The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover landed safely on MarsAugust 5th, 2012 at 10:32 PDT, Earth Received Time. Immediately followingtouchdown confirmation, best estimates of position were calculated to assist indetermining official MSL locations during entry, descent and landing (EDL).Additionally, estimated balance mass impact locations were provided and usedto assess how predicted locations compared to actual locations. For MSL, theProgram to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) was the primary trajectorysimulation tool used to predict and assess EDL performance fromcruise stage separation through rover touchdown and descent stage impact.This POST2 simulation was used during MSL operations for EDL trajectoryanalyses in support of maneuver decisions and imaging MSL during EDL. Thispaper presents the simulation methodology used and results of pre/post-landingMSL location estimates and associated imagery from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's(MRO) High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera.To generate these estimates, the MSL POST2 simulation nominal and MonteCarlo data, flight telemetry from onboard navigation, relay orbiter positionsfrom MRO and Mars Odyssey and HiRISE generated digital elevation models(DEM) were utilized. A comparison of predicted rover and balance mass locationestimations against actual locations are also presented.
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