SuperCam is a highly integrated remote-sensing instrumental suite for NASA’s
Mars 2020 mission. It consists of a co-aligned combination of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Time-Resolved Raman and Luminescence (TRR/L), Visible and In frared Spectroscopy (VISIR), together with sound recording (MIC) and high-magnification
imaging techniques (RMI). They provide information on the mineralogy, geochemistry and
mineral context around the Perseverance Rover.
The calibration of this complex suite is a major challenge. Not only does each technique
require its own standards or references, their combination also introduces new requirements
to obtain optimal scientific output. Elemental composition, molecular vibrational features,
fluorescence, morphology and texture provide a full picture of the sample with spectral
information that needs to be co-aligned, correlated, and individually calibrated.
The resulting hardware includes different kinds of targets, each one covering different
needs of the instrument. Standards for imaging calibration, geological samples for mineral
identification and chemometric calculations or spectral references to calibrate and eval uate the health of the instrument, are all included in the SuperCam Calibration Target
(SCCT). The system also includes a specifically designed assembly in which the samples
are mounted. This hardware allows the targets to survive the harsh environmental condi tions of the launch, cruise, landing and operation on Mars during the whole mission. Here
we summarize the design, development, integration, verification and functional testing of
the SCCT. This work includes some key results obtained to verify the scientific outcome of
the SuperCam system.
