KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

MarsX: Mars Subsurface Exploration

February 12-16, 2018
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Final Report

Workshop Overview:

The Martian subsurface contains key information of astrobiological, geochemical, climatological, and ISRU interest that cannot be obtained with surface missions alone—but such data are needed in order to help complete a journey started by the Viking landers 42 years ago and to prepare for human exploration.  Specifically, recent results from the MAVEN mission demonstrated that a significant fraction of the Martian atmosphere was lost. As the atmosphere thinned and interior and surface temperatures cooled, the upper liquid water table retrieved to warmer temperatures at increasing depths below the surface where internal heat created temperatures high enough to enable the conditions for stable liquid groundwater. If life ever existed on Mars, then it should have followed the retrieving liquid water towards greater depths. Hence our chances of finding signs of extinct life are largest in such last deep subsurface habitats that putative organisms inhabited before perishing. If life survived until today, then we might still find evidence at depths of a few hundred meters to many kilometers where liquid water could be stable for today’s low geothermal gradients. Also, before we can begin with human exploration of the red planet, we face the inevitable need for first determining the ISRU potential and hazards for human health within the Martian subsurface.

This workshop is the incubator for determining science questions, key technologies, collaborations, strategies, and mission proposals that will make deep and wide Mars subsurface access a feasible and affordable reality beyond Mars 2020. To achieve this goal, we will bring together a creative interdisciplinary team of experts from geobiology, planetary sciences, robotics, and strategy—from across academia, NASA, ESA, SpaceX, Honeybee Robotics, and Schlumberger to enable the next step in Martian exploration – access to its subsurface.

This workshop is co-sponsored by JPL, Simons Foundation’s Collaboration on the Origins of Life, Honeybee Robotics and the Keck Institute for Space Studies.


Monday, February 12, 2018
Salvatori Seminar Room, South Mudd Building (3rd floor) - Caltech

Short Course:
MarsX ‐ Mars Subsurface Exploration:
Life and Resources in the Martian Subsurface
Introductory Lectures - Open to all interested students, researchers and faculty

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 - 8:30 Coffee and Refreshments
8:30 - 8:40 Why MarsX? Team Leads
8:40 ‐ 9:20 Life in the Subsurface
(67.8 MB .pdf)
Penny Boston (NASA Ames)
9:20 ‐ 10:00 The Search for Life on Mars
(12.6 MB .pdf)
Roh Bhartia (JPL)
10:00 ‐ 10:30 Break
10:30 ‐ 11:10 Subsurface Sounding on Mars and the Search for Water Ice: What Are the Techniques, What Are We Learning?
(33.4 MB .pdf)
Nathaniel Putzig (PSI)
11:10 ‐ 11:50 Drilling: How Do We Access the Subsurface on Mars?
(8.4 MB .pdf)
Kris Zacny (Honeybee Robotics)
11:50 ‐ 12:30 Resources & ISRU from the Martian Subsurface
(3.58 MB .pdf)
Jerry Sanders (NASA JSC)
12:30 ‐ 1:30 Short Course Ends: Informal Lunch is provided outside Salvatori Seminar Room

Invitation-Only Workshop Begins: Overview & Connecting the Dots
Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

1:30 - 1:45 Walk to Keck Center, pick up badge and welcome packet, find seat in the Think Tank
1:45 - 2:30 Workshop Logistics and Introduction to KISS Michele Judd / Tom Prince
2:30 - 3:00 1 min Participant Introductions Michele Judd
3:00 - 3:30 Study Vision and Goals for this Workshop Team Leads
3:30 - 4:00 Break
4:00 - 5:15 Finalize Study Vision and Workshop Goals via Plenary Discussion All
5:15 - 5:30 Orientation Next Day Team Leads
5:30 ‐ 7:30 Poster Session, Reception, and Informal Food Truck Dinner at the Keck Center (Dinner Starts at 6:30 pm)

Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155
Science Rationale: Why Do We Need to Explore the Martian Subsurface, What Do We
Want to Measure & Where (for Life, Resources, and Planet Evolution)?

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 ‐ 8:30 Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center
8:30 ‐ 8:40 Logistics Michele Judd
Team Leads
8:40 ‐ 10:00

Lightning Talks:

  • Mars Overview - Paul Wooster, SpaceX  
    (no pdf available)
  • MarsX Analogs - Alfonso Davila, NASA Ames
    (55 MB .pdf)
  • Lessons from Earth - Victoria Orphan, Caltech
    (12 MB .pdf)
  • Resource Exploration - Dave Beaty, JPL
    (300 KB .pdf)
Speakers:
Paul Wooster,
Alfonso Davila,
Victoria Orphan,
Dave Beaty
10:00 - 10:30 Plenary Discussion
Formation of 3 Breakout Groups ( (i) Life, (ii) Resources, (iii) Planet Evolution)
All
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 ‐ 12:00 Breakout Groups I (What Can We Learn From the Subsurface? ) In Breakout Groups
12:00 ‐ 1:30 Group Picture and Lunch at the Athenaeum
1:30 ‐ 2:15 Breakout Groups II (What Do We Want to Measure? ) In Breakout Groups
2:15 ‐ 3:00 Breakout Groups III (What Subsurface Sites Do We Want to Explore? ) In Breakout Groups
3:15 - 3:30 Selection of Breakout Groups and Topics All
3:00 ‐ 3:30 Break
3:30 ‐ 4:10 Breakout Reports from All Three Groups (Each Group 10 min) Groups
4:10 ‐ 5:30 Plenary: What Are the Shared Scientific Aspirations for Life, Resources, and Planet Evolution Related to Subsurface Exploration? All
5:30 ‐ 5:45 Plan for Next Day Team Leads
6:00 OPTIONAL: No‐Host Dinner Organized by Team Leads in Pasadena (Location TBD)

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

How Do We Do This: Drill, Sound, In Situ Analysis Instrumentation,
other Exploration Tools?

