Human Mars mission architecture studies have shown that the ascent vehicle mass drives performance requirements for the descent and in-space transportation elements. Understanding the sensitivity of Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) mass to various mission and vehicle design choices enables overall transportation system optimization. This paper presents the results of a variety of sensitivity trades affecting MAV performance including: landing site latitude, target orbit, initial thrust to weight ratio, staging options, specific impulse, propellant type and engine design.
Human Mars Ascent Vehicle Performance Sensitivities
AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition (SPACE 2016) ; 2016 ; Long Beach, CA, United States
2016-09-13
Conference paper
No indication
English