Launch options for Mars Network Missions using small spacecraft
Abstract
Five small launch vehicles are studied to determine their suitability for deploying spacecraft that will place small stations on the surface of Mars in support of the Mars Global Network Mission. Current plans call for a Delta II to be the launch vehicle, but studies have indicated that even smaller vehicles could provide an adequate payload for the Mars mission. The small vehicles were assumed to use bipropellant hydrazine for orbit transfer to launch the Mars spacecraft into a 150 nm circular orbit with low inclination. This orbit was selected as the reference orbit since it is high enough to permit sufficient orbit lifetime if there is a problem with the spacecraft. It is shown that the Taurus launch vehicle should be a candidate for the Mars Global Network Mission as it is more cost efficient and has lower total cost for the mission than the Delta II called for in present plans.
- Publication:
-
Annual AIAA/Utah State University 4th Conference on Small Satellites, Volume 2
- Pub Date:
- 1990
- Bibcode:
- 1990aiaa....2.....D
- Keywords:
-
- Interplanetary Spacecraft;
- Mars Landing;
- Mars Probes;
- Spacecraft Launching;
- Cost Effectiveness;
- International Cooperation;
- Interplanetary Flight;
- Nasa Space Programs;
- Unmanned Spacecraft;
- Launch Vehicles and Space Vehicles