Selection of the Mars Science Laboratory Landing Site
- Golombek, M.
- Grant, J.
- Kipp, D.
- Vasavada, A.
- Kirk, R.
- Fergason, R.
- Bellutta, P.
- Calef, F.
- Larsen, K.
- Katayama, Y.
- Huertas, A.
- Beyer, R.
- Chen, A.
- Parker, T.
- Pollard, B.
- Lee, S.
- Sun, Y.
- Hoover, R.
- Sladek, H.
- Grotzinger, J.
- Welch, R.
- Dobrea, E. Noe
- Michalski, J.
- Watkins, M.
DOIAbstract
The selection of Gale crater as the Mars Science Laboratory landing site took over five years, involved broad participation of the science community via five open workshops, and narrowed an initial >50 sites (25 by 20 km) to four finalists (Eberswalde, Gale, Holden and Mawrth) based on science and safety. Engineering constraints important to the selection included: (1) latitude (±30°) for thermal management of the rover and instruments, (2) elevation (< −1 km) for sufficient atmosphere to slow the spacecraft, (3) relief of <100–130 m at baselines of 1–1000 m for control authority and sufficient fuel during powered descent, (4) slopes of <30° at baselines of 2–5 m for rover stability at touchdown, (5) moderate rock abundance to avoid impacti...
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