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 ‐ 8:30 Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center
8:30 ‐ 8:40 Summary of Previous Day’s Shared Scientific Aspirations Team Leads
8:40 ‐ 10:00

Lightning Talks:

  • Schlumberger Mars Drilling Discussion - Iain Cooper, Schlumberger
    (101 MB .pdf)
  • Europa Technology / Drilling - Tom Cwik, JPL and Kris Zacny, Honeybee Robotics
  • Sounding Technology on Mars  - Jeff Plaut, JPL
    (7.3 MB .pdf)
  • Instruments for In Situ Analysis: Examples and Prospects - Will Brinckerhoff, NASA Goddard
    (1.6 MB .pdf)
  • Planetary Protection/Contamination Control - Penny Boston – NASA Astrobiology Institute
    (pdf to come)
Speakers:
Iain Cooper,
Tom Cwik and Kris Zacny,
Jeff Plaut,
Will Brinckerhoff,
Penny Boston
10:00 ‐ 10:30 Plenary Discussion
Formation of 4 Breakout Groups (Architecture, Engineering
Constraints & Feasibility of (i) Drilling, (ii) Sounding, (iii) In Situ Analysis Instruments, and (iv) Other Exploration Tools)
All
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 ‐ 12:00 Breakout Groups Meet I In Breakout Groups
12:00 ‐ 1:30 Lunch on Your Own
1:30 ‐ 2:10 Reports From All 4 Breakout Groups (Each Group 10 min) Groups
2:10 ‐ 3:00 Plenary Discussion and Formation of Focused Breakout Groups All
3:00 ‐ 3:30 Break
3:30 ‐ 4:20 Focused Breakout Groups Meet II In Breakout Groups
4:20 ‐ 5:00 Reports From Focused Breakout Groups Groups
5:00 ‐ 6:00 Plenary: Engineering—Constraints, Feasibility, & Needed Innovations All
6:00 Dinner at the Athenaeum

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Real Missions

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 ‐ 8:30 Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center
8:30 ‐ 8:40 Plan for the Day Team Leads
8:40 ‐ 10:00

Lightning Talks:

  • Zombie Stuff - Hayley Sapers, Caltech/JPL – (no pdf available)
  • Mars Deep Drill/Asgard - Brian Wilcox, JPL
    (2.2 MB .pdf)
  • ESA & ExoMars - Pietro Baglioni, ESA – (pdf coming)
  • Possible pathways going forward? Chad Edwards & Dave Beaty, JPL - (pdf coming)
Speakers:
Hayley Sapers
Brian Wilcox
Pietro Baglioni
Chad Edwards & Dave Beaty
10:00 - 10:30 Plenary Discussion
Formation of 3 Breakout Groups (to Collect Mission Ideas)
All
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:00 Breakout Groups Meet I In Breakout Groups
12:00 ‐ 1:30 Lunch on Your Own
1:30 ‐ 2:00 Pitch Best Misson Ideas (Each Group 10 min) Groups
2:10 ‐ 3:00 Plenary Discussion: Select Best Mission Ideas
Formation of Focused Breakout Groups to Further Study Selected Missions
All
3:00 ‐ 3:30 Break
3:30 ‐ 4:30 Focused Breakout Groups Meet II to Explore Selected Mission Ideas In Breakout Groups
4:30 ‐ 5:00 Reports From Focused Breakout Groups Groups
5:00 ‐ 6:00 Plenary: From Mission Ideas to Success All
6:00 Workshop Dinner at Malbec


Friday, February 16, 2018

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

The Road to Success: Strategy & Plan to Move Forward

Time
Event
Speaker
8:00 ‐ 8:30 Coffee and Refreshments at Keck Center
8:30 ‐ 9:00 Summary of Mission Ideas/Previous Day Team Leads
9:00 ‐ 10:30 Breakout Groups: Roadmap and Strategy to Success (e.g., Meetings (MEPAG, COSPAR, AGU (Session?)), Funding Opportunities, International Collaboration, Private Sector, Technology Transfer, Connection to Human Exploration,…?) In Breakout Groups
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 ‐ 12:00 Last Panel Discussion & Summary of Last Breakout Groups Session All
12:00 ‐12:30 Workshop Closeout Team Leads / Michele Judd
12:30 Workshop Concludes

Workshop Participants:

  • Pietro Baglioni - European Space Agency
  • Dave Beaty - JPL
  • Luther Beegle - JPL/Caltech
  • Mary Sue Bell – NASA/ JSC
  • Rohit Bhartia - JPL
  • Penny Boston – NASA Astrobiology Institute
  • Will Brinkerhoff – NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
  • Iain Cooper - Schlumberger
  • Tom Cwik – JPL
  • Alfonso Davila - NASA Ames Research Center
  • Chad Edwards – JPL
  • Woodward Fischer - Caltech
  • Julie Kleinhenz- NASA Glenn Research Center
  • Margarita Marinova – SpaceX
  • Aarti Matthews - SpaceX
  • Jaret Matthews - SpaceX
  • Victoria Orphan – Caltech
  • Jeffrey Plaut – JPL
  • Than Putzig -  Planetary Science Institute
  • Jerry Sanders – NASA/JSC
  • Haley Sapers – Caltech
  • Alex Sessions - Caltech
  • Vlada Stamenkovic - JPL
  • Paul Tompkins – SpaceX
  • Donna Viola – University of Arizona  
  • Richard Volpe - JPL
  • Brian Wilcox - JPL / Caltech
  • Kris Zacny - Honeybee Robotics