The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mast cameras and Descent imager: Investigation and instrument descriptions.

The Mars Science Laboratory Mast camera and Descent Imager investigations were designed, built, and operated by Malin Space Science Systems of San Diego, CA. They share common electronics and focal plane designs but have different optics. There are two Mastcams of dissimilar focal length. The Mastcam-34 has an f/8, 34 mm focal length lens, and the M-100 an f/10, 100 mm focal length lens. The M-34 field of view is about 20 degrees x 15 degrees with an instantaneous field of view (IFOV) of 218 mu rad; the M-100 field of view (FOV) is 6.8 degrees x 5.1 degrees with an IFOV of 74 mu rad. The M-34 can focus from 0.5 m to infinity, and the M- 100 from similar to 1.6 m to infinity. All three cameras can acquire color images through a Bayer color filter array, and the Mastcams can also acquire images through seven science filters. Images are <= 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall. The Mastcams, mounted on the similar to 2 m tall Remote Sensing Mast, have a 360 degrees azimuth and similar to 180 degrees elevation field of regard. Mars Descent Imager is fixed-mounted to the bottom left front side of the rover at similar to 66 cm above the surface. Its fixed focus lens is in focus from similar to 2 m to infinity, but out of focus at 66 cm. The f/3 lens has a FOV of similar to 70 degrees by 52 degrees across and along the direction of motion, with an IFOV of 0.76 mrad. All cameras can acquire video at 4 frames/second for full frames or 720p HD at 6 fps. Images can be processed using lossy Joint Photographic Experts Group and predictive lossless compression. Plain Language Summary Paper describes the Mast cameras and Descent Imager on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover. Cameras take 2 megapixel color images that can be compressed in both JPEG lossy and predictive lossless format. One of the two Mastcams has a 34 mm lens, equivalent to a consumer camera 35 mm lens, and the other has a 100 mm lens, similar to consumer camera telephoto lens. The descent imager has a very wide angle lens (similar to 90 degrees)and takes wide angle pictures. The Mast cameras are mounted on an azimuth elevation mast so they can scan around the rover and into the sky. The Descent camera always points down. The Mast cameras have different filters to allow for scientific color imaging as well as standard color imaging as performed by consumer cameras.