Infrared Fourier transform spectrometer

The instrument considered in this activity will be placed on the rover’s mast and will share the pointing mechanism with the Panoramic Camera System. The objective of the Infrared (IR) spectrometer will be to determine from afar the mineralogy of the various rocks and features in the environment around the rover. In particular, this instrument will prove very useful to identify water-related minerals (i.e. those having formed in water-rich conditions) carbonates, and sulphates. This in turn will be very important to select scientific targets for more detailed investigations with other Pasteur instruments.

The primary objective is to develop and build an advanced laboratory breadboard, able to verify the instrument’s end-to-end functionality. This prototype is intended to become the basis for realising the instrument’s flight version.

The goals of the project will be:

• Definition of final user requirements
• Design and construction of a fully-operational, integrated laboratory breadboard with commercial components
• Laboratory testing with reference and natural samples
• Recommendations to further reduce the overall size, weight and power consumption of flight instrument (target mass < 1 kg)
• Recommendations to improve robustness, radiation hardness, reliability and ease of assembly