has long held captive the imaginations of people across the globe. Occasionally visible with the naked eye, the distant Red Planet has always appeared at the very edge of what might one day be possible. As Mars exploration projects ramp up, the planet seems to edge closer within our grasp, and we can’t get enough of it.

The Red Planet has been the focus of human imagination for centuries. The fourth planet away from the Sun, and the second smallest planet in our solar system, Mars’ surface conditions and the presence of water arguably make it the most hospitable planet Is nearby after . Long-held concerns about the future habitability of Earth have increased focus on off-world settlements in recent years, with both the and Mars being primary targets. Private and publication organisations alike have been investing heavily in studies and developing there technologies for potential future colonization efforts, including NASA, Roscosmos, the Chinese National Space Administration, the European Space Agency (ESA), Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, and Boeing. It’s not just Mars’ proximity that makes it a potential candidate for humanity’s first off-world base. Indeed, life Mars and Earth have certain similarities that render the Red Planet a curious prospect for settlement:

• The day is 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35.244 seconds. In contrast, the Moon day is almost 30 Earth days long. on • With an axial tilt of 25.19°, similar to Earth’s 23.44°, Mars has seasons much like Earth, although each is about twice as long, as the Martian year is around 1.88 Earth years. • Recent discoveries have confirmed the presence of water in ice form on Mars.

The differences between Mars and Earth, however, are numerous. Each would need compensating for in Mars? order to establish a successful human settlement. • Mars’ gravity measures 38 percent of Earth’s; while microgravity has been found to cause adverse health effects including muscle loss and bone mineralization, it is not yet known whether Mars’ gravity will have the same effects. Further studies are required. • The Martian is 95 percent dioxide, 3 percent , 1.6 percent argon, and traces of other gases, including , totalling less than 0.4 percent. Earth’s atmosphere, in contrast, is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases. • The lack of in the Martian atmosphere means that solar particle events and cosmic rays easily reach the surface, while the thin atmosphere does not keep out UV rays. • Martian is below the Armstrong limit where humans can survive without pressure suits. • Average surface temperatures of -87 to -5°C are Mars from horizon to horizon much lower than are found on Earth. Indeed, Mars Image: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin has an eccentric orbit; thus, temperature and

