Meeting the Technical Challenges of Measurements in the Martian Subsurface

Abstract

Recent advances across disciplines have demonstrated the breadth and diversity of life in Earth’s subsurface. Key science questions and scientific context for the exploration of the Martian subsurface are ummarized in the companion abstract [1]. Coupling those advances with the history and nature of subsurface fluids on Mars [e.g. 2, 3] presents a compelling case for advancing our knowledge of the subsurface [4]. While the subsurface is regarded as one of the next frontiers for Mars exploration [4, 5], accessing the subsurface presents challenges. The compelling nature of the science questions for the subsurface and their complementarity to ongoing surface exploration and sample return missions necessitate an evaluation of subsurface access strategies. Subsurface processes, highly dependent on crustal porosity and local permeability, inevitably contribute to surface properties of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and any possible biosphere [4]. Mars subsurface exploration opens the door to measurements of gas fluxes, fracture systems, and geochemical properties vital to understanding past and present Mars. It also lays the foundation for self-sufficient human settlements beyond our own planet and provides an emerging potential for synergistic collaborations with the rising commercial space sector and traditional mining companies. Our understanding of the Martian subsurface and the technologies for exploring it, with a dual focus on the search for signs of extinct and extant life, and resource characterization and acquisition, have matured enough for serious consideration of subsurface studies as part of future robotic missions to Mars.