Seismometer Electronics - 2002

The Seismometer Electronics (SEIS-EL) is designed for the Mars Netlander mission from French Space Agency (CNES). It comprises all electronics of the Netlander Seismometer Experiment (SEIS-NL) experiment except the electronics of Very Broadband (VBB) and Short Period (SP) seismic sensors.

The SEIS-EL has the following major functions:
[1] The Main Controller Electronics (SEIS-MC) provides regulated power to the SEIS-NL, controls the whole SEIS-NL and performs acquisition of Soil Properties - Thermal Inertia and Cohesion - Experiment (SPICE) temperature sensors on soil probe
[2] The acquisition and control electronics (SEIS-AC) performs the digital feedback of the VBB, the signal acquisition of VBB, SP and the environmental sensors, and executes several control functions
[3] The Motor Drive Electronics (SEIS-MDE) drives seismometer sphere unlocking, leveling and deployment to ground actuators. It also enables signal acquisition of SPICE force and temperature sensors in sphere legs deployd on the ground.

The core of the acquisition circuits of SEIS-AC are the 24-bit A/D converters for digitisation of seismic and scientific sensors. The SEIS-AC (top and bottom view) and the SEIS-MDE electronics, manufactured by Swiss industrie, are shown below.