Available online
Description
What is the Trace gas orbiter?: There are separate mission phases: Journey to Mars; Mars orbit insertion; Aerobraking; Science phase and when it starts. What Instruments are on board?: NOMAD: A sui...t of three spectrometers; two infra-red channels and one ultraviolet and visible channel. NOMAD will investigate the atmospheric composition of Mars. It will measure trace gases, such as methane and ozone, investigate the distribution and variability of water ice and dust, and provide pressure and temperature profiles. FREND: A collimated neutron detector built by Russia. ACS: Comprises three infra-red spectrometers in three different infra-red domains; near-IR, mid-IR, and IR. CaSSIS: Stereo camera system The science: NOMAD will measurement the distribution and abundance of methane. It will look for sources and sinks to discover the source of current methane detections. NOMAD-UVIS will measure the spatial, vertical, and temporal distributions of ozone, dust and water-ice. FREND will look beneath the surface to measure the extent of sub-surface ice. CaSSIS: Will look for past and present geological process on the surface and produce 3d-maps of the surface topography. The implications of TGO results, Life? Methane detection alone by NOMAD is not enough to answer the question whether it is being produce by life or geological processes. All the instrument on TGO working together in concert, however, can narrow down on an answer to this question. TGO science coming soon in November 2016: In November TGO will start its 3rd commissioning operations. This phase will last 8 days and is critical as it will be our only opportunity to measure our instrument alignment. UVIS will perform a unique measurements of Phobos (one of Mars’ moons); only possible in the high elliptical orbit. TGO will perform some close approaches to Mars during this time. At these points NOMAD will perform its first measurements of the Martian surface. In January, TGO will undergo a manoeuvre to change its orbit inclination. The obit change will provide the opportunity to measurement the north and south polar regions of Mars; not possible during our final science orbit.
What is the Trace gas orbiter?: There are separate mission phases: Journey to Mars; Mars orbit insertion; Aerobraking; Science phase and when it starts. What Instruments are on board?: NOMAD: A sui...t of three spectrometers; two infra-red channels and one ultraviolet and visible channel. NOMAD will investigate the atmospheric composition of Mars. It will measure trace gases, such as methane and ozone, investigate the distribution and variability of water ice and dust, and provide pressure and temperature profiles. FREND: A collimated neutron detector built by Russia. ACS: Comprises three infra-red spectrometers in three different infra-red domains; near-IR, mid-IR, and IR. CaSSIS: Stereo camera system The science: NOMAD will measurement the distribution and abundance of methane. It will look for sources and sinks to discover the source of current methane detections. NOMAD-UVIS will measure the spatial, vertical, and temporal distributions of ozone, dust and water-ice. FREND will look beneath the surface to measure the extent of sub-surface ice. CaSSIS: Will look for past and present geological process on the surface and produce 3d-maps of the surface topography. The implications of TGO results, Life? Methane detection alone by NOMAD is not enough to answer the question whether it is being produce by life or geological processes. All the instrument on TGO working together in concert, however, can narrow down on an answer to this question. TGO science coming soon in November 2016: In November TGO will start its 3rd commissioning operations. This phase will last 8 days and is critical as it will be our only opportunity to measure our instrument alignment. UVIS will perform a unique measurements of Phobos (one of Mars’ moons); only possible in the high elliptical orbit. TGO will perform some close approaches to Mars during this time. At these points NOMAD will perform its first measurements of the Martian surface. In January, TGO will undergo a manoeuvre to change its orbit inclination. The obit change will provide the opportunity to measurement the north and south polar regions of Mars; not possible during our final science orbit.
| Series: | ExoMars Mission special |
|---|---|
| Episode | 2 |
| Recording date: | 21-10-2016 |
| Published: | 2016 |
| Rights Statement: | Rights owned or controlled by The Open University |
| Restrictions on use: | This material can be used in accordance with The Open University conditions of use. A link to the conditions can be found at the bottom of all Digital Archive web pages. |
| Duration: | 00:20:01 |
| + Show more... | |
| Presenter: | Karen Foley |
| Contributor: | Jon Mason |
| Publisher: | The Open University |
| Link to related site: | Internal url: http://studenthublive.open.ac.uk/abstract/trace-gas-orbitor-jon-mason?event=ExoMars%20Mission%20special |
| Production number: | SHL00093 |
| Available to public: | yes |
