Near-Term Mars Sample Return Using In-Situ Oxygen Generation

Paper number

IAC-07-A5.I.-A3.I.B.09

Author

Mr. Phillip Cunio, Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT), United States

Coauthor

Ms. Zahra Khan, Carleton University, Canada

Coauthor

Dr. Geoffrey A. Landis, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States

Year

2007

Abstract

A Mars sample return mission was designed to transport a 0.5-kg sample from the Martian surface to Earth using oxygen manufactured from in-situ resources to burn fuel brought from Earth.  The samples of Martian rocks, soils, and atmosphere collected for detailed analysis in terrestrial laboratories will provide critical fundamental knowledge about the evolution of Mars’ crust and climate and possibly better address the question of whether indigenous life does or once did exist on Mars.
The use of locally-generated oxygen (In-Situ Resource Utilization, or ISRU) reduces the required landed mass on Mars for a fixed payload size, or can increase the payload returned from Mars for a fixed landed mass on Mars.  The benefits of locally-generated oxygen increase considerably as the sample size increases.  For example, the landed mass on Mars of a non-ISRU mission yielding 1 kg of sample is equivalent to that of an ISRU mission yielding over 2 kg of sample.

For this mission, three major subsystems differ from other Mars Sample Return missions: the Lander/Oxygen Generation System (OGS), the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), and the Orbiter/Earth Return Vehicle (ERV).  The  landed OGS produces liquid oxygen over a duration of approximately 13 months by the process of solid-electrolyte electrolysis of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  The oxygen is used as oxidizer for the MAV, a single-stage hybrid HTPB/LOX rocket that launches the sample from Mars’ surface to rendezvous with an Orbiter/ERV in circular orbit. After capture by the Orbiter, the Mars sample is sealed into the ERV for return to Earth.  The sample container is aerocaptured into Earth orbit for retrieval and transportation to Earth.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A5.I.-A3.I.B.09.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A5.I.-A3.I.B.09.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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