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Advancements in space technologies can now enable discussions on how small spacecraft might be used to assemble or form large space structures, which are significantly more capable than the individual spacecraft unit, while exploiting the advantages of small spacecraft such as low unit and launch costs.

NASA is pursuing technologies to enable robotic exploration of the Solar System including its planets, their moons, and small bodies. NASA has a development program that includes technologies for the atmospheric entry, descent, and landing, mobility systems, extreme environments technology, sample acquisition and preparation for in situ experiments, and in situ planetary science instruments.

NASA seeks innovative sensor technologies to enhance success for entry, descent and landing (EDL) operations on missions to Mars. This call is not for sensor processing algorithms. Sensing technologies are desired that determine the entry point of the spacecraft in the Mars atmosphere; provide inputs to systems that control spacecraft trajectory, speed, and orientation to the surface; locate the spacecraft relative to the Martian surface; evaluate potential hazards at the landing site; and determine when the spacecraft has touched down.

Robust systems for sample acquisition, handling and processing are critical to the next generation of robotic explorers for investigation of planetary bodies (http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10432&page=R1). Limited spacecraft resources (power, volume, mass, computational capabilities, and telemetry bandwidth) demand innovative, integrated sampling systems that can survive and operate in challenging environments (e.g., extremes in temperature, pressure, gravity, vibration and thermal cycling).

Technologies are needed to enable access, mobility, and sample acquisition at surface and subsurface sampling sites of scientific interest on Mars, Venus, small planetary bodies, and the moons of Earth, Mars, Jovian and Saturnian systems.

NASA plans to perform sample return missions from a variety of targets including Mars, outer planet moons, and small bodies such as asteroids and comets. In terms of spacecraft technology, these types of targets present a variety challenges. Some targets, such as Mars and some moons, have relatively large gravity wells and will require ascent propulsion. Other targets are small bodies with very complex geography and very little gravity, which present difficult navigational and maneuvering challenges.

High-Temperature, High-Pressure, and Chemically-Corrosive Environments

Technologies intended for use at/around Mars, Europa (Jupiter), and Enceladus (Saturn) must be developed so as to ensure compliance with relevant planetary protection requirements. NASA seeks innovative technologies to facilitate meeting Forward and Backward Contamination Planetary Protection objectives especially for a potential Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission and to facilitate Forward Planetary Protection implementation for a potential mission to Europa.

NASA Missions and Programs create a wealth of science data and information that are essential to understanding our Earth, our solar system and the universe. Advancements in information technology will allow many people within and beyond the Agency to more effectively analyze and apply these data to create knowledge. In particular, modeling and simulation are being used more pervasively throughout NASA, for both engineering and science pursuits, than ever before.

NASA scientists and engineers are increasingly turning to large-scale numerical simulation on supercomputers to advance understanding of complex Earth and astrophysical systems, and to conduct high-fidelity aerospace engineering analyses. The goal of this subtopic is to increase the mission impact of NASA's investments in supercomputing systems and associated operations and services. Specific objectives are to: