NASA's next mission to Mars will take Vaisala's innovative technology to the surface of the red planet. The devices are provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute as part of the Spanish MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamic Analyzer) device package, which will be installed in the Mars 2020 Rover. The Rover will also carry Vaisala's newest and advanced pressure and humidity sensors, which have never been used on Mars terrain before. 

FMI's MEDA PS and MEDA HS instruments will measure the pressure and humidity of the atmosphere of Mars. The measuring instrumentation is now calibrated and finalised. Before handing over to NASA later this year, the devices are tested in Spain with the MEDA package's main computer.

Liisa Åström, vice president, products and systems at Vaisala, said: “Humidity and pressure measurements are Vaisala's bread and butter. Our HUMICAP and BAROCAP sensor technologies are used in numerous applications.

“At Vaisala we are very proud to be able to contribute to a planetary study on Mars. The sensors' long-term stability and accuracy, as well as their ability to tolerate dust, chemicals, and harsh environmental conditions, makes them suitable for the very demanding conditions on Mars.”