Mars Earth Return Vehicle (MERV) Propulsion Options
Mars Earth Return Vehicle (MERV) Propulsion Options Steven R. Oleson,1 Melissa L. McGuire,2 Laura Burke,3 James Fincannon,4 Joe Warner,5 Glenn Williams,6 and Thomas Parkey7 NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 Tony Colozza,8 Jim Fittje,9 Mike Martini,10 and Tom Packard11 Analex Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 Joseph Hemminger12 N&R Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 John Gyekenyesi13 ASRC Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio 44135 The COMPASS Team was tasked with the design of a Mars Sample Return Vehicle. The current Mars sample return mission is a joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) mission, with ESA contributing the launch vehicle for the Mars Sample Return Vehicle. The COMPASS Team ran a series of design trades for this Mars sample return vehicle. Four design options were investigated: Chemical Return /solar electric propulsion (SEP) stage outbound, all-SEP, all chemical and chemical with aerobraking. The all-SEP and Chemical with aerobraking were deemed the best choices for comparison. SEP can eliminate both the Earth flyby and the aerobraking maneuver (both considered high risk by the Mars Sample Return Project) required by the chemical propulsion option but also require long low thrust spiral times. However this is offset somewhat by the chemical/aerobrake missions use of an Earth flyby and aerobraking which also take many months. Cost and risk analyses are used to further differentiate the all-SEP and Chemical/Aerobrake options. 1COMPASS Lead, DSB0, 21000 Brookpark Road, and AIAA Senior Member. 2COMPASS Integration Lead, DSB0, 21000 Brookpark Road, non-member. 3Mission Designer, DSB0, 21000 Brookpark Road, and Non-Member.
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