Russell, Tiffany E.

NASA Technical Reports Server

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
www.nasa.gov  
Reduction of Launch Mass with Solar 
Sail Propulsion 
 Mars Sample Return Concept Study 
 
 
 
 
Presented by Tiffany E. Russell 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20140000655 2019-08-29T15:22:11+00:00Z
2 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Three year project awarded to Surrey Space Center by the 
European Commission 
Three main objectives for the DEPLOYTECH Project 
 Advance technology readiness levels of space deployable technologies 
 Develop updated mathematical models to analyze deployable structures 
 Develop testing methods and facilities for ground based tests of space 
deployable structures 
Partnership between NASA MSFC and University of Surrey to 
aid in development of space deployable technologies 
 Principal Investigators:  Les Johnson and Vaios Lappas 
 NASA MSFC Engineering Directorate Support 
DEPLOYTECH Background 
3 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Planetary Science Decadal Survey Mission 
 Three ‘separate’ missions to remain under cost caps 
● Astrobiology Explorer (Rover) 
● Sample Return Orbiter (with EEV) 
● Sample Return Lander (with Ascent Stage) 
MSR ERS Modifications 
 Replace Sample Return Orbiter MPS system with solar sail 
● Maintain EEV from Decadal Survey Mission 
● Determine solar sail characteristics (size, mass, etc.) 
● Determine new spacecraft characteristics (size, mass, etc.) 
 
Mission Overview 
4 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Repackage the Sample Return Orbiter to minimize mass and 
redundancy 
Launch with Max-C rover on Atlas V 551 in 2028 
Use solar sail as main interplanetary propulsion system 
 Case 1 – Mars-to-Earth transfer only 
 Case 2 – Earth-to-Mars and Mars-to-Earth 
Limited RCS for course correction and sample rendezvous 
procedures 
Orbiter and ERS separate at Mars, ERS only returns to Earth 
with sample 
 
Mission Concept Assumptions 
5 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Mars 
Earth 
Not to scale 
  
E
xp
e
n
d
a
b
le
 L
a
u
n
ch
 V
e
h
ic
le
 
Mars Orbit 
LEO 
Direct 
Entry 
EEV 
Separation 
TMI 
Mars Transfer 
~350 days 
Earth Entry 
Velocity 
< 12 km/sec 
Orbiter 
Expended 
Aerocapture into 
Mars Orbit 
Mars-to-Earth Transfer 
~507.5 days 
Rendezvous 
w/ Orbiting Sample 
Case 1: Mars-to-Earth Only 
Solar Sail 
Deployment 
Mars Spiral Out 
~435 days 
 
TMI Stage 
Expended 
Orbiter 
and ERS 
Separation 
Sample 
Return 
Orbiter 
Operations  
Total Transit Time = 3.54 years 
6 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Mars 
Earth 
Not to scale 
  
E
xp
e
n
d
a
b
le
 L
a
u
n
ch
 V
e
h
ic
le
 
Mars Orbit 
LEO 
Direct 
Entry 
EEV 
Separation 
TMI 
Mars Transfer 
~758.5 days 
Earth Entry 
Velocity 
< 12 km/sec 
Orbiter 
Expended 
Mars Arrival 
Mars-to-Earth Transfer 
~507.5 days 
Rendezvous 
w/ Orbiting Sample 
Case 2 : Round Trip 
Mars Spiral Out 
~435 days 
 
TMI Stage 
Expended 
Orbiter 
and ERS 
Separation 
Sample 
Return 
Orbiter 
Operations  
Total Transit Time = 4.66 years 
Solar Sail 
Deployment 
7 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Assumptions 
 Area = 18,887 m2 
 Payload Mass = 200 kg 
 Sail Mass = 115 kg 
 2.5 µm CP1 
 Sun Synchronous Orbit 
 Start at 500 km Circular 
orbit 
 93.2 inclination 
Characteristic 
Acceleration = 0.50 
mm/s2 
Time of Flight is 435 
days 
Case 1: Mars Spiral Out 
8 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Assumptions 
 Leaving Mars at 
perihelion 
 Initial orbit Mars orbit 
Vinf of arrival of 6.4 
km/s2 
 Entry velocity of 12.8 
km/s2 
Time of Flight is 507.5 
days 
Case 1 & 2: Mars-to-Earth Transfer 
9 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Assumptions 
 Leaving Earth with a C3 
of zero 
 Sail deployed after TMI 
burn by launch vehicle 
Characteristic 
Acceleration = 0.50 
mm/s2 
Time of Flight is 758.5 
days 
Case 2: Earth-to-Mars Transfer 
10 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Configuration 
Earth Entry Vehicle 
Orbiter 
Sailcraft 
Avionics 
Solar Array &  
Aerobrake 
 
Communications 
Propulsion Engines 
Sample Capture 
Mechanism 
11 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Configuration 
2.2 
3.3 
2.4 
Propulsion Tanks 
Sample Capture 
Mechanism Orbiter Bus 
Sailcraft with Stowed Sail 
12 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Structures:  Finite Element Analysis 
Power:  Power Distribution Schematic 
Systems Analysis  
Power 
Distribution Unit 
(PDU) 
Batteries 
Flight 
Computer 
Electronics -  
Array Regulation & 
Battery Charge 
Power 
Distribution Unit 
(PDU) 
Flight 
Computer 
Breakaway Harness 
Power 
Orbiter 
Earth Return 
Junction Box 
13 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Avionics: C&DH Schematic 
Thermal Analysis  
Subsystems Analysis 
CDS 
40 W 
Comm – Xband 
66 W 
Batteries & ACS 
61.5 W Comm – UHF 
53.5 W 
D
e
g
re
e
s
 C
 
D
e
g
re
e
s
 C
 
CDS 
40 W 
Comm – Xband 
66 W 
Batteries & ACS 
61.5 W Comm – UHF 
53.5 W 
14 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Mass Results 
Case 2  
Predicted 
Mass (kg) 
Max-C Entry System 1550.7 
  Descent Stage 1313.1 
  Pallet 327.5 
  Max-C Rover 364.5 
  ACO Delta Orb+ERS 508.8 
  Total 4064.6 
Case 1  
Predicted 
Mass (kg) 
Max-C Entry System 1550.7 
  Descent Stage 1313.1 
  Pallet 327.5 
  Max-C Rover 364.5 
  ACO Orb+ERS 1947.5 
  Total 5503.3 
Launch Summary 
2028 Atlas V 551 Mass (kg) 5150 
Delta Mass (kg) 4064.6 
Launch Contingency: 21% 
15 The Third International Symposium on Solar Sailing 2013  National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Presented to the Mars 
Project for consideration 
Dual launch manifest 
enabled if a solar sail is 
utilized on a round trip 
Repackaged the Orbiter and 
Earth Return System into a 
configuration that allows 
stowage and deployment of 
the 150 M solar sail system 
 
 
 
Conclusions 
Met all mission requirements and would eliminate one Atlas V 
launch saving the project time and money! 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
www.nasa.gov  


Reduction of Launch Mass with Solar Sail Propulsion

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