Curiosity Rover Fitted with Teledyne Equipment

When the Mars Science Laboratory rover 'Curiosity' deployed successfully in Gale Crater on the planet Mars, Teledyne DALSA, Canada, joined NASA and JPL in celebrating. Teledyne DALSA supplied the image sensors used on the Curiosity's Navcams and Hazcams which were built in the Bromont, Quebec, semiconductor foundry, as were those on the previous Spirit and Opportunity rovers. The hazard avoidance cameras are installed on each corner of the rover and the 3D stereoscopic navigation cameras are part of the rover's camera mast.

These image sensors represent only a part of Teledyne's overall contributions to the launch, landing, and operation of the mission. Four other Teledyne companies contributed components crucial to the mission's success as follows:

• Teledyne Energy Systems, Inc. (TESI) developed the thermoelectric system that powers the rover.

• Teledyne Microelectronics manufactured for JPL two complex radio frequency (RF) modules (Transmit/Receive and Up/Down Module) for the MSL. These modules are part of the terminal descent and landing unit which played a major role in the last critical 30 seconds of the lander's approach to Mars.

• Teledyne Relays supplied electromechanical relays used on Curiosity's communication suite.

• Teledyne Impulse supplied electromechanical power transfer switches that were used on the Atlas V rocket that launched the mission.