Madrid. NASA has completed the review of system requirements for its Mars-to-Earth sample transfer program, which is nearing completion of the conceptual design phase, the US space agency said in a statement.
During this phase, the program team has evaluated and refined the architecture to transport the scientifically selected samples, which are currently in the process of being collected by the rover perseverance of NASA in the Jezero crater of the Red Planet.
NASA and ESA
The architecture of the campaign, which includes contributions from the European Space Agency (ESA), is expected to reduce the complexity of future missions and increase the probability of success.
“The conceptual design phase is when every facet of a mission plan is put under a microscope,” explained Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
He specified that “there are some significant and advantageous changes in the plan, which can be directly attributed to the recent successes of perseverance in Jezero and the amazing performance of the helicopter March”.
Advanced mission architecture
This advanced mission architecture takes into account a recently updated analysis of the expected longevity of perseverancewhich will be the primary means of transporting materials to NASA’s Model Recovery Lander carrying the Mars Ascent Vehicle and ESA’s Sample Transfer Arm.
The Mars Sample Return campaign will no longer include the Sample Fetch Rover or its associated second lander. Sample Retrieval Lander will include two sample retrieval helicopters, based on the design of naivety, which made 29 flights to Mars and survived more than a year beyond its originally planned lifespan. The helicopters will provide a secondary capability to retrieve samples stored on the surface of Mars, NASA said.
ESA’s Earth Return Orbiter and its NASA-provided capture, containment and return system remain vital elements of the program’s architecture.
With planned launch dates for the Earth Return Orbiter and Sample Retrieval Lander in fall 2027 and summer 2028, respectively, the samples are expected to reach Earth in 2033.
With its architecture consolidated during this conceptual design phase, the program is expected to move into its preliminary design phase next October. In this, which is expected to last about 12 months, the program will complete technology development and create engineering prototypes of the main components of the mission.
This refined concept for the Mars Sample Return campaign was presented to delegates from the 22 participating states of Europe’s space exploration program, Terrae Novae, in May. At their next meeting in September, the states will consider discontinuing development of the Sample Fetch Rover.
“ESA is continuing full speed ahead with the development of the Earth Return Orbiter, which will make the historic round trip from Earth to Mars and back; and the sample transfer arm that will robotically place sample tubes aboard the orbiting container prior to launch from the surface of the Red Planet,” said David Parker, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration at ESA.
The respective contributions to the campaign depend on the funds available from the participating states of the United States and the ESA. Agreements between the two agencies will be established next year.
“Working together on historic efforts like the Mars Sample Return not only provides invaluable data about our place in the universe, it brings us closer here on Earth,” Zurbuchen said.
The first step of the Mars sample transfer campaign is already underway. Since landing in Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021, the Perseverance Rover has collected 11 scientifically convincing rock core samples and one atmospheric specimen.
Bringing samples from Mars to Earth would allow scientists around the world to examine them using sophisticated instruments too large and complex to send to Mars and allow future generations to study them.
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