The Mars orbiter magnetometer of Tianwen-1:in-flight performance and first science results

The Mars Orbiter MAGnetometer(MOMAG)is a scientific instrument onboard the orbiter of China’s first mission for Mars—Tianwen-1.Since November 13,2021,it has been recording magnetic field data from the solar wind to the magnetic pile-up region surrounding Mars.Here we present its in-flight performance and first science results,based on its first one and one-half months’data.Comparing these early MOMAG observations to the magnetic field data in the solar wind from NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN(MAVEN)mission,we report that the MOMAG magnetic field data are at the same level in magnitude,and describe the same magnetic structures with similar variations in three components.We recognize 158 clear bow shock(BS)crossings in these MOMAG data;their locations match well statistically with the modeled average BS.We also identify and compare five pairs of datasets collected when Tianwen-1’s orbiter and the MAVEN probe made simultaneous BS crossings.These BS crossings confirm the global shape of modeled BS,as well as the south-north asymmetry of the Martian BS.Two cases presented in this paper suggest that the BS is probably more dynamic at flank than near the nose.So far,MOMAG performs well,and provides accurate magnetic field vectors.MOMAG is continuously scanning the magnetic field surrounding Mars.Data from MOMAG’s measurements complement data from MAVEN and will undoubt edly advance our understanding of the plasma environment of Mars.

Ground calibration of the Mars orbiter magnetometer onboard Tianwen-1

Ground calibration experiments of the Mars orbiter magnetometer(MOMAG)onboard the orbiter of Tianwen-1 were performed to determine the sensitivity,misalignment angle,and offset of the sensors.The linearity of the applied calibrated magnetic fields and the output from the sensors were confirmed to be better than 10^(-4),and the sensor axes were orthogonal to each other within 0.5 degrees.The temperature dependencies of the sensitivity and misalignment angle were examined,but no clear signatures of temperature dependencies could be seen.Sensor offset and the stability of sensor offset drift with a temperature change were also determined by the rotation method.The stability of the sensor offset drift was less than 0.01 nT/℃.The ground calibration of MOMAG determines all the calibration parameters of the sensors for accurate magnetic field measurements in orbit with the appropriate corrections.

Observations and interpretations of geomorphologic features in the Tianwen-1 landing area on Mars by using orbital imagery data

China’s first Mars exploration mission,Tianwen-1,successfully landed in southern Utopia Planitia on Mars on May 15,2021.This work presents a detailed investigation of the geologic context of the landing area surface for this mission based on orbital remotesensing data.We constructed a geomorphologic map for the Tianwen-1 landing area.Results of our detailed geomorphologic map show several major landforms within the landing area,including rampart craters,mesas,troughs,cones,and ridges.Analysis of materials on the landing area surface indicates that most of the landing area is covered by Martian dust.Transverse aeolian ridges are widely distributed within the landing area,indicating the surface contexts were(and still are)modified by regional winds.In addition,a crater counting analysis indicates the landing area has an absolute model age of~3.3 Ga and that a later resurfacing event occurred at~1.6 Ga.Finally,we outline four formational scenarios to test the formation mechanisms for the geomorphologic features on the landing area surface.The most likely interpretation to explain the existence of the observed surface features can be summarized as follows:A thermal influence may have played an important role in the formation of the surface geomorphologic features;thus,igneous-related processes may have occurred in the landing area.Water ice may also have been involved in the construction of the primordial surface configuration.Subsequent resurfacing events and aeolian processes buried and modified the primordial surface.

Mars Orbiter magnetometer of China’s First Mars Mission Tianwen-1

As one of the seven scientific payloads on board the Tianwen-1 orbiter,the Mars Orbiter Magnetometer(MOMAG)will measure the magnetic fields of and surrounding Mars to study its space environment and the interaction with the solar wind.The instrument consists of two identical triaxial fluxgate magnetometer sensors,mounted on a 3.19 meter-long boom with a seperation of about 90 cm.The dual-magnetometers configuration will help eliminate the magnetic field interference generated by the spacecraft platform and payloads.The sensors are controlled by an electric box mounted inside the orbiter.Each magnetometer measures the ambient vector magnetic field over a wide dynamic range(to 10,000 nT per axis)with a resolution of 1.19 pT.Both magnetometers sample the ambient magnetic field at an intrinsic frequency of 128 Hz,but will operate in a model with alternating frequency between 1 and 32 Hz to meet telemetry allocations.

