ExoMars: Recent Developments of the Sample Preparation and Handling System and the Accommodations and Operations Concept of the Humboldt Payload

摘要

ExoMars will be the first mission in the ESA Aurora Program, and is to be launched to Mars in 2013. The scientific payload will be distributed between a mobile instrument assembly (Pasteur Payload, PPL) accommodated at the Rover and a stationary instrument assembly (Humboldt Payload, HPL) accommodated at the stationary Lander platform.The HPL has been proposed with a core payload consisting of a seismometer, a meteorological package, an atmospheric probe, a heat flow and physical properties package, and a magnetometer. Additional scientific payload elements have been added after an ESA coordinated Payload Confirmation Review. In the current planning, the Humboldt Payload consists of 11 scientific instruments.Operations of HPL are proposed to be performed decentralised from a dedicated Humboldt Operations Centre with major involvement of DLR-MUSC in Cologne.On the Rover, a Sample Preparation and Distribution System (SPDS) will distribute Martian samples to six instruments of the Pasteur Payload, currently comprising 12 scientific instruments in total.The ExoMars Project is presently in Phase B2/Advanced C/D. Kayser-Threde's task at present comprises1. the design and breadboarding of the Sample Preparation and Distribution System (SPDS)2. support activities for the PASTEUR Analytic Instruments accommodation to Thales Alenia Space-Italy (TAS-I) as the ExoMars industrial prime.3. the design of the HPL-BED (Basic Experiment Drawer) and evaluation of an efficient accommodation concept of the HPL scientific instrumentation.DLR plans to provide the Humboldt Operations Centre.