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| Semester | spring semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Every spring sem. |
| Lecturers |
Tomaso Bontognali (tomaso.bontognali@unibas.ch)
Nikolaus J. Kuhn (nikolaus.kuhn@unibas.ch, Assessor) Gabriela Ligeza (gabriela.ligeza@unibas.ch) |
| Content | The course aims to acquaint students with the collaborative and multidisciplinary approach required for planning and executing robotic missions on the surfaces of Mars and the Moon. It will include lectures of planetary geology, astrobiology, mission design, and space system engineering. Emphasis will be placed on two main scientific topics: the search for life on Mars and the prospecting of lunar resources. The lectures will be given by scientists and engineers directly involved in the ESA-led ExoMars 2028 mission, NASA’s Mars 2020 mission, and the development of legged robots. The course will also include a practical component in which participants will design and conduct a simplified simulated mission, performing a remotely controlled investigation of Mars analogue samples placed in an artificial Martian landscape at the Marslabor of the University of Basel. In this facility, they will also observe a demonstration of how a legged robot (i.e., ANYmal) can be used for geological investigations. |
| Learning objectives | This comprehensive 5-day course aims to introduce students to planetary science, focusing on mission concepts and surface exploration of Mars with rovers based on ESA's ExoMars mission. Additionally, it covers the exploration of the challenging terrain of the Moon with legged robots for lunar resource prospecting. The theoretical component will include lectures on planetary geology, astrobiology, and mission design & space system engineering, integrating lessons learned and the most recent scientific results from NASA's Mars 2020 mission. In the practical part, students will design and execute a science rover mission to detect biosignatures in a simulated Mars environment at Marslabor, University of Basel. The primary question to address: Was there, or is there still, life on Mars? |
| Bibliography | Sween et al. 2019. Planetary Geoscience |
| Comments | Language: German and English |
| Weblink | Physiogeographie und Umweltwandel |
| Admission requirements | Basics of geomorphology, geology or by arrangement. Maximum of 10 participants, whereby attention is paid to a balanced composition of the group in terms of previous knowledge. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block | See individual dates | ||
| Comments | 26.02-01.03.2024 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 26.02.2024 | 14.15-17.30 | Geographie, FG Kuhn, 3. Stock, Klingelbergstrasse 27 |
| Tuesday 27.02.2024 | 09.15-17.00 | Geographie, FG Kuhn, 3. Stock, Klingelbergstrasse 27 |
| Wednesday 28.02.2024 | 09.15-17.00 | Geographie, FG Kuhn, 3. Stock, Klingelbergstrasse 27 |
| Thursday 29.02.2024 | 09.15-17.00 | Geographie, FG Kuhn, 3. Stock, Klingelbergstrasse 27 |
| Friday 01.03.2024 | 09.15-12.30 | Geographie, Hörsaal 5-01 |
| Modules |
Modul: Geographische Methoden- und Forschungskompetenz (Master's degree subject: Geography) Module: Landscape Systems (Master's Studies: Geosciences) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Students will be expected to participate actively in all aspects of the course, including the preparation of a final report of ca. 3,000 words. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Science, studiendekanat-philnat@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Geowissenschaften |