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solar constant variations are much higher than (MARSIS) to confirm the presence of liquid water on Earth. Mars. • Mars is 52 percent farther away from the Sun than The ground-penetrating radar investigation has Earth, and the amount of solar energy reaching shown that the south polar region of Mars is made of the is just 43.3 percent of what many layers of ice and dust down to a depth of about reaches Earth. 1.5km in the 200km-wide area analysed in the study. A particularly bright radar reflection underneath the Scientists and engineers across the globe would have layered deposits is identified within a 20km-wide zone. us believe that these differences are just challenges to Analysing the properties of the reflected radar signals be overcome with technology; habitats can, in theory, and considering the composition of the layered deposits be created to support human life even on Mars, while and expected temperature profile below the surface, advanced communications solutions can help solve the the scientists interpret the bright feature as an interface psychological challenges of living so far from Earth. between the ice and a stable body of liquid water, which Companies and organisations the world over are duly could be laden with salty, saturated sediments. For getting in on the action – the race to Mars is on! MARSIS to be able to detect such a patch of water, it would need to be at least several tens of centimetres celebrates 15 years of exploration thick. The ESA’s Mars Express programme is celebrating its “This subsurface anomaly on Mars has radar fifteenth year of operations this year. Launched from properties matching water or water-rich sediments,” said Kazakhstan in 2003, the Mars Express Orbiter has Roberto Orosei, Principal Investigator of the MARSIS produced global maps tracing the planet’s geological experiment. “This is just one small study area; it is an activity, water, volcanism and minerals, studied canyons, exciting prospect to think there could be more of these polar ice caps, impact craters and volcanoes, probed underground pockets of water elsewhere, yet to be the surface with radar, and explored the Martian discovered.” atmosphere. A recent upgrade to Mars Express software “We’d seen hints of interesting subsurface features has extended the lifetime of the mission, possibly for years, but we couldn’t reproduce the result from orbit through to the mid-2020s. to orbit, because the sampling rates and resolution of In July, a new study based on ten years of data from our data was previously too low,” added Andrea the radar instrument on Mars Express indicated that the Cicchetti, MARSIS Operations Manager. “We had to complex Martian atmosphere does in fact behave as a come up with a new operating mode to bypass some single, interconnected system, with processes occurring onboard processing and trigger a higher sampling rate at low and mid-levels significantly affecting those seen and thus improve the resolution of the footprint of our higher up. Mars’ atmosphere continuously leaks into dataset: Now we see things that simply were not space; the planet has lost the majority of its denser and possible before.” wetter atmosphere, causing it to evolve into the dry planet we see today. Understanding the atmosphere is ExoMars breaks ground vital for future missions to Mars, particularly for future The ESA and Russian Space Agency Roscosmos have settlement possibilities. The new findings could also joined forces to expand human understanding of potentially help scientists to understand how Mars’ Mars. ExoMars (Exobiology on Mars) is a two-part atmosphere evolves over time – not only with respect astrobiology project to search for evidence of life on to external disturbances such as space weather and the Mars. The first part is a (TGO) research activity of the Sun, but also with respect to Mars’ own and which was launched to strong internal variability and surface processes. Mars’ orbit in 2016. The TGO has a planned lifetime of “The lower and middle levels of Mars’ atmosphere seven years in orbit, where it will study trace gases, appear to be coupled to the upper levels: There’s a clear primarily , in the Martian atmosphere, that could link between them throughout the Martian year,” said be evidence of biological activity. It will also act as the Lead Author Beatriz Sánchez-Cano of the University of communications link between the planned 2020 Leicester. ”We found this link by tracking the amount of ExoMars rover, and Earth. The second part of the project electrons in the upper atmosphere – a property that has is a land rover, will be launched in 2020, and is expected been measured by the MARSIS radar for over a decade to operate through 2022. across different seasons, areas of Mars, times of day, In April, the ExoMars TGO returned its first images of and more – and correlating it with the atmospheric Mars from its orbit above the planet. The TGO’s Colour parameters measured by other instruments on Mars and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) captured Express.” a 40 km-long segment of Korolev Crater located high in Later in the same month, radar data collected by the the northern hemisphere. The orbiter’s camera is one of Mars Express pointed to a pond of liquid water buried four instruments on the TGO, which also hosts two under layers of ice and dust in the south polar region of spectrometer suites and a neutron detector. The Mars. We’ve been aware for some time that liquid water spectrometers began their science mission on 21 April used to be prevalent on Mars’ surface, and that ice can with the TGO making its first tests of the atmosphere, be found on the surface even today. Early results from looking at how molecules in the atmosphere absorb the Mars Express showed that ice exists at the planet’s sunlight: Each has a unique fingerprint that reveals its poles, buried in layers by dust, and the presence of liquid chemical composition. A long period of data collection water at the base of the polar ice caps has long been will be required, as the trace gases comprise less than suspected. Scientists have now developed new one percent of the volume of the planet’s atmosphere. techniques for utilising the Mars Advanced Radar for The camera will eventually help characterise features Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument on the surface that may be related to trace gas sources.

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“We were really pleased to see how good this picture tests. was given the lighting conditions,” said Antoine Another test model will soon start an eight month- Pommerol, a member of the CaSSIS science team long campaign focusing on the rover’s movements and working on the calibration of the data. “It shows that navigation over a variety of different ground types, CaSSIS can make a major contribution to studies of the ranging from fine-grained soil to larger boulders. carbon dioxide and water cycles on Mars.” In July, meanwhile, the UK Space Agency launched Back on Earth, May saw the ExoMars rover begin a a competition to name the ExoMars rover, as announced rigorous test campaign that will ensure it can survive by Tim Peake at the Farnborough International Airshow. the launch, landing and day-to-day operations on Mars “Mars is a fascinating destination, a place where humans in 2020. The rover will be the first of its kind to drill up to will one day work alongside to gather new 2m below the surface, determining whether evidence knowledge and search for life in our Solar System,” said of life is buried underground, protected from the Peake. “The ExoMars rover is a vital part of this journey destructive that impinges the planet’s surface. of exploration and we are asking you to become part of To ensure operability on Mars, the rover’s ‘structural this exciting mission and name the rover that will scout and thermal model’ was transferred from Airbus the Martian surface.”

