In Situ Propellant Production (ISPP) on the surface of a target body is evaluated as a potential way to relax sample return mass constraints and to improve mission performance. Utilization of an oxygen/methane bipropellant combination for primary outbound and return propulsion has a significant favorable impact upon Earth escape requirements. A small sample can be returned from Mars using a single Shuttle/IUS(Twin) launch. Performance and design data are presented for the Mars mission. For sample returns from selected Galilean satellites, launch requirements are reduced by fifteen to forty percent. An assessment is made of overall utility of ISPP to planetary missions.
In Situ Propellant Production for improved sample return mission performance
Astrodynamics 1979 ; 1979 ; Provincetown, MA
1980-01-01
Miscellaneous
No indication
English
A 2007 Mars Sample Return Mission Utilizing In-Situ Propellant Production
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999
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