The miniature instrument with a triple measurement system, works as a robotic field geologist on remote planetary surfaces such as Mars or the Moon. This Mineral Identification and Composition Analyzer (MICA), employs XRF, XRD, and visual imaging for in-situ nondestructive determination of mineralogy and elemental composition of rock or regolith samples. Its key feature is characterizing geological materials without destroying, damaging, or removing the sample from its in-situ location. MICA addresses two key issues: 1) Mars geology/astrobiology relating to physical and chemical evidence of water and its processes and 2) lunar in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). A 1.5 kg MICA prototype was developed and built under NASA MIDP (Mars Instrument Development Project) and demonstrated with calibration samples and natural rocks on the NASA Ames K-9 test rover robotic arm. MICA serves as a reconnaissance sensor, providing rapid, 10–30 minute analyses for making decisions about further analysis, sample collection, or sample return from a planetary surface.


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    Title :

    In-Situ Geologic Analyzer for Lunar and Martian Surfaces


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    11th Biennial ASCE Aerospace Division International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments ; 2008 ; Long Beach, California, United States


    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2008-09-04




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





    Requirements for extravehicular activities on the lunar and Martian surfaces

    Brown, Mariann F. / Schentrup, Susan M. | NTRS | 1990


    Lunar and Martian hardware commonality

    Davis, Hubert P. / Johnson, Robert E. / Phillips, Paul G. et al. | NTRS | 1986


    Requirements for Extravehicular Activities on the Lunar and Martian Surfaces

    Brown, Mariann F. / Schentrup, Susan M. | SAE Technical Papers | 1990