Earth - Mars Logistics System Requirements

John K. Strickland, Jr.
[email protected]

Abstract

The path to Human Mars exploration depends heavily on developing some kind of Re-usable Heavy Lift Vehicle (R-HLV) with a payload capacity of at least 75 tons), and an efficient and integrated cis-lunar space transport system. This includes the use of propellant depots, which would allow use of cryogenic propellants at the time required for the best orbit plane alignment for departure from LEO. R-HLV's are needed to get all of the vehicles which will eventually operate in Solar and Mars orbit, into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) first. Since all vehicles that land on Mars will need to perform atmosphere entry, any vehicle large enough to carry humans or large cargo items will need to have a large integral aero-shell, which cannot practically be assembled in orbit. This means that the entire lander vehicle must be launched from the ground intact.

This paper will look at types of payloads needed for Mars exploration, such as interplanetary crew vehicles, cargo vehicles, fuel depots for use in Mars orbit, and Mars ferries, habitats, and other equipment for use on the surface, and how their size and shape should affect launcher development choices. This will demonstrate that there is some minimum size and diameter of R-HLV required to support manned operations on Mars surface.

It will cover how the selection of one or more R-HLV designs may affect the pace and overall pattern of Mars exploration. Thus it will look at how the future at Mars may be tied to current technical and political decisions. It will look at the difference between political support for vehicle development, and support for operational use of the vehicles once developed. It also will examine the sustainability of long-term human Mars operations if based on expendable vs. re-usable Earth to Orbit, In-Space and Mars Orbit-to-Surface vehicles.

Presented at ISDC 2011 - Huntsville. Paper and presentation charts are not available.