The 2007 French Mars mission

Mathematics – Logic

Scientific paper

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Mars: Space Missions

Scientific paper

After the failures of the Mars Climate Orbiter and of the Mars Polar Lander, NASA is re-visiting the architecture of the US program in order to increase its robustness and resiliency. The new program includes orbiter missions, lander missions and foresees the validation of some key technologies before the implementation of the end-to-end Mars Sample Return mission. French participation makes up the so-called PREMIER program, which includes: - a major participation to the first Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission in cooperation with NASA, with the provision of the vehicle (orbiter) which will capture the sample canister in Martian orbit and bring it back to Earth, - the implementation of a network of Mars ground stations (NETLANDER) developed in cooperation with European partners and deployed on the surface of Mars. The launch of the first sample return mission is envisaged in 2011. Before this mission, CNES intents to launch a precursor mission in 2007, with very ambitious scientific and technological objectives. The orbiter launched in 2007 will: - carry the four NetLander probes and relay their scientific data to the Earth - demonstrate critical technologies necessary for the Mars Sample Return mission such as aerocapture and rendezvous and capture in Mars orbit, - perform additional scientific experimentations. Aerocapture is a new technique never yet used for planetary orbit insertion. The speed reduction is provided by friction against the planet's atmosphere. To obtain the required level of deceleration (close to 2000 m/s), a significant surface area is needed which will be heated up by "intense friction" in the atmosphere. The overall budget turns out to be positive, as the 300-to-400 kg shield mass is much less than the one ton or more of propellant otherwise needed for propulsive capture.

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