Application of solar-electric propulsion to extensive Martian surface observation is examined; spacecraft design that employs 370-sqm solar arrays, electron-bombardment ion engines, and vidicon or photographic film camera systems is described; spacecraft is chemically boosted into escape trajectory from which heliocentric transfer to Mars is accomplished by way of electric propulsion; at Mars high polar orbit near terminator is established with chemical retropropulsion system; entire solar array is retained and provides sufficient power to enable electric thrusters to adjust orbit plane for optimum photography and lower spacecraft into series of decreasingly smaller orbits from which variety of observations is possible.
Photographic exploration of mars with solar-electric propulsion
J Spacecraft Rockets
Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets ; 5 , n 5
1968
7 pages
Article (Journal)
English
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