Mars Rover Sample Return mission

Bourke, R. D.; Kwok, Johnny H.; Friedlander, A. L.

doi:10.2514/6.1989-417

Cited by 15 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…That study is focused on understanding the system requirements and generating the first-order system design that meets these requirements [2,3]. The mission requires orbiters, landers and a Rover in Mars orbit and/or on the Mars surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Rover RTG Study

Schock¹

1989

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The paper describes the design and analysis of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) for powering the Mars Rover vehicle, which is a critical element of the unmanned Mars Rover and Sample Return mission (MRSR). The RTG design study was conducted by Fairchild Space Company for the U.S. Department of Energy, in support of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's MRSR project.The paper briefly describes a reference mission scenario, an illustrative Rover design and activity pattern on Mars, and its power system requirements and environmental constraints, including the RTG cooling requirements during transit to Mars. It identifies the key RTG design problem, i.e. venting the helium generated by the fuel's alpha decay without intrusion of the Martian atmosphere into the RTG, and proposes a design approach for solving that problem. Using that approach, it describes and analyzes a variety of RTG designs, at! based on the proven and safety-qualified General Purpose Heat Source module.The first RTG option described is a very conservative baseline design, employing standard thermoelectric unicouples whose reliability and performance stability has been extensively demonstrated on previous space missions. The heat source of the 250-watt RTG consists of a stack of 18 separate modules that is supported at its ends but not along its length. The paper describes and analyzes the structure that holds the stack together during Earth launch and Mars operations, but allows it to come apart in case of an inadvertent reentry.It then summarizes the baseline RTG's mass breakdown, and presents a detailed description of its thermal, thermoelectric, and electrical analyses. It examines the effect of different operating conditions (beginning versus end of mission, water-cooled versus radiation-cooled, summer day versus winter night) on the RTG's performance. Finally, the paper compares the RTGs' specific powers for different power levels (250W versus 125W), different thermoelectric element designs (standard versus short unicouples, versus multicouples) and different thermoelectric figures of merit (0.00058K"The results presented show the RTG performance achievable with current technology, and the performance improvements that would be achievable with various technology developments. It provides a basis for selecting the optimum strategy for meeting the Mars Rover design goals with minimal programmatic risk and cost.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Rover RTG Study

Schock¹

1989

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…That study is focused on understanding the system requirements and generating the firstorder system design that meets these requirements [2]. The mission requires orbiters, landers and a Rover in Mars orbit and/or on the Mars surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mars Rover RTG Study

Schock¹

1989

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The paper describes the design and analysis of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) for powering the Mars Rover vehicle, which is a critical element of the Mars Rover and Sample Return mission (MRSR).The RTG design study was conducted by Fairchild Space Company for the Department of Energy, in support of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's MRSR project. The paper briefly describes a reference mission scenario, an illustrative Rover design and activity pattern on Mars, and its power system requirements and environmental constraints, including the RTG cooling requirements during transit to Mars. It identifies the key RTG design problem, i.e. venting the helium generated by the fuel's alpha decay without intrusion of the Martian atmosphere into the RTG, and proposes a design approach for solving that problem. Using that approach, it describes and analyzes a variety of RTG designs, all based on the proven and safetyqualified General Purpose Heat Source Module. The first RTG option described is a very conservative baseline design, employing standard thermoelectric unicouples whose reliability and performance stability has been extensively demonstrated on previous space missions. The heat source of the 250-watt RTG consists of a stack of 18 separate modules that is supported at its ends but not along its length. The paper describes and analyzes the structure that holds the stack together during Earth launch and Mars operations, but allows it to come apart in case of an inadvertent reentry. It then summarizes the baseline RTG's mass breakdown, and presents a detailed description of its thermal, thermoelectric, and electrical analyses. It examines the effect of different operating conditions (BOM/EOM, watercooled/radiation-cooled, summer-day/winter-night) on the RTG's performance. Finally, the paper compares the RTGs' specific powers for different power levels (250W/125W), different thermoelectric element designs (standard unicouples/short unicouples/multicouples), and different thermoelectric figures of merit (0.00058K ). The results presented show the RTG performance achievable with current technology, and the performance improvements that would be achievable with various technology developments. It provides a basis for selecting the optimum strategy for meeting the Mars Rover design goals with minimal programmatic risk and cost.

show abstract

“…Quick changes may be needed in the software implementing traverse and sample acquisition functions after landing, whether due to unforseeable hardware failures or unexpected conditions. Depending of course on the mission design, sample return mission surface stay times could be as short as a few months, adding greatly to pressures for operational responsiveness (Bourke, et al, 1989).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%