Mars Sample Return Campaign Concept Status
Introduction
This paper is an overview of the current architectural elements for a potential Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign. Concepts for MSR missions have been under study for many years, in fact, decades. This most recent initiative began with a presentation from the NASA Associate Administrator, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, to the National Academies on August 28, 2017 [1]. The NASA and ESA collaboration discussed in this paper began officially with a joint NASA/ESA Statement of Intent (signed in Berlin on 4/26/18). Early introductions of this architecture and concepts for an MSR campaign have been presented at various international forums including the Second International Mars Sample Return Conference in April 2018, in Berlin [2] and the International Astronautics Congress in Oct. 2018 in Bremen [3].
For decades, the science community has advocated for Mars Sample Return (MSR) as an endeavour that would fundamentally advance our understanding of the history of our solar system and its evolution and about the past and current habitability of Mars. The benefits of MSR include potentially historic discoveries enabled by applying current and future technological capabilities to the analysis of martian samples through Earth-based laboratory capabilities not possible to implement in in-situ instruments. MSR is also expected to provide enormous educational and inspirational impacts to the public. The MSR Objectives and Samples Team (iMOST) re-evaluated and updated the sample-related science and engineering objectives of a MSR campaign [4]. The results of that study is expected to help provide guidance for planning scientific aspects of the campaign.
Key mission concept objectives and the overall mission design are described, including the mission's most current concept of operations and a notional timeline from launch to entry, through surface operations, to delivery of the samples to Mars orbit. The updated lander vehicle options being evaluated will be discussed, including the key lander element options of a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), Sample Fetch Rover (SFR), Orbiting Sample (OS) container which is part of the MAV Payload Assembly (MPA), and the Sample Transfer Arm (STA) tube transfer robotics systems. Details of the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) constraints and operations will be discussed.
The concept and status of the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) mission, being studied by ESA and supported by NASA, and the Capture/Containment and Return System (CCRS) which would be the payload on the ERO, will also be discussed.
Specific architecture level challenges and approaches for addressing those challenges are discussed, including key technical margins and backward planetary protection. Major trade studies and implementation approaches and a proposed schedule are also included.
Section snippets
Functional objectives
The functional objectives for a potential joint NASA/ESA MSR campaign as described in the Campaign Description Document [5] are the following:
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Acquire and return to Earth a scientifically selected set of Mars samples for investigation in terrestrial laboratories.
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Select samples based on their geologic diversity, astrobiological relevance, and geochronologic significance.
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Establish the field context for each sample using in-situ observations.
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Ensure the scientific integrity of the returned samples
Lander concepts under study
The MSR SRL team has been actively studying two lander concepts: a Propulsive Platform Lander (PPL) and a Sky Crane Delivered Lander (SDL). The SRL must land on Mars, deploy the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR), and.
maintain the lander and the MAV within safe operating conditions including temperatures while the SFR retrieves the M2020 sample tubes. Another option also under consideration is for Mars 2020 to deliver sample tubes to SRL. Once either or both of the rovers arrives with sample tubes the
Orbiting Sample (OS) container, MAV Payload Assembly (MPA) and Sample Transfer Arm (STA)
The OS must hold the desired number of sample tubes as retrieved by either SFR and/or Mars 2020. The final number of tubes remains a parameter under study within a range of 20–30 tubes. The shape of the OS, spherical or cylindrical with rounded caps has been studied and a decision made to pursue a cylindrical shape based on minimizing mass and size. The most current.
OS design (Fig. 7) has arrived at an 8 kg design that accommodates 30 tubes and an associated MPA design that provides the design
Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) concept
Current MAV concepts under study are a single stage to orbit hybrid and a two-stage solid. Fig. 9 shows configurations of both options.
The concepts for the MAV are currently being developed by a team at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) supported by JPL. The MAV would be responsible for launching the OS from the surface of Mars to a nearly circular orbit of approximately 400 km altitude and 25° inclination. Dispersions are currently desired to be maintained below 30 km in semimajor axis and
Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) concept
The role of the SFR would be to acquire Mars sample tubes, cached by the NASA Mars 2020 mission, from the surface of Mars, and deliver them to the SRL. ESA has selected Airbus Defense and Space UK at Phase B1 level to develop the Sample Fetch Rover (SFR) as a possible contribution to the Mars Sample Return Campaign.
Airbus is currently working with JPL to define requirements and interfaces that will allow the development of a breadboard to demonstrate in a field trial the end-to-end operational
Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) concept
The ESA Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) would be responsible for completing the return of the Mars sample tubes to Earth after the MAV has delivered the OS to Mars orbit. ERO challenges include providing the launch and propulsion energy needed to meet the round-trip mission timeline, providing the telecommunications relay function needed by the surface mission, executing the autonomous rendezvous of the OS in Mars orbit, and meeting forward and backward planetary protection requirements.
MSR Campaign
Capture/Containment and Return System (CCRS) and Earth Entry System (EES) concepts
The current CCRS concept is comprised of 3 major modules as shown in Fig. 12. The Capture, Orient Module (COM) would capture, secure, orient the OS and then transfer it to the Containment Module to complete the first containment stage by encapsulating the OS in a primary containment vessel which by design “Breaks the Chain” of contact with Mars. The encapsulated OS is then transferred to the EEV by a robotic arm to create the Earth Entry System (EES), which is part of the third module called
Summary
The Mars Sample Return campaign and design studies at NASA and ESA are proceeding well. Current proposal for a 2026 launch for both SRL and ERO is supported by ESA and NASA leadership. The MSR campaign architecture trade space is well understood, with reference options defined where appropriate and options are being evaluated to achieve robust campaign architecture closure by early 2020. The major technical elements are at an appropriately detailed level of definition for this phase of a
Declaration of competing interests
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgements
The study discussed in this paper was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the European Space Agency.
References (7)
Mars Exploration Program
(28 Aug 2017)Mars sample return lander concept overview
Mars Sample Return Conceptual Mission Overview, IAC-18-A3.3A.7
(October 1, 2018)
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