Abstract An often-overlooked aspect of human missions to Mars is that the optimal path to the Red Planet could include a flyby of Venus. As part of so-called opposition missions, a crewed spacecraft would, after departing Earth, approach Venus en route to Mars. Such Venus flybys would offer unique opportunities to practice deep-space human operations during phases of flight for which a direct return to Earth would be a viable abort option. Indeed, crewed flyby missions to Venus provide a basis for longer-duration human spaceflight activities before committing to longer-duration and lower-launch-cadence missions solely to Mars. During Venus flybys, astronauts bound for Mars could carry out opportunistic “human-in-the-loop” scientific activities, such as controlling an aerial platform or directing in situ sampling by a landed spacecraft for much lower cost than a dedicated crewed mission to Venus. An independent crewed Venus flyby could also serve as a useful systems demonstration mission prior to a first human mission to Mars. With a renewed focus on landing humans on Mars in the 2030s and the formidable challenges still ahead for safe and successful long-duration human spaceflight, the time to consider incorporating Venus on the path to Mars is now.
Highlights Human missions to/by Venus are important considerations for exploration strategy. Human Mars missions that include Venus flybys offer advantages and opportunities. Venus flybys reduce Mars mission delta-V, and provide deep space operations practice. Crewed flybys enable “human in the loop” scientific study of Venus. The time to begin coordinating such Earth-to-Mars-via-Venus missions is now.
Venus Exploration in the New Human Spaceflight Age
Acta Astronautica ; 180 ; 100-104
2020-12-11
5 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Venus , Mars , Human spaceflight , Flyby , Planetary science , Missions
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