To assess ‘quick’ missions to Mars, a study was performed to determine the feasibility of a two-year roundtrip class mission concept of operation that enables boots on Mars in the 2030s. After performing a Phase 1.1 2036 Mars opposition design case, the more difficult 2039 opposition design was pursued. This Phase 1.2 also sought to further refine the concept, building on feasibility, and addressing several challenges brought by independent team reviews. Given the date of 2039, nearer-term technologies, primarily nuclear thermal and nuclear electric were deemed as the most viable for these missions. This paper explores a nuclear electric and chemical combined propulsion approach to achieve the desired mission timeline.


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    Title :

    1.9 MWe Nuclear Electric Propulsion-Chemical Propulsion Piloted Mars Opposition Vehicle


    Contributors:
    Steven Oleson (author) / Elizabeth Turnbull (author) / Laura Burke (author) / Thomas Packard (author) / Lee Mason (author) / James Fittje (author) / Anthony Colozza (author) / Paul Schmitz (author) / Steven McCarty (author) / John Yim (author)

    Conference:

    Nuclear Emerging Technologies for Space (NETS 2022) ; 2022 ; Cleveland, OH, US


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English