ARCHIMEDES (aerial robot carrying high-resolution imaging, a magnetometric experiment and direct environmental sensing instruments)

ARCHIMEDES is a small interplanetary space mission with the goal to deploy a balloon within the atmosphere of planet Mars. It is a super pressure balloon equipped with a high-resolution planetary camera provided by DLR Berlin, a magnetometer provided by TU Braunschweig and a meteorology package provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. These sensors are suspended beneath a 14-m diameter balloon in a small gondola of 4 kg. The aerobot itself has a mass of 16 kg and floats at approximately 2 km altitude. Eventually, the aerial platform itself becomes a scientific experiment owing to the fact that it represents a test particle that can be traced to investigate atmospheric movements on a planetary scale. The aerobot is suggested to AMSAT for transportation out to Mars on board their P5-A Mars mission, slated to launch in 2007 or 2009. Once in orbit around the planet, the ARCHIMEDES spacecraft would be released and autonomously de-orbit itself. AMSAT P5-A would also provide for a data communication link with planet earth, and track the aerobot by means of radio ranging. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.