ExoMars image: Korolev Crater Image: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS

Defence and Space in Stevenage, UK, to the Airbus site Lockheed Martin moves forward with Mars vision in Toulouse, France, where it has been shaken on a Lockheed Martin has historically engaged in a great vibration table to determine whether it can survive the many Mars missions with NASA and other international stress of launch into space. Two months of thermal tests bodies. The company’s vision for future space under Mars atmosphere conditions will fully qualify the exploration is based around its rover for being able to withstand the frigid temperatures concept, a crewed Mars laboratory orbiter concept and large daily temperature variations on Mars. The tests commissioned by NASA. The concept features a strong will be conducted in a chamber to simulate the low foundation of today’s technologies, including Orion, the atmospheric pressure of Mars – less than 1 percent of world’s first deep space crew capsule, a super heavy Earth’s average pressure – and its carbon launch system, a crew habitat, and solar electric dioxide-rich atmosphere. The rover will also need to propulsion technology. operate at temperatures down to -120°C. “We developed a concept called Mars Base Camp

that shows the systems and architecture for how to get ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ humans to Mars with Orion. It’s very achievable with technology we have now. We see it as a NASA-led It is easy to take things for granted mission with international involvement and most of the systems being built by industry. It’s a three-year mission, when you are living at home... and from orbit, the six person crew can study the planet up close, conduct science with remote rovers or drones Something as simple as calling and even retrieve surface samples to bring home,” Rob Chambers, Director of Strategy at your family is completely different Lockheed Martin, told NewSpace International. Back in July 2017, Lockheed Martin announced a when you are outside of low Earth particularly interesting new project that reaped a lot of media attention. The company is refurbishing a shuttle-

era cargo container, the Donatello Multi-Purpose ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○orbit Logistics Module (MPLM), used to transfer cargo to the A closed compartment inside the rover, where International Space Station (ISS) into a deep space samples will be analysed, will be thermally habitat prototype for NASA at the Kennedy Space controlled to maintain temperatures between 20°C and Center. This prototype will integrate evolving -40°C. Following completion of the test campaign in technologies to keep safe while onboard and August, the rover will be shipped to Lavochkin, Moscow, operate the spacecraft autonomously when where it will be sealed inside a replica descent module unoccupied. Interestingly, the team will rely heavily on and again subjected to vibration, shock and thermal mixed reality prototyping using virtual and augmented

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reality. Through this approach, the team can reduce cost and schedule, as well as identify and solve issues early in the design phase. Blah “It is easy to take things for granted when you are living at home, but the recently selected astronauts will face unique challenges,” said Bill Pratt, Lockheed Martin NextSTEP Program Manager. “Something as simple as calling your family is completely different when you are outside of low Earth orbit. While building this habitat, we have to operate in a different mindset that’s more akin to long trips to Mars to ensure we keep them safe, healthy and productive.” Under a public-private partnership (PPP), NASA awarded Lockheed Martin a Phase II contract for the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) habitat study contract. As part of Phase II, the team will refine the design concept developed in Phase I and work with NASA to identify key system Mars Express requirements for the Deep Space Gateway, a planned Image: ESA/ATG medialab; Mars: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin lunar-orbit space station, that will have a power and propulsion system, a small habitat for the crew, a docking capability, an airlock, and logistics modules. Included in this work, the team will build a full-scale habitat prototype in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and a next-generation deep space avionics integration lab near Johnson Space Center. “We are excited to work with NASA to repurpose a historic piece of flight hardware, originally designed for low Earth orbit exploration, to play a role in humanity’s push into deep space,” said Pratt. “Making use of existing capabilities will be a guiding philosophy for Lockheed Martin to minimize development time and meet NASA’s affordability goals.” The work will occur over 18 months and will build upon the concept study performed in Phase I. Phase II will also focus on mixed reality and rapid prototyping and working on concept refinement and risk reduction. The new results, which will be provided to NASA, will further the understanding of the systems, standards and common interfaces needed to make living in deep space ExoMars Rover structural model possible. Image: Airbus Defence and Space Lockheed Martin is making great effort to incorporate its Generation Beyond K-12 science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiative into its future deep projects. In April, Lockheed Martin announced the winners of a nationwide contest asking students to design a Mars-orbiting science lab and living space (or Mars Base Camp Habitation Module) that will dock with NASA’s Orion deep space spacecraft. The contest asked middle school students to submit their best design ideas for a Habitation Module that will provide all of the systems and living spaces that a crew needs for a long mission. The individual winner is from East Prairie Elementary School in Skokie, Illinois and the team winners are from Stoller Middle School in Portland, Oregon. “Lockheed Martin is already developing design concepts for a , and the 2017 Generation Beyond Video Challenge Contest was a great to hear innovative new ideas from the next generation of engineers, builders and explorers who will Trace Gas Orbiter at Mars help us get there,” said Tony Antonelli, a former NASA space shuttle pilot who heads advanced civil space Image: ESA/ATG medialab programs for Lockheed Martin. “The goal of Generation

