Abstract
Successful demonstration of solar electric propulsion on the Deep Space 1 technology demonstration mission has paved the way for the use of this technology on future planetary missions. Currently there is much interest in retrieving Mars surface samples for scientific exploration, as well as developing the technology to enable human missions to Mars sometime in the next few decades. Solar electric propulsion trajectories for Mars opportunities in the 2004-2011 time frame are examined. All of the trajectories shown were optimized with a gradient based calculus-of-variations tool. In addition, a genetic algorithm was used to search for more nonstandard trajectories. Mission performance is presented as burnout mass along contours of constant flight time. The superior specific impulse of these propulsion systems results in a larger delivered mass at Mars than a conventional chemical mission. A very curious feature of these missions is that for longer flight times solutions exist that permit a nearly continuous launch opportunity over an entire Earth-Mars synodic period.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 71-77 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2000 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aerospace Engineering
- Space and Planetary Science
Cite this
Mars missions using solar electric propulsion. / Williams, Steven N.; Coverstone, Victoria.
In: Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 37, No. 1, 01.01.2000, p. 71-77.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mars missions using solar electric propulsion
AU - Williams, Steven N.
AU - Coverstone, Victoria
PY - 2000/1/1
Y1 - 2000/1/1
N2 - Successful demonstration of solar electric propulsion on the Deep Space 1 technology demonstration mission has paved the way for the use of this technology on future planetary missions. Currently there is much interest in retrieving Mars surface samples for scientific exploration, as well as developing the technology to enable human missions to Mars sometime in the next few decades. Solar electric propulsion trajectories for Mars opportunities in the 2004-2011 time frame are examined. All of the trajectories shown were optimized with a gradient based calculus-of-variations tool. In addition, a genetic algorithm was used to search for more nonstandard trajectories. Mission performance is presented as burnout mass along contours of constant flight time. The superior specific impulse of these propulsion systems results in a larger delivered mass at Mars than a conventional chemical mission. A very curious feature of these missions is that for longer flight times solutions exist that permit a nearly continuous launch opportunity over an entire Earth-Mars synodic period.
AB - Successful demonstration of solar electric propulsion on the Deep Space 1 technology demonstration mission has paved the way for the use of this technology on future planetary missions. Currently there is much interest in retrieving Mars surface samples for scientific exploration, as well as developing the technology to enable human missions to Mars sometime in the next few decades. Solar electric propulsion trajectories for Mars opportunities in the 2004-2011 time frame are examined. All of the trajectories shown were optimized with a gradient based calculus-of-variations tool. In addition, a genetic algorithm was used to search for more nonstandard trajectories. Mission performance is presented as burnout mass along contours of constant flight time. The superior specific impulse of these propulsion systems results in a larger delivered mass at Mars than a conventional chemical mission. A very curious feature of these missions is that for longer flight times solutions exist that permit a nearly continuous launch opportunity over an entire Earth-Mars synodic period.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033896623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2514/2.3528
DO - 10.2514/2.3528
M3 - Article
VL - 37
SP - 71
EP - 77
JO - Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
JF - Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
SN - 0022-4650
IS - 1
ER -