The Mars 96 Small Station - Implementation and Scientific Objectives

The Mars-96 mission, including two Small Stations, two Penetrators and an Orbiter, will be launched at Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on 16 November, 1996. The launcher will be Proton, a Russian launcher with an excellent launch record. The two Small Stations will be separated from the spacecraft 4 to 5 days before insertion to the intermediate orbit around Mars. The Stations are expected to land in September 1997 ({( L_s)} (approx) (178^{\circ})), nominally to Amazonis-Arcadia region on locations (33( ^circ)N, 169.4(^{\circ})W) and (37.6(^circ)N, 161.9( ^circ \)W). The Small Station observations combined with the data from the Orbiter instruments are expected to shed light on the contemporary Mars and its evolution, by providing data on the atmosphere, surface and the interior. Specific science goals are exploration of the structure and dynamics of the atmosphere, the role of water and other materials containing volatiles and in situ studies of boundary layer processes. New information of the puzzle of an intrinsic magnetic field will be gained. An extensive effort will be taken to enhance our understanding of the interior of Mars by recording seismic activity. To achieve the scientific goals of the mission the Small Station will carry a following instrumentation : camera for descent phase (DESCAM) and for panoramic views (PANCAM), meteopackage (MET), optical sensor (ODS), soil oxidization instrument (MOX), alpha-proton-neutron-Xray instrument (APX), seismometer and magnetometer (Optimism).