[meteorite-list] Announcement of Opportunity for ExoMars Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module Science

[Ron Baalke]

http://exploration.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47940

Announcement of Opportunity for ExoMars Entry, Descent and Landing
Demonstrator Module Science

European Space Agency
30 Nov 2010

ESA and NASA have today issued an announcement of opportunity for
scientific investigations on the 2016 ExoMars Entry, Descent and Landing
Demonstrator Module (EDM).

This solicitation requests:

1. Proposals from science teams to conduct scientific analyses on the
data acquired by the EDM's Engineering Sensors during the entry and
descent phases.

2. Proposals for complete science investigations that include an
integrated payload or a sensor to be accommodated as part of the
integrated payload to be included in the EDM.

The Joint Mars Exploration Programme by ESA and NASA comprises two
missions for launch in 2016 and 2018. These missions will pursue
important science objectives, such as investigating the Martian
environment, and demonstrate new technologies paving the way for a
future Mars sample return mission in the 2020's.

The 2016 mission is led by ESA and launched by NASA. ESA will provide
the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the ExoMars EDM.

The ExoMars EDM constitutes a technology platform whose main goal is to
enable Europe to acquire the capability to land on Mars. Although
designed to demonstrate entry, descent and landing technologies, the EDM
also offers limited, but useful, science capabilities.

The ExoMars Orbiter will carry and release the ExoMars EDM to perform a
controlled landing on the surface of Mars. The EDM accommodates a series
of sensors that will monitor the behaviour of all key technologies
during the mission. These technologies include a special material for
thermal protection, a parachute system, a radar Doppler altimeter
system, and a braking system controlled by liquid propulsion. The data
will be sent back to Earth for post-flight reconstruction in support of
future European missions to Mars. The EDM will also deliver a small
science package that will operate on the surface of Mars for a short
duration after landing.

ESA and NASA will conduct a joint evaluation of the proposals received
in response to this announcement.

All related documentation and submission forms can be accessed via this
page.

Schedule

Due date for Notices of Interest 	15 January 2011
Due date for Proposals 	1 March 2011

Documentation

1.  Announcement of Opportunity
Main document for this AO

2. EDM Surface Payload Experiment - Proposal Information Package (E-PIP)
Technical, managerial and programmatic data relevant to the AO for the
Surface Payload on the ExoMars EDM

3.  EDM Science Proposal Template
The proposal template is an aid to preparing proposals in response to
this AO

4.  EDM Science Notice of Interest Template
The Notice of Interest Template is an aid to preparing NOIs in response
to this AO

All the documentation can be downloaded from the right-hand menu. In
addition, a number of technical reference documents are provided as
support documentation. These are itemised in the 'List of support
documentation' and can be downloaded as 3 zip files (see links in
right-hand menu).

Proposal submission

Proposals must be submitted electronically.
Click here to access the Notice of Interest submission form
http://exploration.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47941
Click here to access the Proposal submission form
http://exploration.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=47942


Points of Contact

ESA point of contact:
Dr. Jorge L. Vago
ExoMars Project Scientist
ESA/ESTEC (SRE-SM)
Noordwijk
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 71 565 5211
Email: jorge.vago at esa.int 	

NASA point of contact:
Dr. Philippe Crane
Planetary Science Division
Science Mission Directorate
NASA Headquarters
Washington, DC 20546-0001
Tel: +1 202-358-0716
Email: philippe.crane at nasa.gov