Telecommunications Performance During Entry, Descent, and Landing of the Mars Science Laboratory

Abstract

This paper discusses the Mars Science Laboratory telecommunications configuration for ultrahigh-frequency relay data and direct-to-Earth X-band semaphore tones during entry, descent, and landing, as well as the configuration of the Mars Reconnaissance orbiter, Mars Odyssey orbiter, and the Deep Space Network. Actual link performance will be compared with a priori predictions, including signal strength, Doppler shift, plasma blackout, and the range and angles between the Mars Science Laboratory and orbiting relay assets. Predictions were generated using telecom link budgets and models developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These data were also integrated into the mission’s primary end-to-end entry, descent, and landing performance simulation, Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories II, which enabled telecom predictions based on Monte Carlo results of entry, descent, and landing simulations.