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Miniaturized LIDAR for MARS Atmospheric Research

Project description

Tiny, power-efficient LIDAR to explore the Martian atmosphere

The planet Mars has a complex climate, highly variable and only partly understood. The study of its atmosphere is of paramount importance for understanding the planet’s climate evolution and its influence on potential past and present life, as well as for identifying potential risks its constituents may entail for future human crews and support equipment. Atmospheric LIDARs, a class of instruments using laser light to study aerosol particle size and density in Earth’s atmosphere, could be used to also examine atmospheric dust and ice-based clouds on Mars. However, as LIDAR equipment is typically heavy and consumes a lot of power, it cannot be easily used aboard landers for planetary exploration. The EU-funded MiLi project plans to design a compact, low-power LIDAR that will provide the most precise characterisation of the suspended dust and clouds in the Martian atmosphere to date.

Coordinator

INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE TECNICA AEROESPACIAL ESTEBAN TERRADAS
Net EU contribution
€ 486 691,00
Address
Cr Torrejon Ajalvir Km 4 2
28850 Torrejon De Ardoz Madrid
Spain

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Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Research Organisations
Other funding
€ 0,00

Participants (4)

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Italy
Net EU contribution
€ 194 947,75
Address
Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32
20133 Milano

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Region
Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Other funding
€ 0,00
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
Spain
Net EU contribution
€ 174 028,75
Address
Calle Serrano 117
28006 Madrid

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Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Research Organisations
Other funding
€ 0,00
YORK UNIVERSITY
Canada
Net EU contribution
€ 199 582,50
Address
Keele Street 4700
M3JIP3 Toronto

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Other funding
€ 0,00
ASPHERICON GMBH
Germany
Net EU contribution
€ 92 750,00
Address
Stockholmer-strasse 9
07747 Jena

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Thüringen Thüringen Jena, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Other funding
€ 0,00