AAS 98-111

NON-TYPICAL TRAJECTORY ALTERNATIVES FOR MARS CARGO MISSIONS

B. M. Portock - University of Tennessee Space Institute; J. E. Lyne - University of Tennessee; G. A. Flandro - University of Tennessee Space Institute

Abstract

The design reference mission set forth by NASA MSFC HMM Preliminary Design Study plans for two cargo flights for the 2011 launch opportunity. This paper studies the alternatives of Solar Electric propulsion and Solar Sail propulsion in place of the impulsive options used in the design reference cargo missions. The relaxation of the short time of flight restriction for the cargo missions causes low thrust propulsion to become an attractive alternative. Solar Sail and Solar Electric missions are directly compared with the design reference cargo missions. The Solar Sail and Solar Electric propulsion options both have substantial improvements of initial mass in low Earth orbit with little change in overall mission architecture.

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