Mars Sample Return (MSR) is the highest priority science mission for the next decade as recommended by the recent Decadal Survey of Planetary Science. This paper presents an overview of a feasibility study for a MSR mission. The objective of the study was to determine whether emerging commercial capabilities can be used to reduce the number of mission systems and launches required to return the samples, with the goal of reducing mission cost. The major element required for the MSR mission are described and include an integration of the emerging commercial capabilities with small spacecraft design techniques; new utilizations of traditional aerospace technologies; and recent technological developments. We report the feasibility of a complete and closed MSR mission design using the following scenario that covers three synodic launch opportunities, beginning with the 2022 opportunity: A Falcon Heavy injects a SpaceX Red Dragon capsule and trunk onto a Trans Mars Injection (TMI) trajectory. The capsule is modified to carry all the hardware needed to return samples collected on Mars including a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV); an Earth Return Vehicle (ERV); and hardware to transfer a sample collected in a previously landed rover mission to the ERV. The Red Dragon descends to land on the surface of Mars using Supersonic Retro Propulsion (SRP). After previously collected samples are transferred to the ERV, the single-stage MAV launches the ERV from the surface of Mars to a Mars phasing orbit. The MAV uses a storable liquid, pump fed bi-propellant propulsion system. After a brief phasing period, the ERV, which also uses a storable bi-propellant system, performs a Trans Earth Injection (TEI) burn.


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    Title :

    Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Mission Architecture Overview


    Contributors:
    A. A. Gonzales (author) / C. R. Stoker (author) / L. G. Lemke (author) / N. T. Faber (author) / M. S. Race (author)

    Publication date :

    2013


    Size :

    14 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Mission Architecture Overview

    Gonzales, Andrew A. / Stoker, Carol R. / Lemke, Lawrence G. et al. | NTRS | 2013


    Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Mission Architecture Overview

    Gonzales, Andrew A. / Stoker, Carol R. / Lemke, Lawrence G. et al. | NTRS | 2014


    Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Mission Architecture Overview

    A. A. Gonzales / L. G. Lemke / C. R. Stoker et al. | NTIS | 2014


    Mars Sample Return Using Commercial Capabilities: Mission Architecture Overview

    Gonzales, Andrew A. / Lemke, Lawrence G. / Stoker, Carol R. et al. | NTRS | 2014


    Mars Sample Return using commercial capabilities: Mission architecture overview

    Gonzales, Andrew A. / Stoker, Carol R. / Lemke, Lawrence G. et al. | IEEE | 2014