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Beyond is to spark student interest in STEM, and this the crew module for EM-1. Everyone on the team contest is one of many ways we’re using exciting topics, understands how crucial this test campaign is, and more like space travel, to engage students in learning.” importantly, what this spacecraft and mission means to Lockheed Martin reached a major milestone in May, our country and future human space flight.” when its Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigation, The initial power-on event was the first time the Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) was launched on vehicle management computers and the power and board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket; it is data units were installed on the crew module, loaded now well on its six-month journey to Mars, due to arrive with flight software and tested. Evaluating these core on 26 November. InSight, managed by NASA’s Jet systems, thought of as the ‘brain and heart’ of the Orion Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will be the first mission to capsule, is the first step in testing all of the crew module study the planet’s interior by measuring its heat output subsystems. Although astronauts will not fly in this and observing its rotational variations. It will use the capsule on this flight, a large majority of the subsystems seismic waves generated by Mars quakes and meteorite and avionics are the same design that astronauts will impacts to develop a map of the planet’s deep interior. rely on during following missions with Orion into the solar The resulting into Mars’ formation will help system. mission scientists to better understand how other rocky With the successful initial power on behind them, planets, including Earth, evolved. engineers and technicians will continue integrating the Lockheed Martin designed, built and tested the 55 components that make up the spacecraft avionics spacecraft and is responsible for flight operations during suite, connecting them with nearly 400 harnesses. Over the cruise phase as well as entry, descent and landing the course of two to three months, as each system is in November later this year. Once the lander is on Mars, installed, they will perform thorough functional tests to the mission operations team, based in Denver, will ensure Orion is ready to move to the all-important support science collection through the life of the mission environmental testing phase. – approximately two Earth years or one Martian year. “The Orion crew module is essentially complete and “Though the six-month journey is called the ‘quiet we’re moving soon into environmental testing,” Rob cruise phase’ there are many things our team must do Chambers, Director of Human Spaceflight Strategy at to make sure we are ready for InSight’s arrival at Mars,” Lockheed Martin, told NewSpace International. “We just said Tim Linn, InSight Deputy Program Manager and installed the large heat shield and soon the service Entry, Descent and Landing Manager. “The spacecraft module will arrive from Europe where it was built by will be travelling at a Mars relative velocity of Airbus. Once at Kennedy, we’ll integrate it with the crew approximately 12,500mph, so we need precise entry module and move into testing. NASA is planning to flight path angle and orientation of the InSight spacecraft launch Orion onboard the large SLS rocket in late 2019/ to be able to execute a successful propulsive landing early 2020 on its Exploration Mission-2 uncrewed test and get the lander to a safe speed of approximately flight that will go out 40,000 miles beyond the Moon on 5mph before landing softly on the Red Planet.” a three-week mission.” Later in August, Lockheed Martin took the next step in the development of the Orion crew module, powering NASA continues on wealth of Mars missions up the spacecraft for the first time at the Kennedy Space NASA has worked tirelessly over the years to provide a Center in Florida. NASA’s Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) continuous flow of scientific information and discovery will be the first integrated unmanned test of NASA’s through a carefully selected series of robotic orbiters, deep space exploration systems: The Boeing-built landers and mobile laboratories interconnected by a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Orion will launch on the ‘most powerful rocket in the world’ and fly further than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. It will travel 280,000 miles from Earth over the course of the approximately three-week mission and will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has without docking to a space station. “Orion was designed from the beginning to take humanity farther into space than we’ve ever gone, and to do this, its systems have to be very robust and reliable,” said Mike Hawes, Vice President and Orion Program Manager at Lockheed Martin. NASA “Over the last year, we’ve built Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS great momentum in assembling

