Spaceship Discovery - NTR Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of the Solar System

Benton, Mark G.

doi:10.2514/6.2009-5309

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The DSV design is derived from the common modular landers used in the Spaceship Discovery vehicle architecture for human exploration of the solar system. 5 The DSV is a modification of the Spaceship Discovery LM3 autonomous cargo lander, habitat variant (renamed MCL-H in this paper). 6 The DSV design is discussed below in section V.E.1, Design of Deep Space Vehicle (DSV).…”

Section: Mars Crew Transfer Vehicle (Mctv)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5 Design reference missions (DRMs) to Earth's Moon, Mars, the asteroid Ceres, and the moons of Jupiter, Ganymede and Callisto, were developed for Spaceship Discovery. A DRM to the largest airless moons of Saturn, Rhea and Iapetus, is under development.…”

Section: Common Modular Design For Mars Landers and Deep Space Vehmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1,118 kg of propellant lost to boil-off prior to MOI by (2) MTS-C 4. Includes 2% Flight Performance Reserve 5. Includes 25 m/s for OTO course correction burns.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Includes 2% Flight Performance Reserve 4. Includes 25 m/s for ITO course correction burns 5. ECC Burn includes 25 m/s for main burn and 30 m/s Mission Reserve, plus 2% FPR = 56 m/s.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modular Space Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of Mars Using Artificial Gravity and Mini-Magnetosphere Crew Radiation Shield

Benton

Kutter

Bamford

et al. 2012

50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition

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This paper presents a conceptual Mars Exploration Vehicle (MEV) architecture, which includes two unmanned Mars Lander Transfer Vehicles (MLTVs) and a Mars Crew Transfer Vehicle (MCTV) with a crew of four. The MLTVs and MCTV are assembled in low Earth orbit (LEO) from modules launched by four Space Launch System (SLS) and five Delta IV Heavy rockets. The MLTVs and MCTV individually escape from LEO, transit to Mars, brake into Mars orbit using propulsion and aerobraking, and rendezvous and dock in low Mars orbit (LMO). Each MLTV includes an Earth Departure stage (EDS), Mars Transfer Stage (MTS), Lander Service Module (LSM), and two landers: A Mars Personnel Lander (MPL) provides two-way crew transportation between LMO and the surface. Three unmanned Mars Cargo Landers (MCLs) provide one-way cargo transportation and the functionalities of habitats (MCL-H) (2) and rover (MCL-R). The landers rendezvous and assemble on the surface to form a base. The MCTV includes two EDS, two MTS, and the following: (1) The Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) transports the crew from Earth to LEO, provides propulsion, and returns the crew to Earth after nominal mission completion or in aborts. (2) Three Deep Space Vehicles (DSVs) provide life support consumables, passive biological radiation shielding, crew habitation space, and propulsion. The DSV design was derived from the MCL-H. (3) An Artificial Gravity Module (AGM) allows the MCTV to rotate and generate artificial gravity for the crew and provides photo-voltaic power generation and deep space communications. A miniature magnetosphere (Mini-Mag), a potential key enabler for human interplanetary exploration, is electromagnetically generated on the AGM and provides active crew biological radiation shielding. The MEV architecture is based on many existing or near-term technologies. It incorporates significant modularity and could provide an economical approach to achieve progressively more ambitious stepping stone missions along a flexible path for human solar system exploration: starting with test flights in Earth and lunar orbit and progressing through missions to nearEarth asteroids and the moons of Mars, and culminating in the Mars landing mission.

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Section: Mars Crew Transfer Vehicle (Mctv)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Common Modular Design For Mars Landers and Deep Space Vehmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1,118 kg of propellant lost to boil-off prior to MOI by (2) MTS-C 4. Includes 2% Flight Performance Reserve 5. Includes 25 m/s for OTO course correction burns.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Includes 2% Flight Performance Reserve 4. Includes 25 m/s for ITO course correction burns 5. ECC Burn includes 25 m/s for main burn and 30 m/s Mission Reserve, plus 2% FPR = 56 m/s.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Modular Space Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of Mars Using Artificial Gravity and Mini-Magnetosphere Crew Radiation Shield

