Mars Sample Return Campaign Reference Architecture Overview

The Mars Sample Return (MSR) program is a partnership between NASA and ESA that is planning to return the first-ever samples from the surface of Mars to terrestrial laboratories to answer fundamental questions about Mars. This presentation will provide an overview and status of the reference MSR campaign architecture. Overall campaign objectives, mission phase scenarios and specific mission concepts will be described. The Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) mission concept and reference design, being developed by NASA, will be discussed. Current operational scenarios will be described, which include the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), Sample Fetch Rover (being developed by ESA), Orbiting Sample container (OS), and the sample tube transfer. The Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) mission concept and reference design, being developed by ESA, will be discussed. The mission concept and reference design of the ERO payload, the Capture/Containment and Return System (CCRS), being developed by NASA, will be discussed. The information presented about a potential MSR campaign is pre-decisional and is provided for planning and discussion purposes only.