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high bandwidth Mars-Earth communications network. evidence in the Martian atmosphere that relates to the Current missions with NASA involvement include: search for current life on the planet. The new findings include ‘tough’ organic molecules in 3 billion year old • MAVEN: Launched in 2013, the Mars Atmospheric sedimentary rocks near the surface, as well as seasonal and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission is variations in the levels of methane in the atmosphere. obtaining critical measurements of the Martian “Are these signs of ? We don’t know, but atmosphere to help understand dramatic these results tell us we are on the right track,” on Mars. commented Michael Meyer, Lead Scientist for NASA’s • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: NASA’s Mars . Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2005, is on Organic molecules contain carbon and hydrogen, and a planetary exploration mission homing in on also may include oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. details of Martian terrain with the most powerful While commonly associated with life, organic molecules camera ever flown on a planetary exploration also can be created by non-biological processes and mission. are not necessarily indicators of life. • – Curiosity: Launched “Curiosity has not determined the source of the in 2011, the Curiosity Rover is investigating Mars’ organic molecules,” said Jen Eigenbrode of NASA’s habitability, including its climate and , and Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, collecting data for manned missions to Mars. who is lead author of one of the two new Science papers. • – Opportunity: The Mars “Whether it holds a record of ancient life, was food for Exploration Rover was launched in 2003 to meet life, or has existed in the absence of life, organic matter several targets, including characterizing a wide in Martian materials holds chemical clues to planetary range of rocks and soils for clues to past water conditions and processes.” activity on Mars. Building further on its current collection of successful • : NASA’s oldest spacecraft still missions, NASA has a stake in several upcoming on Mars, the Mars Odyssey launched in 2001 to exploration missions, including; the ExoMars Rover, due make the first global map of the amount and for launch in 2020; the InSight mission, recently launched distribution of many chemical elements and and expected at Mars in November; and the minerals making up the planet’s surface. Having mission… completed that mission, the orbiter now acts as The Mars 2020 mission features a land rover that will a communications relay for NASA’s Exploration conduct geological assessments of its landing site on Rovers. Mars, determine the habitability of the environment, • Mars Express: Launched in 2003, the ESA’s Mars search for signs of ancient Martian life, and assess Express orbiter is helping to answer fundamental natural resources and hazards for future human questions about the geology, surface explorers. The instruments on board the rover will be environment, history of water and potential for used to identify and collect samples of rock and soil, life on Mars. encase them in sealed tubes, and leave them on the • ExoMars: Consisting of the TGO, already in orbit, surface of Mars for potential return to Earth by a future and a land rover, due for launch in 2020, the ESA’s mission to the planet. and Roscosmos’ ExoMars is expected to reveal In May, it was announced that NASA’s Mars 2020 new information on the exobiology on Mars. mission has begun the assembly, test and launch operations (ATLO) phase of its development, on track NASA’s Mars missions have been highly successful for a July 2020 launch to Mars. The first planned ATLO to date. Recently in June, the Curiosity Rover found new activities will involve electrical integration of flight evidence preserved in rocks on Mars that suggests the hardware into the mission’s descent stage. The Mars planet could have supported 2020 rover, as well as its cruise stage, aeroshell and ancient life, as well as new descent stage - a rocket-powered ‘sky crane’ that will lower the rover to the planet’s surface - will undergo final assembly at the Spacecraft Assembly Facility High Bay 1 at NASA’s JPL. Over the next year-and-a-half, engineers and technicians will add subsystems such as avionics, power, telecommunications, mechanisms, thermal systems and navigation systems onto the spacecraft. The propulsion systems were installed earlier this year on the cruise and descent

stage main structures. In the same month, it was revealed that the Mars 2020 rover will be accompanied by a