Benton

Kutter

Bamford

et al. 2012

50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The DSV design is derived from the common modular landers used in the Spaceship Discovery vehicle architecture for human exploration of the solar system. 9 The DSV is a modification of Spaceship Discovery LM3 autonomous cargo lander, habitat variant (renamed MCL-H in this paper). 10 The DSV design and MPCV interface are discussed in detail below in Sect.…”

Section: Design Of Mars Crew Transfer Vehiclementioning

confidence: 99%

A Conceptual Mars Exploration Vehicle Architecture with Chemical Propulsion, Near-Term Technology, and High Modularity to Enable Near-Term Human Missions to Mars

Benton

2015

AIAA SPACE 2015 Conference and Exposition

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The Mars Exploration Vehicle (MEV) Architecture was first presented in January, 2012. It describes a possible method to accomplish a long-stay conjunction class Mars surface exploration mission, for 2033 or 2035 opportunities, with a four-person crew and using chemical propulsion, existing or near-term technology, and common modular elements to minimize development costs. It utilizes a common Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (CPS) that can be configured as an Earth Departure Stage (EDS) or Mars Transfer Stage (MTS). It satisfies mission requirements using a combination of Earth orbit rendezvous, aerobraking of unmanned landers, Mars orbit rendezvous, and Mars surface rendezvous. The purpose of this paper is to present major enhancements to the architecture and provide additional design details. The MEV architecture is assembled in low Earth orbit (LEO) from subassemblies launched by Space Launch System rockets and includes a Mars Crew Transfer Vehicle (MCTV) with a crew of four, two redundant unmanned Mars Lander Transfer Vehicles (MLTVs), and four redundant Booster Refueling Vehicles which top off CPS LH 2 propellants before Trans-Mars Injection (TMI). The MCTV and its assembly sequence were redesigned to reduce mechanical complexity, enhance design commonality, simplify LEO assembly, and improve mission reliability. Each MLTV utilizes one EDS and one MTS and carries three landers as payload: The Mars Personnel Lander (MPL) provides two-way transport for four crew members between low Mars orbit (LMO) and surface. Two unmanned Mars Cargo Landers, a habitat variant (MCL-H) and a rover variant (MCL-R), provide one-way cargo delivery to the surface. Additional MCL-R design details will be presented in this paper. The MLTVs escape from LEO, transit to Mars, and propulsively brake into a highly elliptical orbit. The landers separate, aerobrake, circularize their orbits, and rendezvous with the MCTV in LMO. Additional aerobraking design details will be presented in this paper. The MCTV utilizes three EDS, one MTS, and: (1) The Orion MultiPurpose Crew Vehicle transports the crew from Earth to LEO, provides propulsion, and returns the crew to Earth using a direct entry at the nominal mission end or after aborts. (2) Three Deep Space Vehicles (DSVs), modified MCL-H landers, provide crew habitation space, life support consumables, passive biological radiation shielding, and propulsion. (3) An Artificial Gravity Module permits the MCTV to vary its geometry and rotate to generate artificial gravity for the crew and provides photo-voltaic power generation and deep space communications. The MCTV escapes from LEO, transits to Mars, propulsively brakes into LMO, and docks the six landers from the MLTVs. Cargo and crew landers perform Mars entry, descent, and landing, and rendezvous and dock on the surface to form an exploration base camp. After completion of surface exploration, the crew returns to LMO in the MPL, docking with the MCTV for the return trip to Earth. With inherent modularity, the MEV architecture could enable an economi...

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60+ Years of Humans to Mars Mission Planning

Rapp

2023

Human Missions to Mars

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Spaceship Discovery - NTR Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of the Solar System

Cited by 6 publications

References 8 publications

Modular Space Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of Mars Using Artificial Gravity and Mini-Magnetosphere Crew Radiation Shield

Modular Space Vehicle Architecture for Human Exploration of Mars Using Artificial Gravity and Mini-Magnetosphere Crew Radiation Shield

A Conceptual Mars Exploration Vehicle Architecture with Chemical Propulsion, Near-Term Technology, and High Modularity to Enable Near-Term Human Missions to Mars

60+ Years of Humans to Mars Mission Planning

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