreviation and Principal
Investigator (PI) are listed below:

Science Instrument PI
------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) Ralf Gellert
Chemical Camera (ChemCam) Roger Wiens
Chemistry & Mineralogy (CheMin) David Blake
Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) Igor Mitrofanov
Mast Camera (Mastcam) Michael Malin
Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) Kenneth Edgett
Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) Michael Malin
Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) Don Hassler
Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) Javier Gomez-Elvira
Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Paul Mahaffy


Mission Phases
==============
The Mars Science Laboratory Mission is divided in time into six phases:
(1) Development; (2) Launch; (3) Cruise and Approach; (4) Entry,
Descent, and Landing (EDL); (5) Primary Surface Mission; and (6)
Extended Surface Mission.


DEVELOPMENT
-----------
Development of the Mars Science Laboratory mission began in October
2003 with concept and technology development, followed by preliminary
design and technology development completion from March 2006 through
September 2006, final design and fabrication from September 2006
through January 2008, and system assembly, integration, and test from
late January 2008 until launch on November 26, 2011.

Spacecraft Id : MSL
Target Name : MARS
Mission Phase Start Time : 2003-10-01
Mission Phase Stop Time : 2011-11-26
Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER


LAUNCH
------
The launch phase began when the spacecraft switched to internal power
prior to launch and ended when the spacecraft reached a thermally
stable commandable configuration after separation from the launch
vehicle upper stage. MSL was launched on an ATLAS V 541 launch vehicle
on November 26 2011 at 15:02 UTC (10:02 EST) from Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station, Florida.

Spacecraft Id : MSL
Target Name : MARS
Mission Phase Start Time : 2011-11-26
Mission Phase Stop Time : 2011-11-26
Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER


CRUISE AND APPROACH
-------------------
The cruise and approach phase began when the launch phase ended, and
ended 30 minutes prior to entry into the Mars atmosphere. The MSL
spacecraft used a ballistic Type 1 interplanetary transfer during
cruise from Earth to Mars. The major activities during cruise included:
checkout and maintenance of the spacecraft in its flight configuration;
monitoring, characterization, and calibration of the spacecraft and
payload systems; software parameter updates; attitude correction turns;
navigation activities for determining and correcting the vehicle's
flight path; and preparation for EDL and surface operations. Three
Trajectory Correction Maneuvers (TCMs) were conducted during cruise.
The only science investigation during cruise was radiation monitoring
by the RAD instrument.

Approach began 45 days before entry into the Martian atmosphere and
ended 30 minutes before entry. During approach, the focus of
operations was primarily on navigation activities (including a fourth
and final TCM eight days before landing), and preparation for entry,
descent, and landing.

Spacecraft Id : MSL
Target Name : MARS
Mission Phase Start Time : 2011-11-26
Mission Phase Stop Time : 2012-08-06
Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER


ENTRY, DESCENT, AND LANDING
---------------------------
The entry, descent, and landing (EDL) phase began when the Cruise and
Approach Phase was over (30 minutes before atmospheric entry), and
ended when the rover reached a thermally stable, positive energy
balance, commandable configuration on the surface of Mars. During this
phase, a series of events was self-triggered on the spacecraft. Before
entry, the thermal loop was vented and the cruise stage was
jettisoned. The entry vehicle, consisting of the backshell, heat
shield, descent stage, and rover, performed a series of guided
maneuvers. Cruise balance masses separated to adjust the center of
mass of the entry vehicle. At 3522.2 km from the center of Mars, the
vehicle entered the atmosphere. This was followed by peak heating,
peak deceleration, supersonic parachute deploy, and heat shield
separation. At the appropriate time, the descent stage engines
started, the backshell and parachute separated, and the MARs Descent
Imager (MARDI) started recording video. As the descent stage
approached the surface using powered descent, at an altitude of about
18.6 m, the rover was lowered on a descent rate limiter and bridle
umbilical device to 7.5 m below the descent stage, and its wheels were
deployed into the touchdown configuration. The descent stage continued
descending until the rover touched down on the surface of Mars. The
rover landed in Gale Crater at the latitude of 4.5895 degrees South,
and longitude of 137.4417 degrees East, in late southern winter (Solar
Longitude L=150.7), at 15:03 Local Mean Solar Time on Mars (August 6,
2012, 05:18 UTC Spacecraft Event Time). Upon successful touchdown,
the descent rate limiter and bridle umbilical device were cut. The
descent stage flew away and impacted the surface 650 meters away from
the rover.

Spacecraft Id : MSL
Target Name : MARS
Mission Phase Start Time : 2012-08-06
Mission Phase Stop Time : 2012-08-06
Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER


PRIMARY SURFACE MISSION
-----------------------
The surface phase began when the EDL phase ended and will end when the
mission is declared complete. The flight mission was designed to
provide for a surface mission phase duration of at least one Mars year
(687 days, or 669 sols).

Following touchdown, a combination of automated rover sequences and
planned checkouts was executed in order to bring the rover up to a
basic level of functionality and to verify that the rover systems and
payload were all operating as expected. A surface initial checkout
period was defined as starting at successful rover touchdown on Mars
with descent stage separation/fly-away, and concluded with a
transition to normal tactical operations.

Originally, the prime mission was expected to last through Sol 670 but
the project was given an extension of about 3 months, in order to sync
up the beginning of its 1st Extended Mission with the NASA fiscal year.

Spacecraft Id : MSL
Target Name : MARS
Mission Phase Start Time : 2012-08-06
Mission Phase Stop Time : 2014-09-28
Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER


EXTENDED SURFACE MISSION
------------------------
The extended surface phase began on Sol 764.

Spacecraft Id : MSL
Target Name : MARS
Mission Phase Start Time : 2014-09-29
Mission Phase Stop Time : UNK
Spacecraft Operations Type : ROVER

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