Mission Review

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Mission Review
Mission Information
Space agency: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
Mission name: The Mars 2020
Target(s): Mars
Proposed launch year: Summer 2020
Mission Summary
The mission by NASA will be launched in summer 2020 targeting the Mars using the rover technique whereby the robot is sent to the planet to conduct the investigation (NASA 1). Essentially, the aim of the mission is to investigate the possibility of life on Mars by collecting important evidence that can prove its ability to support life. The Martian rocks shall be investigated to establish the conduciveness of the environment in favoring the microbial life as proof of the existence of past life on the planet (NASA 1). As such, the robot will gather the samples of rocks and soil for the possibility of transportation to the earth. The rocks and soil shall be carefully studied once they are brought to earth to identify their chemical composition and structure. It is worth noting that the robot will require a new subsystem for the collection and preparation of the rocks and soil samples. Such a subsystem will include incorporation of a coring drill on the robotic arms with sample tubes placed on a rack (NASA 1). In that regard, the robot will deposit the sample tubes at strategic locations on the Mars whereby they can be accessed during a future sample-retrieval mission.
Essentially, science instruments mounted on the robotic arms will be utilized in the identification of signs of the existence of past life on the Mars while determining the appropriate positions for the collection of the samples.

Notably, the science instruments will analyze the mineral, organic, chemical, and physical properties of the rocks and soil in the process of collecting the samples (NASA 1). Additionally, the robotic arms will also have the science instruments for obtaining the high-resolution imaging of the materials encountered. The spectroscopy will aid in the long-distance characterization of the rocks and soil in determining their features for explorations. Significantly, the rover will have the capacities of landing and maneuver the challenging terrains of Mars so that to access the various locations on the Mars (NASA 1). The rovers will be equipped with various sophisticated science instruments that have superior capacities of encountering the experience in the Mars including the climatic differences between the Mars and earth. The details of findings during the mission will be continuously recorded and stored for later reference.
Mission Justification
Fundamentally, the Mars 2020 mission is a worthwhile course. The purpose of the mission is properly elaborated as regarding the investigation of the possibility of life on Mars. The mission will facilitate the understanding of the conditions of Mars and its ability to support the life of microorganisms. Besides, the mission will provide evidence as to whether life ever existed on Mars and if so, the types of organisms that existed there. The analysis of the rocks and the soil will aid in identifying their characteristics that can be supportive of life. The mission also aims at establishing the possibility of poisonous elements in Mars that can affect the future missions. The technical details of the mission are well illustrated including the mounting of the science instruments on the arms of the rovers to facilitate the identification and collection of the samples of rocks and soil. Further, the provision of the science instruments for obtaining the high-resolution imaging of the materials (NASA 1) will aid in identifying the component in a magnified manner. The ability of the rovers to maneuver the uneven terrain is a plus since the rovers will manage to access the challenging areas of the Mars surface. The robot will also be able to collect various samples from diverse locations using the sample tubes while placing them in strategic positions for the future return-mission.
It is worth noting that the mission provides the platform for the establishment of the future return-mission indicating the continuity of the project going into the future. The samples shall be sent to the laboratories for scientific analysis whereby the findings shall be documented to inform the future prospects of activities in the Mars. Notably, this mission covers the issues pertaining to the evolution of life in the universe by investigating the possibility of the Mars having the capacity to support life. The mission will increase the knowledge base regarding the concepts of astrobiology including the possibility of propelling life on Mars. The mission will also inform the scientific community on the details about the Mars including the nature of minerals and organic components that it contains. Therefore, this mission is important in contributing to the concepts of astrobiology and the studies of lifeforms that can be supported by other planets.
Work Cited
NASA. “Mars 2020.” NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) – Space Mission and Science News, Videos, and Images. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020/” www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-2020/

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