Transfer Vehicle Sizing for Missions to Mars

by James P. Masciarelli,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space IV

Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to analyze the interactions between mission and vehicle design parameters, and determine how the selection of a particular trajectory and transit time affects the transfer vehicle initial mass in low Earth orbit (IMLEO) for human exploration missions to Mars. A reference mission scenario was selected, and vehicle sizing calculations performed for transfer vehicles using nuclear thermal propulsion, chemical propelled vehicles with aerocapture at Mars, and vehicles using chemical propulsion alone.

Subject Headings: Vehicles | Space exploration | Chemicals | Thermal analysis | Public transportation | Parameters (statistics) | Human and behavioral factors

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