Astromaterials Curation & Research

Introduction

The Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division (ARES) at Johnson Space Center (JSC) merges the scientific and engineering expertise to propel advancements in our understanding of potential exploration destinations. With a rich history rooted in the Apollo era, ARES is NASA’s premier curation team, overseeing the largest and most comprehensive collection of extraterrestrial samples globally. The division’s influence spans planetary research, with a state-of-the-art laboratory suite serving as a national resource for scientists across the globe. ARES is a key contributor to exploration missions, offering planetary expertise in mission objectives, spacecraft designs, and applied science services. 

Capabilities

Astromaterials Curation 

Overview | NASA JSC provides astromaterials curation for extraterrestrial samples from the moon, Mars, and other planetary bodies. 

Details | NASA JSC Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science Division (ARES) is NASA’s curation team, originating with the care, analysis, and lunar expertise for Apollo and NASA’s first astromaterials sample collection. We now curate the largest and most comprehensive collection of extraterrestrial samples in the world, with materials from the moon, Mars, the sun, asteroids, comets, other stars, and space-exposed hardware. We develop technologies and techniques to curate and study samples from challenging destinations, including organic-rich asteroids, icy worlds and comets, and Mars. 

Exploration Mission Science 

Overview | NASA JSC Astromaterials and Exploration Science Division (ARES) constructs and operates spacecraft, instrumentation, and sensors as team members of various missions. 

Details | We provide planetary expertise in the definition of mission objectives, spacecraft designs, suit and tool designs and operating protocols. We provide applied science services to missions, including remote sensing, imagery science and analysis, orbital debris environment predictions, spacecraft debris risk assessments and spacecraft shielding. Our unique integrated team of scientists and engineers also provide mission enabling services. We are NASA’s designated team for characterizing the orbital debris environment through space-based payloads, ground-based observatories and radar facilities, laboratory studies and modeling. We use our environmental knowledge to estimate risk to spacecraft and to guide vehicle design to mitigate risk, taking advantage or our in-house development of shielding technology. 

Science Operations 

Overview | NASA JSC Astromaterials and Exploration Research Division (ARES) pioneered science operations for human missions through support to the Apollo missions, which has been leveraged to all subsequent crewed missions, including International Space Station (ISS) missions and Orion missions. 

Details | The Astromaterials and Exploration Science Division (ARES) integrates science operations of Earth sensors onboard the International Space Station and leads the acquisition of Earth imagery by astronauts. We populate Mars mission teams, including the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Perseverance rovers. We also integrate into science teams for asteroid missions including Origin’s Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) and Hayabusa2. We lead the development of sensors to enhance the scientific return of planetary exploration, leveraging the International Space Station as a proving ground as needed.