The study examines how the mission design variables departure energy, entry speed, and trip time vary for round-trip conjunction-class Mars missions. These three parameters must be balanced in order to produce a mission that is acceptable in terms of mass, cost, and risk. For the analysis, a simple, massless- planet trajectory program was employed. The premise of this work is that if the trans-Mars and trans-Earth injection stages are designed for the most stringent opportunity in the energy cycle, then there is extra energy capability in the "easier" opportunities which can be used to decrease the planetary entry speed, or shorten the trip time. Both of these effects are desirable for a human exploration program.
Departure Energies, Trip Times and Entry Speeds for Human Mars Missions
Space Flight Mechanics ; 1999 ; Breckenridge, CO, United States
1999-01-01
Miscellaneous
No indication
English
Departure Energies, Trip Times and Entry Speeds for Human Mars Missions
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999
|Effect of Earth and Mars Departure Delays on Human Missions to Mars
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1993
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