MSL’s Widgets: Adding Robustness to Martian Sample Acquisition, Handling, and Processing Chris Roumeliotis Chris.Roumeliotis@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Brett Kennedy bkennedy@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Justin Lin justin.y.lin@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Patrick DeGrosse patrick.degrosse.jr@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Ian Cady ian.w.cady@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Nicholas Onufer Nicholas.P.Onufer@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Deborah Sigel Deborah.A.Sigel@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Louise Jandura louise.jandura@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Robert Anderson robert.c.anderson@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Ira Katz Ira.Katz@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Eric Slimko Eric.M.Slimko@jpl.nasa.gov 1 , Daniel Limonadi daniel.limonadi@jpl.nasa.gov 1 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 Abstract - Mars Science Laboratory’s (MSL) Sample Acquisition Sample Processing and Handling (SA-SPaH) system is one of the most ambitious terrain interaction and manipulation systems ever built and successfully used outside of planet earth. Mars has a ruthless environment that has surprised many who have tried to explore there. The robustness widget program was implemented by the MSL project to help ensure the SA-SPaH system would be robust enough to the surprises of this ruthless Martian environment. The robustness widget program was an effort of extreme schedule pressure and responsibility, but was accomplished with resounding success. This paper will focus on a behind the scenes look at MSL’s robustness widgets: the particle fun zone, the wind guards, and the portioner pokers. Keywords: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL); Particle Fun Zone (PFZ); Vertical and Horizontal Portioner Poker; Wind Guards; Wind Tunnel Testing, Robustness Widgets. 1 Introduction The Martian environment has never proven to be fully predictable and has held many surprises for spacecraft, destroying or even severely crippling many. In this respect, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) project embarked on a path to tackle the harsh Martian environment. An analysis was performed which identified areas of the Sample Acquisition Sample Processing and Handling (SA-SPaH) system where the unknown characteristics of the Martian environment posed significant risk to the robustness of the overall system. While the basic elements of the robustness widgets had been discussed as early as August 2007 (see Figure 1), the decision to take the steps to flight for these was not made until late December 2010. In order to be incorporated into MSL, the widgets had to be designed, fabricated, and tested by late May 2011. In those scant five months, the team had to go from cartoon sketches on napkins and previously defined keep-in zones to fully flight qualified elements. This process included developing sufficient understanding of how the widgets would be used by the rover such that we were not endangering other functions. In the case of the Observation Tray, which later became incorporated into the widget named the Particle Fun Zone (PFZ), this process was largely one of ensuring access by the sample-bearing tools. At the other end of the spectrum, the Wind Guards required an extensive test program inside a wind tunnel that simulated the conditions of Mars. Figure 1. Early concepts of the Observation Tray, which is mounted on the PFZ, included a simple flat plate (left) as well as a faceted “bug-eye” (right) that presented a horizontal surface even when the rover was tilted. In the end, we were in a position that required that the widgets be installed onto the rover before testing was complete to buy back time. This came with the understanding that they may need to be removed prior to launch on November 26 th , 2011, if the ensuing testing revealed that their presence posed any unforeseen risk to the system. 2 Robustness Widget Overview The robustness widgets were conceived to essentially tackle the unpredictable nature of the Martian environment. Below is a picture that highlights the location of each robustness widget’s respective location on the MSL rover. © 2013 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.