Nebula Public Library

The knowledge bank of ESA’s R&D programmes

EXPERT: Mars Sample Return architecture assessment study

Programme
Discovery
Programme Reference
17/M-03-01
Contractor
Start Date
End Date
Status
Closed
Country
Spain
EXPERT: Mars Sample Return architecture assessment study
Description

Several hundred mission scenarios were analysed with a high level of detail both at mission analysis and mass budget level, to properly identify robust and feasible solutions. Three of them make use of both staging and aero-braking to reduce the spacecraft wet mass (mass with fuel), and they all rely either on chemical propulsion or on a mixed system combining a chemical engine with two very powerful electrical thrusters (ARM engines).

Executive summary