Proton pitch angle distributions in the Martian induced magnetosphere: A survey of Tianwen-1 Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer observations

The pitch angle distributions of ions and electrons can be affected by various processes;thus,they can serve as an important indicator of the physical mechanisms driving the dynamics of space plasmas.From observations from the Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter,we calculated the pitch angle distributions of protons in the Martian induced magnetosphere by using information from the magnetohydrodynamically simulated magnetic field,and we statistically analyzed the spatial occurrence pattern of different types of pitch angle distributions.Even though no symmetrical features were seen in the dataset,we found the dominance of the field-aligned distribution type over the energy range from 188 to 6232 eV.Maps of the occurrence rate showed the preferential presence of a trapped-like distribution at the lower altitudes of the surveyed nightside region.Although our results are more or less restricted by the adopted magnetic field,they indicate the complexity of the near-Mars proton pitch angle distributions and infer the possibility of wave–particle interactions in the Martian induced magnetosphere.

The payloads of planetary physics research onboard China’s First Mars Mission (Tianwen-1)

Mars is not only our nearby but also the most Earth-like planetary neighbor.Scientific exploration of Mars is thus of crucial value to our understanding of the solar system.The existence of abundant evidence for the former presence of water on Mars demands further exploration for signs of life on our sister planet,and investigations that could shed light on conditions favorable to the origin of life.For nearly 60 years,humans have conducted orbitally-based remote sensing and in-situ surface exploration of Mars,leading to many significant scientific discoveries.But much remains to be done before we can be sure that we truly and fully understand Mars.Key research topics include the history of water on Mars and how that history relates to the planet’s habitable environment-past,present,and future;the distribution and evolution of waterbearing and evaporative salt minerals on the planet’s surface;the history of volcanic activity on Mars;the Martian magnetic field and its effect on the escape of water and atmosphere from the planet;interactions between the solar wind and the Martian atmosphere and ionosphere;atmospheric characteristics and climate change on Mars;and so on(Li CL et al.,2018;Liu JJ et al.,2018).Based on the above scientific questions about life,climate,and geology on Mars,the international planetary science community has formulated ambitious Mars exploration programs.

Overview of the Mars climate station for Tianwen-1 mission

The background and scientific objectives of the Mars Climate Station(MCS)for Tianwen-1 are introduced,accompanied by a comparative review of the status of related meteorological observation missions and of advanced sensing technologies.As one of the China Tianwen-1 Mission’s principal scientific payloads,the MCS contains four measurement sensors and one electronic processing unit that are specially designed to measure local temperature,pressure,wind,and sound on the Martian surface.The MCS’s measurement principles,technical schemes,ground calibration techniques,and adaptability evaluation to the Mars surface environment of MCS are introduced in details.The conclusion presents measurement performance specifications of the MCS,based on ground test results,that will provide guidance to future research based on data from the Tianwen-1 and later Mars missions.

Calibration of Mars Energetic Particle Analyzer (MEPA)

The first Mars exploration mission of China(Tianwen-1)is scheduled to be launched in 2020;a charged particle telescope,the Mars Energetic Particle Analyzer(MEPA),is carried as one of the payloads on the orbiter.The MEPA is designed to measure solar energetic particles(SEPs)and galactic cosmic rays(GCRs)in the near-Mars space and in the transfer orbit from Earth to Mars.Before the launch,the MEPA was calibrated in ground experiments with radioactive sources,electronic pulses,and accelerator beams.The calibration parameters,such as energy conversion constants,threshold values for the triggers,and particle identification criteria,were determined and have been stored for onboard use.The validity of the calibration parameters has been verified with radioactive sources and beams.The calibration results indicate that the MEPA can measure charged particles reliably,as designed,and that it can satisfy the requirements of the Tianwen-1 mission.

The solar wind plasma upstream of Mars observed by Tianwen-1:Comparison with Mars Express and MAVEN

On the great journey to Mars,China’s first planetary exploration mission,the Tianwen-1 came within 26 million kilometers of Mars from 31 October 2020 to 25 January 2021 and was getting closer to its destination,the red planet,in search of answers to the cataclysmic climate change that occurred in Martian history.Both the escape of the Martian atmosphere and the loss of surface water were firmly influenced by solar activities.Tianwen-1 provided a unique chance to depict the solar wind streams between Earth and Mars during the minimum of Solar Cycle 25.During the three-month cruise phase of Tianwen-1,the solar wind flows were successively observed at Earth,Tianwen-1,and Mars.After the field of view correction and noise reduction,the solar wind velocity and density measured by Tianwen-1 show good agreement with those at Earth and Mars.The results indicate that the performance of the ion analyzer onboard the Tianwen-1 orbiter is reliable and stable.It is worth looking forward to the joint observations of ion escape with other Mars probes in the following Martian years.