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Mars Helicopter; a small autonomous rotorcraft that will demonstrate the viability and potential of heavier- than-air vehicles on the planet. “Exploring the Red Planet with NASA’s Mars Helicopter exemplifies a successful marriage of science and technology innovation and is a unique opportunity to advance Mars exploration for the future,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Adm- inistrator for NASA’s Science D-MARS site Mission Directorate at the Image: D-MARS agency headquarters in Washington. “After the Wright Brothers proved 117 years ago that powered, by ground travel. sustained, and controlled flight was possible here on “The ability to see clearly what lies beyond the next Earth, another group of American pioneers may prove hill is crucial for future explorers,” said Zurbuchen. “We the same can be done on another world.” already have great views of Mars from the surface as The Mars Helicopter weighs in at 1.8kg, with a fuselage well as from orbit. With the added dimension of a bird’s- ‘the size of a softball.’ Twin counter-rotating blades will eye view from a ‘marscopter,’ we can only imagine what bite into the thin Martian atmosphere at almost future missions will achieve.” 3,000rpm, about 10 times the rate of a helicopter on In other news, in June, NASA achieved another world Earth. The helicopter also contains built-in capabilities first, this time for the class of CubeSats, which are needed for operation at Mars, including solar cells to opening new access to space: NASA’s MarCO-A and charge its lithium-ion batteries, and a heating MarCO-B CubeSats have been firing their propulsion mechanism to keep it warm through the cold Martian systems to guide themselves toward Mars. The pair of nights. CubeSats that make up the (MarCO) “The record for a helicopter flying here on mission were both launched in May alongside the InSight Earth is about 40,000 feet. The is lander. They were designed to trail InSight on the way only one percent that of Earth, so when our helicopter to Mars, aiming to relay data about InSight as it enters is on the Martian surface, it’s already at the Earth the planet’s atmosphere and attempts to land. The equivalent of 100,000 feet up,” said Mimi Aung, Mars MarCOs were not intended to collect any science data; Helicopter Project Manager at JPL. “To make it fly at that instead, they are a test of miniaturized communication low atmospheric density, we had to scrutinize and navigation technology that can blaze a path for everything, make it as light as possible while being as future CubeSats sent to other planets. strong and as powerful as it can possibly be.” Both MarCO-A and B successfully completed a set Once the rover is on the planet’s surface, a suitable of communications tests in the past couple of weeks, location will be found to deploy the helicopter from the according to John Baker, Program Manager for Planetary rover and place it onto the ground. The rover then will SmallSats at NASA’s JPL. “Our broadest goal was to be driven away from the helicopter to a safe distance demonstrate how low-cost CubeSat technology can be from which it will relay commands. After its batteries used in deep space for the first time,” said Baker. “With are charged and tests are performed, controllers on both MarCOs on their way to Mars, we’ve already Earth will command the Mars Helicopter to take its first travelled farther than any CubeSat before them.” autonomous flight into history. Should the CubeSats make it all the way to Mars, they “We don’t have a pilot and Earth will be several light will attempt to relay data to Earth about InSight’s landing. minutes away, so there is no way to joystick this mission InSight won’t rely on either CubeSat for that data relay, in real time,” said Aung. “Instead, we have an however; that job will fall to NASA’s Mars autonomous capability that will be able to receive and Reconnaissance Orbiter. interpret commands from the ground, and then fly the mission on its own.” D-MARS: Simulating the Martian environment The full 30-day flight test campaign will include up Interest in Mars research has been proven truly global, to five flights of incrementally farther flight distances, as evidenced by Israel’s latest project. The Desert Mars up to a few hundred meters, and longer durations as Analog Ramon Station (D-MARS) programme, located long as 90 seconds, over a period. On its first flight, the in the Mitzpe Ramon area of Israel’s Negev Desert, is a helicopter will make a short vertical climb to 10 feet, unique enterprise that has established an interplanetary where it will hover for about 30 seconds. As a technology research analog centre aimed at promoting science and demonstration, the Mars Helicopter is considered a high- technology in the country. The station will also serve as risk, high-reward project. If it does not work, the Mars an important resource for STEM-driven educational 2020 mission will not be impacted. If it does work, programs. helicopters may have a real future as low-flying scouts The site was chosen as the geology, aridity, and aerial vehicles to access locations not reachable appearance and desolation resembles the Martian

