THE HRSC/WAOSS CAMERA EXPERIMENT ON THE MARS96 MISSION —
A PHOTOGRAMMETRIC AND CARTOGRAPHIC VIEW OF THE PROJECT
Jórg Albertz
Technical University of Berlin, Department for Photogrammetry and Cartography
Sekr. EBS, Str. d. 17. Juni 135, D-10623 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49-30-314-23331, Fax: +49-30-314-21104, E-Mail: zephir Q fpk.tu-berlin.de
Heinrich Ebner
Technical University Munich, Chair for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Munich, Germany
Phone: +49-89-2105-2670, Fax: +49-89-2809573, E-Mail: timm @ photo.verm.tu-muenchen.de
Gerhard Neukum
Institute for Planetary Exploration, German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR), Berlin-Adlershof, Germany
Phone: +49-30-69545-300, Fax: +49-30-69545-303, E-Mail: neukum @terra.pe.ba.dir.de
Commission IV, Working Group 5
KEY WORDS: Extraterrestrial Mapping, Three-Line, Scanner, Bundle Block Adjustment, DEM/DTM, Orthoimage, Mosaic,
HRSC/WAOSS
ABSTRACT
A Russian mission to planet Mars is scheduled to be launched in November 1996. The operational orbit around Mars will be
entered in autumn 1997. The spacecraft carries a German camera experiment comprising the HRSC (High Resolution
Stereo Camera) and the WAOSS (Wide Angle Optoelectronic Stereo Scanner). It is the first time that such an experiment
has been designed according to the special requirements of stereophotogrammetry and planetary mapping. Therefore it will
provide a powerful tool for photogrammetric, cartographic and geoscientific investigations of the planet. The international
Science Team involved is guided by Prof. Gerhard Neukum as Principle Investigator.
The paper gives a general outline of the experiment and the most important technical parameters of the cameras. Both
cameras are designed as three-line scanner instruments in order to enable stereophotogrammetric evaluation of the data.
The systems have already been subject to detailed calibration and testing. For photogrammetric restitution of the image
data, generation of DTM's and orthoimages, and for the derivation of all types of cartographic products as well a comprehen-
sive software package is being developed. Special reference systems for digital data handling and for cartographic purposes
have been defined. Furthermore a new map series for the planet Mars, the »Topographic Image Map MARS 1:200 000« has
been designed.
1. THE MARS96 MISSION
The Russian mission Mars96. which is scheduled for launch
in November 1996 will enter its operational orbit around the
planet in autumn 1997. Due to power aspects a highly
elliptical orbit with distances to the planets surface varying
from about 300 km to nearly 22,000 km will be flown. This
enables operation for about one Martian year (which is two
years on Earth). The spacecraft will carry a number of
instruments serving a variety of scientific experiments.
Several instruments are adapted to an adjustable platform
called ARGUS.
Germany contributes two cameras to be flown on the AR-
GUS platform, namely the HRSC (High Resolution Stereo
Camera) and the WAOSS (Wide Angle Optoelectronic Ste-
reo Scanner). The camera experiment is guided by the Prin-
ciple Investigator Prof. Gerhard Neukum, German Aerospace
Research Establishment (DLR), Institute for Planetary Ex-
ploration in Berlin-Adlershof. It will provide a powerful tool
for photogrammetric and cartographic purposes, for geo-
scientific investigations, and for studies of the atmosphere
as well (Albertz et al. 1992). In the following photogrammetric
and cartographic aspects are emphasized.
2. THE CAMERAS HRSC AND WAOSS
The main objectives of HRSC and WAOSS as defined by
the team of Co-Investigators are to improve our knowledge
and understanding of the shape, structure, and evolution of
the planet Mars in terms of geoscience, photogrammetry
and cartography, as well as the structure and dynamics of
its atmosphere. Unfortunately, the photogrammetry, carto-
graphy, and geodesy aspects were poorly covered by pre-
vious missions to Mars. This is why the Mars96 camera
experiment was especially designed to provide the following
capabilities:
* imaging at high resolution of better than 15 m/pixel,
* stereo imaging of the Martian surface and of atmo-
spheric clouds at various scales,
e multiple area coverage (to monitor dynamical phe-
nomena),
* multispectral imaging (to study the composition of
surface materials),
multi-phase angle imaging (to study physical properties
and weathering states of surface materials), and
* limb sounding.
This has led to the concept of two different muti-sensor
instruments: the HRSC principally designed for investigations
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996
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