Subsurface Water Ice Mapping (SWIM) on Mars

NASA Mars Exploration Program

Subcontract to PSI from Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Start Date: 12/01/2019
Project #: 1691
End Date: 06/30/2025
Award #: 1639821

PSI Personnel

Project Description

QI Where is ice present (contiguous and discontiguous) in non-polar areas (< 600 )

Defines where missions can land

Q2 What is the thickness and nature of the overburden above the ice?

Informs the depth and strength of material that need to be removed/drilled through

Q3 What is the % concentration of ice for a given depth range?

Determines the quality of the ice to inform extraction methods

Q4 To what depths does the ice extend?

Quantifies the volume of the ice that can be extracted

Q5 What thickness of dust covers the surface above buried ice deposits?

Q6 What is the surface roughness associated with buried ice?

Both inform the hazards associated with landing/operating at a given location. Note: Dust thickness and surface roughness measurements are by-products of SWIM analysis and thus acquired at no extra cost