Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer

Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer
Operator	Spanish National Research Council
Manufacturer	Spanish Astrobiology Center (CSIC-INTA)
Instrument type	Suite of environmental sensors
Function	Measure dust size, morphology, weather
Mission duration	1 Mars year
Properties
Mass	5.5 kg (12 lb)
Power consumption	17 watts
Host spacecraft
Spacecraft	Mars 2020 Perseverance rover
Launch date	July 30, 2020
Rocket	Atlas V 541
Launch site	Cape Canaveral SLC-41

The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) is an instrument on board the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover that will characterize the dust size and morphology, as well as surface weather.^[2]^[3] Specifically, the information obtained will help address future human exploration objectives, as dust sizes and shapes, daily weather report and information on the radiation and wind patterns on Mars, that are critical for proper design of in situ resource utilization systems.^[2]^[3] MEDA is a follow-on project from REMS, of the Curiosity rover mission.^[4] MEDA has an increased scope, with greater data collection on Mars dust which contributes to overall Mars program objectives and discovery goals.^[4]

The instrument suite was developed and provided by the Spanish Astrobiology Center at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid, Spain. On April 8, 2021, NASA reported the first MEDA weather report on Mars: for April 3–4, 2021, the high was "minus-7.6 degrees, and a low of minus-117.4 degrees ... [winds] gusting to ... 22 mph".^[5]

^ "Mission: Overview". NASA. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
^ ^a ^b The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA): A Suite of Environmental Sensors for the Mars 2020 Rover. Tamppari, L.; Rodriguez-Manfredi, J. A.; de la Torre-Juárez, M.; Bridges, N.; Conrad, P. G.; Genzer, M.; Gomez, F.; Gomez-Elvira, J.; Harri, A. M.; Lemmon, M. T.; Martinez, G.; Navarro, S.; Newman, C. E.; Perez-Hoyos, S.; Prieto, O.; Ramos, M.; Saiz-Lopez, A.; Sanchez-Lavega, A.; Schofield, J. T.; Smith, M. D. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2015, abstract #P11B-2097
^ ^a ^b Mars 2020 - MEDA Specifications. NASA, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "MEDA: An Environmental and Meteorological Package for Mars 2020" (PDF). 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2014). Retrieved November 12, 2022.
^ Cappucci, Matthew (April 8, 2021). "NASA receives first weather reports from Perseverance rover on Mars at Jezero Crater - The weather data is crucial as the first flight of Ingenuity draws near". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 8, 2021.

[NASA-Mars2020-1] "Mission: Overview". NASA. Retrieved March 7, 2015.

[Tamppari_2015-2] The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA): A Suite of Environmental Sensors for the Mars 2020 Rover. Tamppari, L.; Rodriguez-Manfredi, J. A.; de la Torre-Juárez, M.; Bridges, N.; Conrad, P. G.; Genzer, M.; Gomez, F.; Gomez-Elvira, J.; Harri, A. M.; Lemmon, M. T.; Martinez, G.; Navarro, S.; Newman, C. E.; Perez-Hoyos, S.; Prieto, O.; Ramos, M.; Saiz-Lopez, A.; Sanchez-Lavega, A.; Schofield, J. T.; Smith, M. D. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2015, abstract #P11B-2097

[MEDA_specs-3] Mars 2020 - MEDA Specifications. NASA, 2016.

[hou.usra.edu-4] "MEDA: An Environmental and Meteorological Package for Mars 2020" (PDF). 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2014). Retrieved November 12, 2022.

[WP-20210408-5] Cappucci, Matthew (April 8, 2021). "NASA receives first weather reports from Perseverance rover on Mars at Jezero Crater - The weather data is crucial as the first flight of Ingenuity draws near". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 8, 2021.

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