Phootprint: Phobos Sample Return Mission

Paper number

IAC-15,A3,3A,10,x30080

Author

Mrs. Antonella Ferri, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Franco Fenoglio, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Francesco Mura, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Maria Antonietta Perino, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Italy

Year

2015

Abstract

The Phobos Sample Return mission is a candidate mission of the Mars Robotic Exploration Preparation (MREP-2)
programme, targeted for a launch in 2024.

Its main objective is to acquire and return a sample from the Mars moon Phobos, after a scientific characterisation
phase of the moon and of the landing site. It also includes as secondary objective the characterisation of Mars moon
Deimos at global level.

In 2013 a cooperation agreement was signed between ESA and Roscosmos concerning possible cooperation for the
robotic exploration of Mars and other bodies of the solar system, and it was agreed that a sample return from Phobos
was a mission of common interest and a relevant to the Mars Sample Return mission (MSR).

Thales Alenia Space is carrying on the Phobos Sample Return Phase A study, that shall consolidate the designs
performed during the previous industrial and CDF studies, taking into account preliminary agreements on the
mission elements distribution between ESA and Roscosmos, without discarding the possibility of a full ESA
implementation scenario.

This paper will present the preliminary results of the study.

Abstract document

IAC-15,A3,3A,10,x30080.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

(absent)