[meteorite-list] ESA's First Step Towards Mars Sample Return

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:27:47 2004
Message-ID: <200311121719.JAA23422_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Aurora/SEMQH0XLDMD_0.html

ESA's first step towards Mars Sample Return
European Space Agency
12 November 2003

What is the next best thing to humans landing on Mars and
exploring the wonders of the Red Planet? The answer: touching,
imaging and analysing carefully preserved samples of Martian rock in
a state-of-the-art laboratory on Earth.
 
If all goes according to plan, this is exactly what ESA's long-term
Aurora programme of Solar System exploration will achieve a decade from now,
when the first samples of Mars material will be sealed in a special capsule and
returned to Earth for analysis.

The first step towards making this great leap in human knowledge a reality was
taken at the end of October with the announcement of the winners of competitive
contracts for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, the second Flagship
robotic mission to be proposed as part of Aurora.

The parallel contracts for the Phase A studies that will carry out a full mission
design iteration for the MSR have been placed with two industrial teams.

One team, headed by Alenia Spazio (Italy), also includes Alcatel (France),
Dutch Space (Netherlands), ELV (Italy) and MDR (Canada).

The other team, headed by EADS Astrium (UK), also includes Astrium SAS
(France), EADS ST (France), Galileo Avionica (Italy), RAL (UK), SAS
(Belgium), SENER (Spain) and Utopia Consultancies (Germany).

"The industrial proposals received were of outstanding quality, reflecting the
enthusiasm and the commitment of the industrial teams who prepared them,"
said Bruno Gardini, Aurora Project Manager.
 
Bringing Mars back to Earth
 
As currently envisaged, the MSR will be a two-stage endeavour. First, a
spacecraft that includes a return capsule will be launched in 2011 and
inserted into orbit around Mars. Two years later, a second spacecraft
carrying a Descent Module and a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) will be
launched on a similar trajectory.

During its final approach to Mars, the Descent Module/MAV will be released
and make a controlled landing on the pristine planet. A robotic drill will
then collect a soil sample from a depth of 1½ to 2 metres and seal it
inside a small canister on the ascent vehicle. Other samples of Martian
soil and air may also be gathered and stored inside the canister.

Carrying its precious samples, the MAV will lift off from the surface, then
rendezvous and dock with the spacecraft in Martian orbit. After receiving the
canister loaded with Martian rocks, the spacecraft will return to Earth with the
re-entry capsule containing the samples and send it plummeting into the
atmosphere.

Slowed by a parachute or inflatable device, the capsule will make a fairly gentle
touchdown before recovery teams retrieve the container from the landing site and
deliver it to a planetary protection facility where the samples will be removed to
await analysis by eager scientists.

The design of the capsule will ensure that the structural integrity of the sample
container remains intact, even if the parachute fails to open and a crash landing
occurs.

"The Mars Sample Return mission is one of the most challenging missions ever
considered by ESA," said Gardini.

"Not only does it include many new technologies and four or five different
spacecraft, but it is also a mission of tremendous scientific importance and the
first robotic mission with a similar profile to a possible human expedition to
Mars."

A number of the critical technologies required for the success of this ambitious
endeavour have yet to be developed in Europe, e.g. re-entry of spacecraft
arriving from at high velocity from deep space.

As a preliminary stage in developing a vehicle capable of bringing back samples
from Mars, it was considered necessary to develop this re-entry capability and
to demonstrate its maturity as part of the Aurora programme. Feasibility studies
for a dedicated Arrow mission, known as the Earth re-entry Vehicle
Demonstrator (EVD), were recently announced.

In the same way, testing of the complex rendezvous and docking techniques will
be carried out as an experiment on the ExoMars mission, the first Flagship
mission of the Aurora programme. The Phase A industrial study contracts for the
ExoMars mission began in September.

For further information contact:

Bruno Gardini
Aurora Project Manager
ESTEC
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-71-565-3849
E-mail: Bruno.Gardini_at_esa.int
Received on Wed 12 Nov 2003 12:19:53 PM PST