SAM-GC Organization

The SAM instrumental suite is under the responsibility of an American PI from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre (GSFC). French contribution to SAM: SAM-GC (gas chromatograph) is under the responsibility of a Co-I from LATMOS (ex-SA). Technical responsibility for the instrument development belongs to an instrument project manager from LISA.

The organization is structured in two teams:–a scientific team and a technical team.

• The scientific team's role is to determine the functional specifications (scientific, technical, performances) of the GC, to define the method and calibration means, to define and develop the tools (essentially software programmes) to analyze GC measurements, to participate in to the scientific meetings organized by JPL and NASA, and to use and interpret the scientific data delivered by the instrument in operation on Mars.
  This team is composed of scientists from different laboratories. It is constituted of one Co-PI, three Co-Is with roles defined and accepted by NASA, and six associates who actively participate in the project.

• The technical team is in charge of SAM-GC development as well as associated ground supports. It is a CNRS/CNES team of about ten engineers mainly near Paris.

An advisory team made up of CNRS and CNES experts was constituted to verify that the instrument development had no major issue and met the scientific objectives. It could be involved (completely or partially), should the project need it, in reviews or peer reviews held by CNES, the GFSC, JPL and NASA.

The following scheme describes the organization set up for SAM-C development as well as the main interfaces which are ensured daily during the development: