Calibration and performance of the MEDA pressure sensor on the Perseverance rover

The Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) Pressure Sensor (PS) aboard the Perseverance rover has been actively collecting data in Jezero crater since February 2021. Provided by the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), MEDA PS is part of the broader MEDA sensor suite, designed to regularly capture atmospheric measurements on the surface of Mars. The flight model of MEDA PS underwent thorough testing and calibration at FMI, covering a pressure range of 0 to 14 hPa and a temperature range of -45 to +55 °C. Calibration adjustments were performed post-integration to the MEDA instrument control unit and at the end of the interplanetary cruise. Routine checks and calibration adjustments of the backup sensor heads have also been conducted during the surface operations. Using the data obtained during the testing and calibration processes and the first Martian year of operations, we have evaluated the performance of MEDA PS. Our analysis, including also the pressure uncertainty, reveals that the sensor meets and even exceeds its design requirements. We present the results of the assessment which verify the sensor’s capability to deliver high-quality pressure measurements from the Martian surface.