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environment, according to reports. D-MARS will simulate Exploring Martian soil missions to Mars and other planets, allowing analog ESA and NASA are investigating opportunities to astronauts to live on-site as real explorers; the daily transport Martian soil back to Earth, having routine, food, communication and other challenges will signed an agreement to explore mission be very similar to those faced in the future during an concepts. While orbiting spacecraft have actual planetary mission. As well as investigating a provided a wealth of new information, variety of fields relevant to future off-world missions, transforming our understanding of the planet, the including satellite communications, radiation, searching next step is to bring samples to Earth for analysis. for life signs and the effects of isolation, the project will Bringing Martian soil to Earth would require at also increase public interest and awareness in future least three missions from Earth and one never- Mars missions. been-done-before rocket launch from Mars. In exploring the satellite communications aspects, NASA’s 2020 Mars Rover is set to collect surface Spacecom embarked on a joint experiment utilising the samples in up to 31 pen-sized canisters, to be AMOS-7 satellite to provide communications links for collected at a later date, as it explores the planet. the analog astronauts located in the simulated Mars Meanwhile, a second mission with a small rover habitat near the Ramon Crater. The experiment, would land nearby and retrieve the samples in a conducted with the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), Martian search-and-rescue operation. This rover tested aspects of long range interplanetary space would bring the samples back to its lander and communications, and examined challenges and issues place them in a Mars Ascent Vehicle – a small that may arise from manned planetary missions. rocket to launch the football-sized container into “The D-MARS project pulls Israel to the forefront of Mars orbit. A third launch from Earth would space, and particularly Mars, exploration. With the provide a spacecraft sent to orbit Mars and AMOS-7 satellite, we are adding an interplanetary-type rendezvous with the sample containers. Once the communications facet to our experiments by simulating samples are collected and loaded into an Earth various challenges for our analog astronauts to handle entry vehicle, the spacecraft would return to and overcome. This is an amazing opportunity, and Earth, release the vehicle to land in the USA, made even more so by our cooperation with Austria’s where the samples will be placed in quarantine OeWF which will be conducting a simultaneous analog for analysis by a team of international scientists. experiment in collaboration with ours in Israel,” said Hillel “A Mars sample return mission is a tantalising Rubenstein, D-MARS Project Manager. but achievable vision that lies at the intersection Meanwhile, Gilat Telecom was chosen to provide of many good reasons to explore space,” said satellite voice and data connectivity to astronauts in the ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, D-MARS programme. From 15-18 February, eight David Parker. “There is no question that for a astronauts living in the D-MARS space station planetary scientist, the chance to bring pristine, conformed to the expected daily routine for humans carefully chosen samples of the Red Planet back living on Mars and conducted various research projects to Earth for examination using the best facilities at the same time. Gilat Telecom provided connectivity is a mouth-watering prospect. Reconstructing to and within the space station. Astronauts used Push the history of Mars and answering questions of to Talk (PTT) units to communicate with each other and its past are only two areas of discovery that will with the control room in Rehovot. be dramatically advanced by such a mission. The “It’s very exciting to be part of an experiment that will challenges of going to Mars and back demand advance space and science exploration. We will ensure that they are addressed by an international and that the astronauts have reliable communications which commercial partnership – the best of the best. will enable them to complete their mission,” commented At ESA, with our 22 member states and further Ami Schneider, VP of Gilat Telecom’s Mobile Satellite cooperating partners, international cooperation Services. is part of our DNA.” “Previous Mars missions revealed ancient SpaceX’s streambeds and the right chemistry that could Elon Musk has been very vocal in his plans for his have supported microbial life on the Red Planet,” company, SpaceX, to bring humans to Mars since way said NASA’s Associate Administrator for the back in 2007. Development work towards this goal could Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen. be considered as starting in 2012 with the design of the “A sample would provide a critical leap forward Raptor rocket engine, which will propel all versions of in our understanding of Mars’s potential to the BFR launch vehicle. harbour life. I look forward to connecting and Since one of SpaceX’s key ethos is to make space collaborating with international and commercial travel affordable, the company’s long-term plans partners on tackling the exciting technological envisage a re-usable launch vehicle capable of lifting challenges ahead—that would allow us to bring 150 tonnes into space. The system will be powered by home a sample of Mars.” the Raptor bipropellant liquid rocket engines for both The results of the mission studies will be stages, using densified liquid methane fuel and liquid presented at ESA’s council at ministerial level in oxygen oxidizer. The engine is expected to be test fired 2019 for a decision to continue developing these for the first time in 2020. missions. Findings from the ExoMars rover SpaceX aims to send its first cargo mission to Mars in mission may help decide which samples to bring 2022. The objectives for this first mission will be to to Earth during the Mars sample return mission. confirm water resources and identify potential hazards in establishing initial power, mining, and life support

