title: Vanguard--a European robotic astrobiology-focussed Mars sub-surface mission proposal.
abstract: We present a new European Mars mission proposal to build on the UK-led Beagle2 Mars mission and continue its astrobiology-focussed investigation of Mars. The small surface element to be delivered to the Martian surface--Vanguard--is designed to be carried by a Mars Express-type spacecraft bus to Mars and adopts a similar entry, descent and landing system as Beagle2. The surface element comprises a triad of robotic devices--a lander, a micro-rover of the Sojourner class for surface mobility, and three ground-penetrating moles mounted onto the rover for sub-surface penetration to 5 m depth. The major onboard instruments on the rover include a Raman spectrometer/imager, a laser plasma spectrometer, an infrared spectrometer--these laser instruments provide the basis for in situ "remote" sensing of the sub-surface Martian environment within a powerful scientific package. The moles carry the instruments' sensor head array to the sub-surface. The moles are thus required to undergo a one-way trip down the boreholes without the need for recovery of moles or samples, eliminating much of the robotic complexity invoked by such operations.
authors.affiliation: Astronautics and Space Systems Group, School of Engineering, Kingston University, Friars Avenue, Roehampton Vale, London, UK. a.ellery@eim.surrey.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ellery
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cockell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dickensheets
authors.forename: Howell
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kolb
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lammer
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D018559:Exobiology; D005844:Geology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018535:Mars; D012371:Robotics; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018531:Spacecraft / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman