Mars Sample Return (MSR) missions could benefit from the high specific impulse of Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) to achieve lower launch masses than with chemical propulsion. SEP presents formulation challenges due to the coupled nature of launch vehicle performance, propulsion system, power system, and mission timeline. This paper describes a SEP orbiter-sizing tool, which models spacecraft mass & timeline in conjunction with low thrust round-trip Earth-Mars trajectories, and presents selected concept designs. A variety of system designs are possible for SEP MSR orbiters, with large dry mass allocations, similar round-trip durations to chemical orbiters, and reduced design variability between opportunities.


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    Title :

    Round-Trip Solar Electric Propulsion Missions for Mars Sample Return



    Conference:

    AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting ; 2014 ; Sante Fe, New Mexico, United States


    Publication date :

    2014-01-26


    Type of media :

    Preprint


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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