Bob Grimm - Mission Concepts
MISSION CONCEPTS
Venus Geophysical Network Pathfinder (VGNP).Discovery proposal, 1992 (M. Malin, PI). Co-Investigator: Team Leader for interpretation of electromagnetic and seismic data in terms of Venus geophysics.
VGNP: Extraordinary effort must be taken to cool the orange box on the surface of Venus.
Mars Airborne Geophysical Explorer (MAGE). Discovery proposal, 1998 (M. Malin, PI). Co-Investigator:Definition and Development Leader for gravity and electromagnetic experiments, Interdisciplinary Scientist for data integration and interpretation in terms of Mars geophysics.
The orange box takes wing for a few hours.
The Naiades. Mars Scout Proposal,2002. Principal Investigator. Electromagnetic and seismic exploration for groundwater on Mars using small landers. Named for the Greek nymphs of fresh water, although Mars groundwater is likely salty.
Nobody's interested in orange boxes here.
No retrorockets, no airbags: touchdown is attenuated by a crushable capsule, which then opens as a clamshell and deploys geophysical instruments. Tan-green avionics core on the left half of the lander is ... the orange box.
Zephyr. Mars Scout Proposal, 2006. Principal Investigator. Meteorological and geophysical investigation of the present distribution, movement, and exchange of water in the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface of Mars. Named after the west wind that drives the mission.
The orange box circumnavigates Mars several times during the course of a month or longer.