Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer
| Operator | Spanish National Research Council |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Spanish Astrobiology Center (CSIC-INTA) |
| Instrument type | Suite of environmental sensors |
| Function | Measure dust size, morphology, weather |
| Mission duration | 1 Mars year |
| Properties | |
| Mass | 5.5 kg (12 lb) |
| Power consumption | 17 watts |
| Host spacecraft | |
| Spacecraft | Mars 2020 Perseverance rover |
| Launch date | July 30, 2020 |
| Rocket | Atlas V 541 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) is an instrument on board the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover designed to characterize dust size and morphology, as well as surface weather. This information is intended to inform future human exploration objectives, as dust sizes and shapes, daily weather reports, and information on radiation and wind patterns on Mars are critical for proper design of in situ resource utilization systems. MEDA is a follow-on project from REMS of the Curiosity rover mission, with a larger scope.
The instrument suite was developed and provided by the Spanish Astrobiology Center at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid, Spain. On April 8, 2021, NASA reported the first MEDA weather report on Mars: for April 3–4, 2021, the high was "minus-7.6 degrees, and a low of minus-117.4 degrees ... [winds] gusting to ... 22 mph".