Spectroscopic study of terrestrial analogues to support rover missions to Mars – A Raman-centred review

• Published in: Analytica chimica acta Vol. 1209; p. 339003
• Main Authors: Rull, Fernando, Veneranda, Marco, Manrique-Martinez, Jose Antonio, Sanz-Arranz, Aurelio, Saiz, Jesus, Medina, Jesús, Moral, Andoni, Perez, Carlos, Seoane, Laura, Lalla, Emmanuel, Charro, Elena, Lopez, Jose Manuel, Nieto, Luis Miguel, Lopez-Reyes, Guillermo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 29.05.2022
• Subjects: ExoMars; Extraterrestrial Environment - chemistry; Mars; Mars 2020; Mission simulation; Planetary exploration; Raman spectroscopy; Space Flight; Spectrum Analysis, Raman - methods; Terrestrial analogue; Mars 2020; Mission simulation; Planetary exploration; Terrestrial analogue; Raman spectroscopy; ExoMars
• ISSN: 0003-2670; 1873-4324
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339003

The 2020s could be called, with little doubt, the “Mars decade”. No other period in space exploration history has experienced such interest in placing orbiters, rovers and landers on the Red Planet. In 2021 alone, the Emirates' first Mars Mission (the Hope orbiter), the Chinese Tianwen-1 mission (orbiter, lander and rover), and NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover reached Mars. The ExoMars mission Rosalind Franklin rover is scheduled for launch in 2022. Beyond that, several other missions are proposed or under development. Among these, MMX to Phobos and the very important Mars Sample Return can be cited. One of the key mission objectives of the Mars 2020 and ExoMars 2022 missions is the detection of traces of potential past or present life. This detection relies to a great extent on the analytical results provided by complementary spectroscopic techniques. The development of these novel instruments has been carried out in step with the analytical study of terrestrial analogue sites and materials, which serve to test the scientific capabilities of spectroscopic prototypes while providing crucial information to better understand the geological processes that could have occurred on Mars. Being directly involved in the development of three of the first Raman spectrometers to be validated for space exploration missions (Mars 2020/SuperCam, ExoMars/RLS and RAX/MMX), the present review summarizes some of the most relevant spectroscopy-based analyses of terrestrial analogues carried out over the past two decades. Therefore, the present work describes the analytical results gathered from the study of some of the most distinctive terrestrial analogues of Martian geological contexts, as well as the lessons learned mainly from ExoMars mission simulations conducted at representative analogue sites. Learning from the experience gained in the described studies, a general overview of the scientific outcome expected from the spectroscopic system developed for current and forthcoming planetary missions is provided. [Display omitted] •We present a review of the terrestrial analogue studies performed by the ERICA group.•Details about planetary mission simulations are also provided.•The main results gathered from the use of multiple analytical systems are compared.•Pros and cons expected by the use of Raman spectrometers on Mars are presented.•The work aims to support the interpretation of data returned from Mars2020 and ExoMars rovers.