Cyclical Visits to Mars via Astronaut Hotels Phase I Final Report Global Aerospace Corporation 30 November 2000 Universities Space Research Association Research Grant No.: 07600-049 GAC Report 510-04911-007 Global Aerospace Corporation 711 W. Woodbury Road, Suite H Altadena, CA 91001-5327 USA Telephones: +1 (626) 345-1200 (626) 303-9500, Fax (626) 296-0929 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.gaerospace.com Abstract Global Aerospace Corporation is developing a revolutionary concept for an overall interplanetary rapid transit system architecture for human transportation between Earth and Mars which supports a sustained Mars base of 20 people circa 2035. This innovative design architecture relies upon the use of small, highly autonomous, solar-electric-propelled space ships, we dub Astrotels for astronaut hotels and hyperbolic rendezvous between them and the planetary transport hubs using even smaller, fast-transfer, aeroassist vehicles we shall call Taxis. Astrotels operating in cyclic orbits between Earth, Mars and the Moon and Taxis operating on rendezvous trajectories between Astrotels and transport hubs or Spaceports will enable low-cost, low-energy, frequent and short duration trips between these bodies. This proposed effort provides a vision of a far off future which establishes a context for near-term technology advance, systems studies, robotic Mars missions and human spaceflight. In this fashion Global Aerospace Corporation assists the NASA Enterprise for Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) in all four of its goals, namely (1) preparing to conduct human missions of exploration to planetary and other bodies in the solar system, (2) expanding scientific knowledge (3) providing safe and affordable access to space, and (4) establishing a human presence in space. Key elements of this innovative, new concept are the use of: − Five month human flights between Earth and Mars on cyclic orbits, − Small, highly autonomous human transport vehicles or Astrotels, − In cyclic orbits between Earth and Mars − Solar Electric Propulsion for orbit corrections − Untended for more than 20 out of 26 months − No artificial gravity − Fast-transfer, aeroassist vehicles, or Taxis, between Spaceports and the cycling Astrotels, − Low energy, long flight-time orbits and unmanned vehicles for the transport of cargo, − in situ resources for propulsion and life support − Environmentally safe, propulsion/power technology Study Participants Global Aerospace Corporation (GAC) Dr. Kim M. Aaron Dale R. Burger Dr. Angus D. McRonald Kerry T. Nock, Principal Investigator and NIAC Fellow Susan L. Nock Brenda Wistor-Linfield Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Alan L. Friedlander Mark K. Jacobs Jerry A. Rauwolf Planetary Resource Utilization Consultant Dr. Michael B. Duke Solar Electric Propulsion Technical Advisor Dr. John R. Brophy, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ii Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 CYCLICAL VISITS TO MARS VIA ASTRONAUT HOTELS..................................................................................... 9 1.2 WHAT MAKES THIS CONCEPT REVOLUTIONARY?.......................................................................................... 10 1.3 CONCEPT OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................... 12 1.4 POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO NASA.............................................................................................................. 13 1.5 PAST MARS STUDIES AND CURRENT RELEVANT TECHNOLOGY AND ACTIVITIES......................................... 14 1.6 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 15 2CONCEPT ARCHITECTURE DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY..................................................................... 17 2.1 SUMMARY OF PHASE I TASKS ......................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.1 Task 1 Conceptual Design Requirements and Assumptions............................................................... 17 2.1.2 Task 2 Celestial Mechanics ................................................................................................................. 17 2.1.3Task 3 Conceptual Transportation System Architecture Design....................................................... 17 2.1.4 Task 4 Transportation System Costs ................................................................................................... 17 2.1.5 Task 5 Planning and Reporting........................................................................................................... 17 2.2 SUMMARY OF WORK ACCOMPLISHED ............................................................................................................ 17 2.2.1 Task 1 Conceptual Design Requirements and Assumptions............................................................... 18 2.2.2 Task 2 Celestial Mechanics ................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.3Task 3 Conceptual Transportation System Architecture Design....................................................... 18 2.2.4 Task 4 Transportation System Costs ................................................................................................... 18 2.2.5 Task 5 Planning and Reporting........................................................................................................... 18 3 KEY CONCEPTUAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................... 19 3.1 DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1.1 Mars Base.............................................................................................................................................. 19 3.1.2 Astrotels................................................................................................................................................. 19 3.1.3 Spaceport............................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1.4 Taxi ........................................................................................................................................................ 19 3.1.5 Shuttle .................................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1.6 Lunar and Phobos Propellant Tankers ................................................................................................ 20 3.1.7 Freighter................................................................................................................................................ 20 3.1.8 Propellant Augmentation Tanks (PATs)............................................................................................... 20 3.1.9 In situ Resource Production Plants...................................................................................................... 20 3.2 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ASSUMPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS .................................................................. 20 3.2.1 Assumptions........................................................................................................................................... 20 3.2.1.1 Timeframe of Mars Base ................................................................................................................................... 20 3.2.1.2 Mars Base........................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.2.1.3 Mars Base Contingent........................................................................................................................................ 21 3.2.1.4 Lunar Base ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.5 Technology Horizon .......................................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.6 State of Scientific Knowledge........................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.7 Space Station...................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.8 Robotics and Automation .................................................................................................................................. 21 3.2.1.9 Cargo Transport ................................................................................................................................................. 22 3.2.1.10 Spaceports.......................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1.11 Astrotel .............................................................................................................................................................