| PanCam | |
| Operator: | European Space Agency |
| Manufacturer: | ESA |
| Type: | multispectral imaging |
| Function: | navigation and science |
| Mission Duration: | ≥ 7 months[1] |
| Webpage: | ExoMars Rover Instrument Suite |
| Mass: | 2.13 kg |
| Power Consumption: | 9.2 W |
| Spacecraft: | Rosalind Franklin rover |
| Sc Operator: | ESA/Roscosmos |
| Launch: | August–October 2022[2] |
| Rocket: | Proton-M/Briz-M |
| Launch Site: | Baikonur |
The PanCam (Panoramic Camera) assembly is a set of two wide angle cameras for multi-spectral stereoscopic panoramic imaging, and a high resolution camera for colour imaging that has been designed to search for textural information or shapes that can be related to the presence of microorganisms on Mars. This camera assembly is part of the science payload on board the European Space Agency Rosalind Franklin rover,[3] tasked to search for biosignatures and biomarkers on Mars. The rover is planned to be launched in August–October 2022 and land on Mars in spring 2023.
This instrument will provide stereo multispectral images, of the terrain nearby. PanCam are the "eyes" of the rover and its primary navigation system. PanCam will also provide the geological context of the sites being explored and help support the selection of the best sites to carry out exobiology studies, as well as assist in some aspect of atmospheric studies.[4] This system will also monitor the sample from the drill before it is crushed inside the rover, where the analytical instruments will perform a detailed chemical analysis.[4]
The Principal Investigator is Professor Andrew Coates of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London in the United Kingdom.
| Spectral parameter | Mineralogical | |
|---|---|---|
| 530 nm | Ferric minerals (hematite) | |
| 530 - 610 nm | Ferric minerals and dust | |
| 900 nm | Best NIR absorption ferric minerals | |
| 950 - 1000 nm | hydrated minerals | |
| 670 nm/440 nm ratio | Ferric minerals and dust | |
| 610 nm | Goethite mineral | |
| 950 nm | Hydrated minerals, some clays and silicates | |
| 440 - 670 nm | Related to degree of oxidation |
PanCam design includes the following major components:[5]