Mars Sample Return (MSR) Mission

BY: ABHISHEK KUMAR SINHA

Samples returned to terrestrial laboratories by MSR Mission would be analyzed with state-of the-art instrumentation providing unprecedented insight into the origin and evolution of Mars and its development relative to other bodies in our Solar System. MSR Mission would provide a data set and insight of how the rocky inner planets formed and why they have evolved so differently from each other. In addition, MSR mission, would be a scientific, technological and operational pathfinder for future surface sample return as well as future crewed missions to Mars.

Need It will provide fundamental new constraints on martian hydrologic, sedimentary, volcanic, and climatic processes, and a unique comparative basis for understanding how and why Mars has evolved so differently from Earth.

Goal(s) Considering the goals of the Mars Exploration Program (Life, Climate, Geology, Preparation)[2], and the limitations of Mars meteorite samples, MEPAG recommendations are for three types of materials to be returned from Mars: 1. Selected rocks from carefully chosen sites 2. Regolith fines 3. Atmospheric gas.

Objective(s) 1. Investigate the evolution of the planet and its climate, mineralogy, geochemistry, weathering, and biopotential. 2. Mobile sample collection

Mission The MSR mission has eight major phases: 1. Launch 2. Cruise/Mars Approach 3. Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) 4. Surface Operations 5. Launch with Samples 6. Docking with Orbiter 7. Cruise /Earth Approach 8. Landing at Sea

Constraints There are four landing sites on Mars under consideration (Mawrth Vallis (Valley), Eberswalde Crater, and Holden Crater), spanning latitudes between 27 deg S and 25 deg N. Set of Constraints: 1. Spacecraft injected mass = 4050 kilograms (kg). 2. Launch-specific energy (C3) capability < 20.1 kmP2P/sP2 P(Atlas V 541, instantaneous launch window). 3. Atmospheric entry velocity < 5.9 km/s (not a hard constraint due to EDL heating performance study results). 4. Declination of launch asymptote < 40 deg. 5. Arrival no later than 30 days before the start of solar conjunction. 6. Launch eclipse duration ≤ 65 minutes (Note: exceeded for type II for launch after 11/3). 7. Early cruise SPE angle constraints: 7.1. Launch vehicle separation attitude (SEP to SEP + 18 days): 7.1.1. Angle between –Z axis and Sun 64.0 deg and ≥ 20.0 deg. 7.1.2. Angle between –Z axis and Earth 68.8 deg. 8. EDL communications strategy constraints: 8.1. Relay: 8.1.1. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) local mean solar time (LMST) node as close to nominal value (3:00 p.m.) as possible. 8.1.2. Odyssey LMST node at 3:00 p.m. because of propellant issues related to orbiter lifetime. 8.1.3. View angle to orbiters (MRO/Odyssey) ≤ 135 deg. 8.1.4. MRO/Odyssey elevation at landing + 1 min 10 deg.

8.2. Direct to Earth (DTE): 8.2.1. View angle to Earth ≤ 75 deg. 8.2.2. Earth elevation at landing + 1 min 10. 9. > 20-day launch period (varies with trajectory type and EDL communications constraints). 10. Declination of launch asymptote < 28.5 deg (for Atlas 541; the Atlas V 551 could help this situation). 11. Atmospheric entry velocity < 5.6 km/s. 12. EDL communications strategy constraints: 12.1. Full ultra high frequency (UHF) EDL coverage via MRO and Odyssey from Entry P to Landing + 1 minute. (Relay coverage is not possible for all of EDL due to geometric constraints from cruise stage separation (CSS) until entry.) 12.2. Full DTE EDL coverage (For type I only possible for Mawrth Vallis). 13. Cruise Mission Phase Telecom Trades: 13.1. Type I vs. type II trajectory: The type II trajectory has very large initial SPE angles, greater than 120 degrees at the start of the launch window. At the other end of cruise, the EDL geometry of the type II is much preferred compared to the type I, as it offers better UHF coverage opportunities . (Reference: Mars Science Laboratory Telecommunications System Design, November 2009)

Budget Mars 2020 Rover $1.5 billion Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) $50 million (approx.) Lander Based Sampler $30 million (approx.)

Schedule Mission Phase Description Expected Duration

Launch Atlas V Jul 2020 –Sep 2020

Cruise The cruise phase begins when the launch phase ends, and it ends 45 days prior to atmospheric entry (E-40 days).

250 to 320 days Jan/March 2021

Mars Approach The approach phase is defined to begin at 45 days prior to atmospheric entry (E45 days) and ends when the spacecraft reaches the Mars atmospheric entry interface point. That point is defined at a Mars radius of 3522.2 km.

45 days

EDL Entry-descent-landing (EDL) begins when the spacecraft reaches the entry interface point (Mars radius of 3522.2 km) and ends when the rover reaches a thermally stable, positive energy balance, command able configuration on the surface.

About 10 minutes

Surface The surface mission begins when EDL ends, and it ends when the mission is declared complete. The design of the rover must provide for a surface mission duration of at least one Mars year (669 sols, equivalent to 687 Earth days).

669 sols

Launch with Samples

Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) will take Mars Sample Canister to Orbiter at Mars Orbit.

About 10 minutes

Docking with Orbiter

MAV will dock with Earth Return Orbiter (ERO)

About 10 minutes

Cruise The cruise phase begins with Earth Return Trajectory by ERO.

July 25 , 2022 250 to 320 days

Earth Approach Final trajectory correction maneuvers will be done for ERO.

Feb 14,2023

Landing at Sea

Sample Return Capsule will use Exo-Brake to return to Earth.

3-5 minutes

Authority and Responsibility Rover and lander will be built by sub-contractor like Lockheed Martin , Ball Aerospace, Honey Bee Robotics, etc. SAMPLE MANIPULATION SYSTEM(SMS) The SMS is a unique robotic system developed to pack 74 sample cups in a highly reliable, fault tolerant manner while conforming to tight constraints on control complexity, mass, volume and power (less than 6 watts continuous and 18 watts peak power). During operations, SMS receives a sample of dirt or rock powder from the robotic scoop or drill and moves it to a pyrolysis oven. Gasses from the heated samples are plumbed to the analytical suite. The SMS must position cups within 0.71mm true position at multiple interfaces of the instrumentation, and the SMS applies a precisely controlled force of up to 1350 Newtons (over 300lbs) to create a hermetic seal between the sample cup and the oven. Mechanically, SMS is an under-actuated three degree of freedom (DOF) robotic system. Two rotational DOFs are provided by the Center Hub Actuator, which both positions a given sample cup at a specific instrument station and positions the Elevator Actuator below that cup. Then, the Elevator Actuator (third DOF) raises and lowers the sample cup into the oven. Using a single actuator for two functions required more than 360° of rotation of the center hub. A twist capsule transfers power and signals to the elevator actuator and feedback switches, allowing for 693° of rotation. (Reference: http://www.honeybeerobotics.com/portfolio/sample-manipulation-system/)

Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) MAV will be built by sub-contractor like Lockheed Martin.

Assumptions The mission is part of Mars2020 rover to Mars and lander will be launch along with rover, which is separated after launch and travel to mars separately. The rover will collect Martian sample and put it in Mars Sample Canister (it is part of Mars rover 2020 payload). The lander will land separately on Mars using booster and sample will be loaded into Mars Ascent Vehicle.

Image Credit: NASA (http://mars.nasa.gov/m2020/images/08_mission_timeline-full.jpg) Mars2020 (http://images.spaceref.com/docs/2013/SDT-Report_Finalv4.pdf)

Mars Sample Return Mission Design The mission concept is based on “Mars Sample Return Mission Design” by Robert Gershman, JPL. (Reference: http://phylogenomics.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/mshp-workshop-1-report-slides.pdf) High Level Concept The mission is part of Mars2020 rover mission, where Earth Return Orbiter is sent along with rover.

This is assumed that Mars2020 rover will work separately for Mars Sample collection. The rover will collect sample and process it using Sample Manipulation System (SMS).

Sample Manipulation System (SMS) Image Credit: Honeybee Robotics (http://www.honeybeerobotics.com/portfolio/sample-manipulation-system/) The sample will be collected from SMS and put in Mars Sample Canister.Its is part of Mars2020 rover payload. SMS sample will be transferred to Mars Sample Canister using robotic arm. Mars Sample Canister This canister is used to store Martian sample and then placed inside Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV).

PIA17277: Creating a Returnable Cache of Martian Samples (http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17277) Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech The Sample Canister will be placed into Mars Ascent Vehicle which will be placed at the lander.

The Sample return Canister will be placed Mars Ascent Vehicle and it will be airlock. The MAV will dock with Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) and will start journey to Earth Return Trajectory. The Sample will use “On-Demand Sample Return Capability (SPQR) (TechEdSat-4) “ technique to recover sample at Earth .In this mission sample will captured at ISS and it will be released from ISS and use TechEdSat-4 Technique to reach to earth. (Reference: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1815.html)

SPQR (Small Payload Quick Return) Image Credit: NASA (Reference: http://explore.mohodisco.com/spqr.pdf)