A Revolutionary Outpost Architecture for Human Mars Exploration
- Paper number
IAC-06-D1.1.07
- Author
Mr. John Christian, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Christopher Tanner, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. John Theisinger, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Year
2006
- Abstract
With the release of the Vision for Space Exploration in February 2004, NASA clearly identified human missions to Mars as a significant long-term goal for the United States. Current plans place the first human mission to Mars beyond the year 2030, allowing time for extensive system design and analysis. The information gained by current studies of human Mars architectures can be used by mission planers around the world to guide near-term robotic precursors and maximize the return from lunar testing. To date, most human Mars exploration studies have focused on the transportation architecture. The challenges of sending humans to Mars, however, extend well beyond the problem of ferrying humans between the surface of Earth and the surface of Mars. With the aim of filling this gap, the study scope encompasses all aspects related to the deployment and operation of a human outpost on Mars from atmospheric entry through ascent. The study begins with a thorough systems engineering analysis of the entire surface architecture, including requirements identification (derived from the Vision for Space Exploration and the recent Exploration Systems Architecture Study), functional allocation, and functional flow. Such analyses provide the foundation for establishing the system interfaces that drive the outpost deployment strategy, the scope of crewed and robotic surface activities, and extravehicular activity (EVA) procedures. Additionally, the study contains detailed mass and power breakdowns for all surface elements. Finally, the above analyses are brought together to perform a comprehensive schedule, cost, and risk analysis for the entire surface system. A number of more detailed investigations are required to support the analyses described above. First, a study of Mars entry, descent, and landing (EDL) and ascent is provided to understand the conditions that bookend the study. Next, design of surface operations requires consideration of hazards posed by the environment on the Martian surface (e.g. radiation, dust storms, electrostatic discharges, toxins such as hexavalent chromium, etc.). A detailed analysis is also given to crew accommodations on the surface, with a focus on the habitat. The use of both regolith and atmosphere based in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is investigated to identify the appropriate scope of ISRU in early human Mars exploration. Finally, a number of advanced technologies were incorporated into the design space. Examples of these technologies include ballutes for EDL and a biologically based closed-loop life support system for the habitat.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-D1.1.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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