Pre-Flight Calibration of the Mars 2020 Rover Mastcam Zoom (Mastcam-Z) Multispectral, Stereoscopic Imager

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science and Astrobiology
• Remote Sensing and Instrumentation

Background:

• The Mastcam-Z system is a key instrument on NASA's Perseverance rover, designed for high-resolution, multi-spectral imaging on Mars.
• Accurate radiometric and geometric calibration is crucial for interpreting scientific data gathered by the rover's cameras.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the pre-flight calibration of the Mastcam-Z instrument.
• To characterize the radiometric and geometric performance of the Mastcam-Z cameras.
• To identify strategies for optimizing science data quality during Martian operations.

Main Methods:

• Acquisition of approximately 45,000 images during stand-alone calibration and Assembly Test and Launch Operations (ATLO).
• Characterization of radiometric accuracy and geometric behavior across various zoom, focus, and filter settings.
• Validation of calibration results using a Geoboard target with well-characterized geologic samples.

Main Results:

• Achieved 5% absolute radiometric accuracy under tested camera states, with an estimated uncertainty of [value] for non-canonical states.
• Image quality, measured by Modulation Transfer Function (MTF), exceeded design requirements across all operational parameters.
• Identified wavelength and temperature dependencies on radiometric coefficients and scene-dependent dynamic bias frames.

Conclusions:

• The Mastcam-Z instrument meets or exceeds its performance specifications for radiometric accuracy and image quality.
• Lessons learned from calibration, including unexpected dependencies, will inform operational strategies for maximizing scientific return on Mars.
• The calibration process and validation provide confidence in the data that will be acquired by Mastcam-Z during the Mars mission.