Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of Technology

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of Technology


Planetary Probes as Precursors For a Human Mars Mission

Rob GroverJet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of Technology

International Planetary Probe Workshop 106/20/2013

Copyright 2013 California Institute of TechnologyGovernment sponsorship acknowledged



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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationProbes Becoming Precursors

President of the United States has set a challenge of humans to Mars orbit by 2030s

One possible scenario is humans to Mars orbit by 2033 followed by a landing in 2038

That would leave 25 years from IPPW 10 to a human landing on Mars

Key events on the road to a human landing• Identification of a baseline EDL architecture to land humans safely• Development of the key EDL technologies to execute the architecture• Precursor missions to demonstrate developed EDL technologies

NASA has mandated all robotic Mars missions shall contribute toward a human Mars mission

Arrived at the point where future robotic science mission planning merges with human precursor mission planning

Pre-decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes OnlyInternational Planetary Probe Workshop 10



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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNASA’s Mars Design Reference

Architecture 5

International Planetary Probe Workshop 10 Pre-decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only



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International Planetary Probe Workshop 10

Current EDL Baseline Architectures

Element Masses• 80 to 100 ton entry mass• 40 ton landed payload

EDL Sequence of Events• Entry from Mars orbit at 4.8 km/s• Hypersonic and supersonic flight with aeromaneuvering

for precision landing• Transition event from supersonic flight to powered

descent under rocket power at about Mach 2 to Mach 3• Maneuvering for precision landing followed by soft

touchdown

Transition Event

JPL TeamX HIAD Concept

NASA Habitat Lander Concept NASA Cargo Lander Concept

NASA EDL-SA Architectures

23 m Diameter

10 x 30 m Mid L/D Aeroshell

Pre-decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only



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NASA OCT EDL Roadmap

NASA Office of the Chief Technologist Technology Roadmaps• EDL Roadmap – Technology Area 9• Charts out path for developing key EDL

technology areas




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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationEnabling EDL Technologies (1/2)

Thermal Protection Systems• Dual-pulse capable TPS• Flexible TPS for inflatables

- Stowable & capable of 20-150 W/cm2

Inflatable Decelerators• HIAD for hypersonic deceleration

- Guidance & control method challenges- Flexible structure leading to potential for fluid/structure interaction

• SIAD to augment supersonic deceleration- Augment separation events


HIAD Entry at Mars

SIAD Rocket Sled TestApparatus




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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationEnabling EDL Technologies (2/2)

Supersonic Retro-Propulsion (SRP)• Forces and torques from start up transients are

a concern• Structural dynamics induced in engine structure

also a concern Deep Throttle Descent Engines

• Deep throttle engines required to allow both high thrust deceleration and low thrust soft touchdown

Plume-Soil Interaction / Site Alteration• Potential of high thrust engines to significantly

excavate surface


SRP Fluid Structure

MSL Plume Site Excavation




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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationPrecursor Missions

Future Mars Sample Return is generally viewed as having the potential to exercise many of the mission elements needed for a human mission• Mars EDL• Mars Ascent• Potentially Mars in-situ resource utilization

Mars Sub-Scale Precursor Mission Concepts• NASA HEOMD & SMD study• Traded three options

- 1:10 scaling (Delta-IVH)- 1:5 scaling (Falcon H)- 1:4 scaling (Dedicated SLS)

• Larger missions better


Mars Sample ReturnConceptual Design



Mars Orbit

Mars Orbit

Hum

an M

ars

Surf

ace

Miss

ion

Crew to Mars

Trans-EarthInjection (option)

MARSMARS

AscentManeuvers

EDL/DescentManeuvers

AerocaptureMars Orbit

Low Mars Orbit Insertion (option)

High Mars Orbit(250 x 33,813 km)

MARSMARS

~500 Days at Mars

~720 Days at Mars

AerocaptureMars Orbit

EDL/DescentManeuvers

MSR

-ED

L Te

ch

Dem

onst

ratio

n

AscentManeuvers

Trans-EarthInjection

~500 Days at Mars

High Mars Orbit(250 x 33,813 km)

üDemonstrate Aerocapture

üDemonstrate AeroentryüDemonstrate Supersonic Retropropulsion

üDemonstrate ISRU and Surface Power

üDemonstrate Cryo Propellant StorageüDemonstrate full-scale CH4/LOX engine

¨ Key Risk: Aerocapture

¨ Key Risk: Aeroentry of Large Vehicles¨ Key Risk: CH4/LOX engine

¨ Key Risk: ISRU and Surface Power

¨ Key Risk: Cryo Propellant Storage¨ Key Risk: CH4/LOX engine

Precursor Missions Concepts – EDL Risk Reduction

From Charles Whetsel, et al, Collaborative Study Mars Sub-scale Precursor Mission ConceptsPre-decisional For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only



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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationLanded Mass Capability

A significant increase in landed mass capability over the next 25 years is required for NASA’s current human mission architecture

Mas

s (t

on)

Year

Path

finde

r

MER

Phoe

nix

MSL

InSi

ght

Mar

s 20

20

Human Mission

MarsProjection

Mars requires about 50x increase in landed mass in 20 years

Apollo was about a 24x increase in landed mass

ApolloExperience

Apol

lo 1

1




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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationConclusions (Personal Opinion)

If we are truly planning to land humans on Mars in 25 years, robotic Mars landers must be the precursor missions• Current NASA budget profile allows for only one path of technology development• Continue the current science driven missions and combine with human mission

technology development objectives If we are to build off our current capability, the first human Mars

landers must be reasonable in size• There are not enough flight opportunities in the next 25 to robustly develop and

demonstrate the massive systems envisioned by the current NASA reference architecture

• Additionally, human Mars landers must have a clear evolutionary path from today’s EDL systems- Favors blunt body style human mission entry systems


Any viable strategy should be developed in the context of the international space community




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Human Spaceflight Architecture Team

Discussion

Documents

Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration