MARS MISSION

NASA MARS SAMPLE RETURN

DROP TESTING TO HELP ENSURE SAFE DELIVERY TO EARTH

The Challenge:

• Part of the Mars mission will include returning a variety of rock samples to Earth
• NASA and JPL needed to drop test the prototype return canister that will house the samples
• Ability to withstand landing speeds of 100 mph when it free falls and lands in the desert of Utah
• Data acquisition systems and sensors able to operate in extreme environmental conditions
• Limited space and weight constraints for test instrumentation
• Standalone data acquisition that can meet strict power considerations

The Solution:

• DTS miniature, rugged data acquisition systems and sensors
• Advanced vibration and shock tolerant features
• SWaP-optimized for Size, Weight and Power
• Standalone system, runs on battery
• Collect physical measurements including: acceleration, vibration, strain & temperature
• Ability to record for extended periods of time in remote locations
• Data writes to non-volatile memory for safe retrieval

Video & Images Courtesy of NASA and JPL