End-to-end Mars entry,descent,and landing modeling and simulations for Tianwen-1 guidance,navigation,and control system

On May 15,2021,the Tianwen-1 lander successfully touched down on the surface of Mars.To ensure the success of the landing mission,an end-to-end Mars entry,descent,and landing(EDL)simulator is developed to assess the guidance,navigation,and control(GNC)system performance,and determine the critical operation and lander parameters.The high-fidelity models of the Mars atmosphere,parachute,and lander system that are incorporated into the simulator are described.Using the developed simulator,simulations of the Tianwen-1 lander EDL are performed.The results indicate that the simulator is valid,and the GNC system of the Tianwen-1 lander exhibits excellent performance.

火星探测器动力学模型优化及“天问一号”探测器定轨研究

对上海天文台火星探测器定轨软件的动力学模型进行优化和升级,开发形成了MarsODP V2.0,该软件可以处理多种类型测量数据。对火星进行高精度动力学建模,考虑火星本身特性,增加了火卫一和火卫二的三体摄动、火星大气阻力摄动以及多种火星定向模型优化等。利用MEX实测数据比较了优化前后的火星定轨软件的定轨精度,计算结果表明,动力学模型优化后,定轨精度明显提升,与参考轨道的位置差异和速度差异减小;利用实测数据对美国MRO探测器进行精密定轨并验证软件优化后定轨精度。对“天问一号”探测器环火轨道进行定轨计算分析。

火星环绕器火卫一抵近探测拓展任务设想轨道设计与分析

针对“天问一号”火星环绕器火卫一抵近探测拓展任务设想开展了任务轨道设计与分析,将主任务结束后的状态作为拓展任务的输入,对拓展任务轨道、变轨策略及燃料代价进行设计。通过分析得出,可利用火星摄动力调整近火点幅角使得环绕器轨道与火卫一轨道相交,且相交频率与半长轴和偏心率相关。为提高相交次数需进行降轨,进一步分析了利用火星大气辅助降轨以降低燃料消耗、提高轨道相交次数的可能性,最后通过调相机动的方式使环绕器完成火卫一抵近探测任务。仿真结果表明:所设计的拓展任务轨道及变轨策略的速度增量代价合理可行,可为后续火星环绕探测任务轨道设计提供参考。

Evolution History of Mesas in the Southern Utopia Planitia and Implications for the Ancient Oceans on Mars

As one of the prominent landforms in the Zhurong landing region,mesas are geological features with flat tops and steep marginal cliffs.The mesas are widely distributed along the dichotomy boundary.There are various interpreted origins proposed for the mesas,such as the erosion of sedimentary layers,tuyas eruptions,or surface collapse due to the catastrophic release of groundwater.We investigate the detailed morphological characteristics of the mesas on the Late Hesperian Lowland unit within the Utopia Planitia.We observe morphological evidence for both the ice-bearing interior mesas and the sedimentary origin,including(1)small pits on the crater wall and mesa cliff formed by the release of volatiles like ice;(2)lobate flows at the base of mesas formed by the melting of subsurface ice;(3)layered mesas indicating sedimentary origin;(4)grooves on the top surface of mesas formed by the volumetric compaction of sedimentary deposits.The results indicate that the mesas in the study area are formed by the erosion of sedimentary layers and representative of the Noachian oceanic sediments.We propose an evolutionary model for the mesas.This study will provide some insights into future research of ancient ocean hypothesis of Mars and interesting targets for the exploration of the Zhurong rover.

“天问一号”火星环绕器总体设计综述

“天问一号”火星环绕器实现了中国首次自主火星探测任务“绕”的目标,通过携带的遥感探测类载荷实现火星空间环境和表面环境的探测。文章通过与国外火星环绕探测器在探测目标、平台能力等方面的对比分析,介绍了“天问一号”火星环绕器的总体设计方案;同时,通过飞行过程的环境特点与任务剖面分析,给出了“天问一号”火星环绕器设计的技术难点与挑战。最后,进一步对技术特点进行了总结。

大偏心率火星探测器轨道外推的近似方法

对于快自转天体,如地球和火星,由于其非球形引力位中田谐项的振动频率与卫星运动频率相当,会给构造大偏心率环绕型探测器轨道分析解带来无法克服的困难。本文以轨道偏心率e≈0.9的＂萤火虫一号＂（YH-1）火星环绕探测器为例,探讨在精度要求不高的情况下,给出近似分析解和计算效率与其相当的数值解计算方案,以满足在计算资源有限的制约下快速轨道外推的要求。

