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Reduction of Martian Sample Return Mission Launch Mass with Solar Sail Propulsion
- Publication Year :
- 2013
- Publisher :
- United States: NASA Center for Aerospace Information (CASI), 2013.
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Abstract
- Solar sails have the potential to provide mass and cost savings for spacecraft traveling within the innter solar system. Companies like L'Garde have demonstrated sail manufacturability and various i-space development methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a current Mars sample return architecture and to determine how cost and mass would be reduced by incorporating a solar sail propulsion system. The team validated the design proposed by L'Garde, and scaled the design based on a trajectory analysis. Using the solar sail design reduced the required mass, eliminating one of the three launches required in the original architecture.
- Subjects :
- Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- NASA Technical Reports
- Publication Type :
- Report
- Accession number :
- edsnas.20140000626
- Document Type :
- Report