Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Journal of Young Scientist", Vol. 10
Written by Monica SIRBU, Amalia RUSU, Nicoleta PAVEL
The largest and most capable rover ever sent to Mars, Curiosity is a component of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory program who was launched on November 26, 2011 and landed in Gale Crater on Mars on August 5, 2012. Since landing on Mars, the Curiosity rover has explored the 5 km high Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons) in Gale Crater, climbed over 612 meters, reaching younger and younger rocks. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) team can analyse the sedimentary deposits by using a collection of imagers placed on the rover, that provides generous pixel sizes and multiple fields of view from close to long-range observations. For this examination the ChemCam instrument, which is mounted on the rover mast, uses a Remote Micro-Imager (RMI), that functions as a 700 mm-focal length telescope, and a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS). Up to a few kilometres out from the rover, remote outcrops can be observed with the RMI. According to this study an experiment aimed at computing for the first time with RMI Digital Outcrop Models of these remote outcrops as collecting 3D information is essential to characterizing the architecture of the sedimentary deposits. Therefore it is demonstrated how adequate collections of individual RMI frames may be used to successfully apply Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry to rebuild the 3D shape and relief of these remote outcrops. This article aims to showcase the application of photogrammetry in the exploration of Mars, highlighting the ways in which this technology has been utilized to gather and analyze valuable data about the planet's geological features and atmospheric conditions.
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