Elizabeth Rampe, PH.D.

NASA Johnson Space Center Exploration Mission Scientist

NASA Johnson Space CenterB

Abstract: The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover has been exploring ancient sedimentary rocks in Gale crater since landing in 2012. We will talk about the depositional settings preserved in these ancient sedimentary rocks and what they tell us about water on Mars 3.5 billion years ago. The next Mars rover, Perseverance, will launch in July 2020 and will land in Jezero crater. I will give a preview to the mission and will discuss the mission goals, instruments on board, and landing site.

Bio: Dr. Rampe studies Mars geology and mineralogy and is the deputy principal investigator of the CheMin instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover. By studying minerals found on ancient Mars that were formed by water-rock interactions and similar minerals in analog environments on Earth, she helps characterize early martian environments. Her research on the evolution of the early martian surface has implications concerning its past habitability since some minerals are diagnostic of the environments in which they were formed. Dr. Rampe is also interested in the relationship between human mission operations and science. She supports human analog missions and studies the incorporation of science and scientists into extravehicular activities (EVA).