基于萤火一号技术的自主火星探测器方案

提出了基于萤火一号(YH-1)火星探测器技术的自主火星探测器方案,可携带多种有效载荷在准太阳同步圆轨道上对火星进行科学探测。该方案具有可实现性强、成本低、研制周期短等特点,并能满足火星探测后续工程中的环绕器设计要求,利于我国火星探测的长远发展。利用长征三号乙运载火箭,在西昌卫星发射中心就可实现2013/2016年的我国自主火星探测。

“天问一号”近火飞越应急轨控策略设计方法

针对探测器近火未制动飞越火星的应急工况,设计了相应的轨控策略。通过分析探测器近火飞越时的火星引力助推加速效果,以及飞越火星后轨道长期演化情况,提出了从轨控能量和等待时间两个维度开展策略设计的思路,设计了能量优化、时间优化、能量时间代价折中等分支下的多种策略,通过理论分析和仿真验证,量化比较了各策略的优缺点,得出能量优化和时间优化可以作为首选方案的结论。所设计的应急策略保障了首次火星探测任务近火捕获在可控情况下稳妥实施,相关的研究方法和结论能够为飞控决策和应急控制提供技术支持及量化参考,并可扩展至相似背景的其他行星探测任务中。

Entry vehicle control system design for the Tianwen-1 mission

The entry vehicle for the Tianwen-1 mission successfully landed on the surface of Mars at 7:18 AM BJT on May 15,2021.This successful landing made China the first country to orbit,land,and release a rover in their first attempt at the Mars exploration.The guidance,navigation,and control(GNC)system plays a crucial role in the entry,descent,and landing(EDL)phases.This study focused on the attitude control component of the GNC system design.The EDL phase can be divided into several sub-phases,namely the angle of attack control phase,lift control phase,parachute descent phase,and powered descent phase.Each sub-phase has unique attitude control requirements and challenges.This paper introduces the key aspects of designing attitude controllers for each phase.Furthermore,flight results are presented and analyzed.

天问一号星下点太阳高度角在轨实时计算方法

由于太阳高度角和地面景物反射率等条件的变化,天问一号火星环绕器光学成像载荷在轨工作期间入瞳辐亮度变化范围很大,为了达到最佳的成像效果,需要光学成像载荷具备在轨自适应调整增益的能力。太阳高度角是设置时间延时积分电荷耦合器件积分级数的重要参数之一,积分级数是调整增益需要调整的主要参数。针对在轨工作期间太阳高度角实时变化、星历表文件较大等问题,本文提出一种基于傅里叶拟合的火星环绕器星下点太阳高度角在轨实时计算方法。首先,基于最小二乘原理采用8阶傅里叶逼近对火星惯性坐标系下太阳矢量的x,y,z坐标进行拟合,获得以时间作为变量的拟合方程。其次,根据制导、导航与控制系统发送的轨道参数获得火星惯性坐标系下环绕器的实时坐标。最后,基于夹角余弦公式即可在轨实时计算星下点太阳高度角。实验结果表明,在协调世界时2021-01-01 00:00:00至2024-01-01 00:00:00期间,采用本文方法获得的星下点太阳高度角实时计算结果最大绝对误差小于0.3°。满足天问一号高分辨率相机时间延时积分电荷耦合器件积分级数设置对太阳高度角计算结果的精度要求。基于该方法,天问一号高分辨率相机获取的火星影像细节丰富,亮度、对比度合理。

同波束VLBI测量下的天问一号火星车定位及精度分析

针对中国天问一号火星探测任务中的火星车定位问题,进行了相关方法的研究和精度分析。根据现有测控条件,考虑到火星车无地面测距数据,提出了利用轨道器和火星车的同波束甚长基线干涉测量(same-beam very long baseline interferometry,SBI)数据对火星车进行定位的方法。由于利用SBI联合轨道器测距数据无法在定轨定位的同时解算差分相时延模糊度,分析了在固定轨道器的轨道情况下,仅利用SBI数据进行火星车定位。结果表明,火星车定位误差随着轨道器的轨道精度提高而减小,如果轨道器的轨道精度从1 km提升到100 m或10 m,6 h SBI数据可以将火星车定位精度提高到数百米,同时,增加数据弧段可进一步提高定位精度,当对着陆器高程方向进行约束时,定位精度会有明显改善。