20 NewSpace International - September/October 2018 www.newspaceinternational.com #MARS #SPACEX #MISSIONTOMARS #MARSONE infrastructure. A second mission carrying a crew is remain. Mars One is currently preparing for Round Three planned for 2024, with primary objectives of building a and Four. The design for the next rounds is ready and propellant depot preparing for future crew flights. The the next steps are determining the locations and dates, spacecraft used for transportation from Earth will also expanding the team of selection and training specialists, be utilized for the first Mars base. and logistics. From the first selection series, up to six Landing the first humans on Mars is one of the great groups of four will become full time employees of Mars races underway today. Recently, Boeing’s CEO Dennis One, after which they will start training for the mission. Muilenburg made the news when he claimed that the Parts of the training will take place in simulation outposts SLS rocket the company is developing for NASA would on Earth. bring humans to Mars ahead of SpaceX. Boeing is One of Mars One’s main challenges is securing currently developing the world’s biggest rocket for enough funding to move the mission forward. Since its NASA, complete with 9.2 million pounds of thrust, and launch in 2011, around US$1 million has been raised, measuring 38 stories tall. The first test firing is scheduled mainly through donations, sales of merchandise, private for 2019. investments, applications, sponsorships and Indeed, when CNBC host Jim Cramer asked whether partnerships, and speaking engagements. This has been Boeing or SpaceX would get a man to Mars first, spent on building a small core team, the first conceptual Muilenburg reportedly responded: “Eventually we’re design studies performed by Lockheed Martin and going to go to Mars, and I firmly believe the first person Paragon Space Development Corporation, developing that sets foot on Mars will get there on a Boeing rocket.” and executing the first rounds of the Astronaut Selection SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded concisely on Program, public outreach, and operational costs. In Twitter: “Do it.” December 2016, Mars One Ventures went public at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, enabling supporters to ‘own’ Mars One achieves new funding part of the historic venture. Mars One is another private company with he lofty aim More recently, Mars One signed an agreement with of landing the first humans on Mars. Established in 2011, Swiss investment company Enterprises AG; Mars One plans to form the first permanent human under the agreement, Phoenix will subscribe for Mars settlement in the coming decades. Mars One is formed One Ventures AG shares over a twelve month period, of the not-for-profit Mars One Foundation, which raising a total of up to €12 million, with a minimum implements and manages the project, and the for-profit of €0.5 million to be raised in any one calendar month. company Mars One Ventures, the controlling “Mars One has a very innovative business model stockholder. combining branding and media rights with the The mission is currently in the early mission concept increasingly popular topic of space exploration. Mars phase, Phase A. Since Mars One is not an aerospace One’s historic viewership statistics clearly demonstrate company and won’t be developing any technology itself, its potential. We are very excited to be providing the the mission requirements have been identified and funding required to kick-start Mars One’s activities and discussed with established aerospace companies. with it the media interest that will be transformative for Possible solutions were proposed and discussed after Mars One Ventures AG,” said Oscar Christian, CEO of which a baseline mission concept was defined, and Phoenix. rough cost figures were discussed. In this phase, The first proceeds were expected in July 2018. Mars suppliers will be contracted to perform conceptual One Ventures intends to use the proceeds to complete design studies for every major sub-system required for its re-listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, to the permanent settlement mission, leading to a strengthen its team, and to pay the license fee to the comprehensive technical concept design of the various Mars One Foundation. This in turn allows the Foundation components of the mission. The Mars One mission to fund the next round of astronaut selection, bringing design will be updated according to the results of the the Round 3 candidates together in a desert location to conceptual design studies and changes will also be test their team skills. The Foundation will also strengthen included when technology matures further. Phase A will the technical team and will contract aerospace result in a firm baseline design and improved cost companies to perform feasibility studies required to figures. The initial concept includes launching a robotic continue to the next phases in the Mars mission. lander and orbiter as early as 2020, to be followed by a Furthermore, Mars One will release a documentary crewed mission of four in 2024, and another in 2026, series on how to select the best teams to train for a which would not be returned to Earth. mission where teams go to Mars to stay. The next phase of development, Phase B, will be the detailed design of all elements needed to safely bring humans to Mars. These designs and further improved cost figures will allow Mars One to move the mission forward to Phases C and D in which all elements are built, manufactured, integrated and tested, and launched to Mars. This should lead to full system readiness on the surface of Mars, giving the green light for the first crew of four astronauts to start their journey to Mars. Mars One’s first Astronaut Selection Program started in 2013 with the first of four selection Mission to Mars rounds. The first two rounds have already been successfully completed: 100 Round 3 candidates Image: SpaceX

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