Landing dispersion estimates for the Mars Exploration Rover missions were key elements in the site targeting process and in the evaluation of landing risk. This paper addresses the process and results of the landing dispersion analyses performed for both Spirit and Opportunity. The several contributors to landing dispersions (navigation and atmospheric uncertainties, spacecraft modeling, winds, and margins) are discussed, as are the analysis tools used. JPL's MarsLS program, a MATLAB-based landing dispersion visualization and statistical analysis tool, was used to calculate the probability of landing within hazardous areas. By convolving this with the probability of landing within flight system limits (in-spec landing) for each hazard area, a single overall measure of landing risk was calculated for each landing ellipse. In-spec probability contours were also generated, allowing a more synoptic view of site risks, illustrating the sensitivity to changes in landing location, and quantifying the possible consequences of anomalies such as incomplete maneuvers. Data and products required to support these analyses are described, including the landing footprints calculated by NASA Langley's POST program and JPL's AEPL program, cartographically registered base maps and hazard maps, and flight system estimates of in-spec landing probabilities for each hazard terrain type. Various factors encountered during operations, including evolving navigation estimates and changing atmospheric models, are discussed and final landing points are compared with approach estimates.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Mars Exploration Rovers Landing Dispersion Analysis



    Publication date :

    2004-01-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Mars Exploration Rovers landing dispersion analysis

    Desai, Prasun N. / Kass, David M. / Duxbury, Thomas C. et al. | NTRS | 2004


    Mars Exploration Rovers Landing Dispersion Analysis

    Knocke, Philip / Wawrzyniak, Geoffrey / Kennedy, Brian et al. | AIAA | 2004


    Mars Exploration Rovers Landing Dispersion Analysis

    P. C. Knocke / G. G. Wawrzyniak / B. M. Kennedy et al. | NTIS | 2004


    AIAA-2004-5093 Mars Exploration Rovers Landing Dispersion Analysis

    Knocke, P. / Wawrzyniak, G. / Kennedy, B. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004


    Mars exploration rovers entry, descent, and landing trajectory analysis

    Desai, Prasun N. / Knocke, Philip C. | Online Contents | 2007