Mars Sample Return |
Mars Sample Return |
Apr 7 2006, 07:32 AM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 370 Joined: 12-September 05 From: France Member No.: 495 |
Next phase reached in definition of Mars Sample Return mission
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMJAGNFGLE_index_0.html |
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Jul 3 2007, 08:35 PM
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#2
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Dublin Correspondent Group: Admin Posts: 1799 Joined: 28-March 05 From: Celbridge, Ireland Member No.: 220 |
I don't think it can be done easily but I don't think the mass penalty is quite that bad. My back of the envelope scratchings based on some Delta-V and typical Isp's from here.
Martian Surface to LMO ~ 4.1 km/sec Mars LMO to Earth C3 orbit ~ 2.9 km/sec Total ~7km/sec Delta-V. To get a 1 kg sample of mars dirt to Earth C3 orbit. Assume we have motors with an Isp of about 280 (like ammonium perchlorate solids) Two stages: (1) LMO Stage - Motor, shell and supports for the mars launch first stage weigh ~ 5kg First stage then needs ~ 37kg of fuel to get 11kg to LMO ( its own 5kg dry weight plus 6kg for the initial mass of the Earth Transfer Stage) (2) Earth Transfer stage weighing 2kg dry (container+2nd stage motor+1kg payload+beacon) Requires 4kg of fuel to produce +-3.1 km/sec Delta-V Total initial mass = 48kg. Alternatively. Single Stage to LMO Mars Surface to a Mars orbit stable over a couple of years. Say we need 4.4km/sec Delta-V (LMO + some margin) and the dry weight including payload we are working with is ~ 6kg. Total initial mass = 29kg. There's lots of holes in these of course (launch stage drag, no earth capture component ... ) but I reckon you can get 0.5-1kg of sample back for <100kg of landed mass. That's not possible today of course but it isn't warp drive level science fiction either. That said we are limited today to landing something less than a ton or so onto the Martian surface even with the biggest launch vehicles so without something comparable to the Ares V no-one is ever going to return more than a kilo or two. |
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