ChemCam passes Final Rover Tests
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Over the last ten weeks ChemCam participated in the final three Curiosity environmental tests and came through with flying colors. These major tests included vibration, thermal, and EMI/EMC, and are required of all spacecraft prior to launch. The first two, affectionately known as "shake 'n bake" test the spacecraft's ability to survive the vibrational environments associated with launch, re-entry, and landing, and test the rover under realistic temperature conditions expected on Mars. In this case "bake" is a misnomer, as Mars is generally a cold planet. The test took the rover all the way down to about -120°C (-185°F), which is the coldest expected on Mars. In between the two tests Curiosity tested its explosive bolts that are fired to deploy the mast, as will be done as soon as the rover lands on Mars.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 1063239
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR--11-02700
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
LANL Researcher Roger Wiens Discusses ChemCam
ChemCam on MSL 2009: first laser induced breakdown spectrometer for space science