The driving requirement for design of a Mars Sample return mission is assuring containment of the returned samples. The impact of this requirement on developmental costs, mass allocation, and design approach of the Earth Entry Vehicle is significant. A simple Earth entry vehicle is described which can meet these requirements and safely transport the Mars Sample Return mission's sample through the Earth's atmosphere to a recoverable location on the surface. Detailed analysis and test are combined with probabilistic risk assessment to design this entirely passive concept that circumvents the potential failure modes of a parachute terminal descent system. The design also possesses features that mitigate other risks during the entry, descent, landing and recovery phases. The results of a full-scale drop test are summarized.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Earth Entry Vehicle For Returning Samples From Mars


    Contributors:
    R. Mitcheltree (author) / S. Hughes (author) / R. Dillman (author) / J. Teter (author)

    Publication date :

    2001


    Size :

    10 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    An Earth Entry Vehicle For Returning Samples From Mars

    Mitcheltree, R. / Hughes, S. / Dillman, R. et al. | NTRS | 2001


    Returning Geological Samples from Mars

    Yaghoubi, Darius | NTRS | 2019



    Earth Entry of the Vehicle with the Mars Ground Samples

    Murzinov, I. / European Space Agency / CIRA et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002


    Earth Entry Vehicle for Mars Sample Return

    R. A. Mitcheltree / R. D. Braun / L. C. Simonsen | NTIS | 2000