Maximization of benefits from the space exploration initiative

Alred, John; Siegfried, W. H.

doi:10.1016/0094-5765(92)90039-l

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Mars exploration, highlighted by NASA's plans for human missions by 2030, offers insights into exobiology, potential human settlement, and economic and scientific advancements, positioning Mars as a future second home for humanity and underscoring the importance of interplanetary missions [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Mars exploration began with NASA's Mariner 4 mission in 1964 [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MeSat Mission: Exploring Martian Environment with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

Rastinasab,

Hu,

Saghamanesh

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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Space exploration presents vast prospects for scientific, industrial, and economic progress. This paper introduces the MeSat mission as a pioneering approach to Mars exploration. The MeSat aims to deepen our understanding of Martian conditions and resources by employing an optimized Earth-to-Mars trajectory, enabling a comprehensive study of the Martian atmosphere and surface. The mission comprises a cargo microsatellite hosting three 6U CubeSats and two 3U CubeSats, deployed into four separate Mars orbits to form a constellation. Each CubeSat carries distinct payloads: a THz radiometer for Martian water vapor atmospheric observation, a high-resolution surface camera, a high-tech spectrometer, and a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for wind speed readings. This paper includes the majority of the key parameters; however, we focus our discussion more on two aspects of this pioneering mission: the first aspect contains the proposal of four distinct payloads for the study of Mars’ atmosphere and the second aspect proposes an optimal mission design algorithm that analyzes a fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectory from Earth to Mars. Regarding the payloads, the THz radiometer requires a specific design; hence, we explain this payload in more depth; the rest of the payloads, we suggest utilizing commercially available elements for the cost-effective manufacture of a whole system. For mission trajectory optimization, the study employs a dual-step hybrid optimization algorithm (PSO-homotopy) to analyze fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectories from Earth to Mars, incorporating the ephemeris dynamics model to account for gravitational perturbations in the entire Solar System. In practical mission design, crucial factors like hyperbolic excess velocity, diverse opportunities for Earth launch and Mars rendezvous, varied propulsion systems, and time of flight (TOF) play vital roles in trajectory optimization. In summary, for the MeSat mission, we propose a comprehensive Mars environmental mission design. We consider all aspects of the mission from trajectory design to engineering detail design, since we would like to inspire future Mars missions with a complete report.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MeSat Mission: Exploring Martian Environment with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

Rastinasab,

Hu,

Saghamanesh

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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“…The discovery of new resources through space exploration, such as asteroids and planets mining, can create new economic opportunities [8]. Instead of relying solely on Earth's resources, the use of space resources can be more economically attractive [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MeSat Mission: Revolutionizing Mars Exploration with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

Rastinasab,

Hu,

Saghamanesh

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Space exploration presents vast prospects for scientific, industrial, and economic progress. This paper introduces the MeSat mission as a pioneering approach to Mars exploration. MeSat aims to deepen our understanding of Martian conditions and resources by employing an optimized Earth-to-Mars trajectory, enabling a comprehensive study of the Martian atmosphere and surface. The mission comprises a Cargo Microsatellite hosting three 6U CubeSats and two 3U CubeSats, deployed into four separate Mars orbits forming a constellation. Each CubeSat carries distinct payloads: a THz radiometer for water detection, a high-resolution surface camera, a top-tier spectrometer, and a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) for wind speed readings. This paper focuses on two pivotal innovations: the development of a 183GHz radiometer payload for detecting water on Mars and a optimal mission design algorithm that analyzes a fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectory from Earth to Mars. Regarding the THz payload for water detection, a subharmonic Schottky diode-based mixer is meticulously designed to efficiently down-convert radio signals. The down-converted signals are carefully analyzed using a customized Do-It-Yourself (DIY) spectrum meter, which facilitated the capture and processing of acquired data. To provide the necessary Local Oscillator signals for the mixer, a Tripler employing three-anode Schottky diodes is developed. Additionally, the Tripler requires a signal generator for its entry frequency, which is addressed by developing a DIY signal generator. Together, these components, comprising the Schottky diode mixer, Tripler, and DIY circuits, collectively form the complete THz payload, demonstrating exceptional power efficiency with a total consumption of only 3.7W. The study employs a dual-step hybrid optimization algorithm (PSO-Homotopy) to analyze fuel-efficient low-thrust trajectories from Earth to Mars, incorporating the Ephemeris dynamics model to account for gravitational perturbations in the entire solar system. In practical mission design, crucial factors like hyperbolic excess velocity, diverse opportunities for Earth launch and Mars rendezvous, varied propulsion systems, and Time of Flight (TOF) play vital roles in trajectory optimization.

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The Mars imperative: Species survival and inspiring a globalized culture

Barker

2015

Acta Astronautica

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Maximization of benefits from the space exploration initiative

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

MeSat Mission: Exploring Martian Environment with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

MeSat Mission: Exploring Martian Environment with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

MeSat Mission: Revolutionizing Mars Exploration with THz Radiometer Payload and Optimal Trajectory

The Mars imperative: Species survival and inspiring a globalized culture

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