We present a mission concept where a SpaceX Dragon capsule lands a payload on Mars that samples ground ice to search for evidence of life, assess hazards to future human missions, and demonstrate use of Martian resources

Davila, A.

Glass, Brian

Gonzales, A.

Heldmann, Jennifer

Karcz, J.

Lemke, L.

Sanders, G.

Stoker, Carol R.

NASA Technical Reports Server

ICE DRAGON:  A MISSION TO ADDRESS SCIENCE AND HUMAN EXPLORATION OBJECTIVES ON 
MARS  
C.R. Stoker1, A. Davila1, S. Davis2, B. Glass1, A. Gonzales1, J. Heldmann1, J. Karcz1, L. Lemke1 and G. Sanders3 
1M.S.245-3 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000, carol.stoker@nasa.gov; 2 Space Explora-
tion Technology (SpaceX) Corp.; 3 NASA Johnson Space Center 
 
Summary: We present a mission concept 
where a SpaceX Dragon capsule lands a payload on 
Mars that samples ground ice to search for evidence of 
life, assess hazards to future human missions, and 
demonstrate use of Martian resources.  
Introduction: The search for life on Mars is a 
priority for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, a 
pivotal question of the Astrobiology Program and the 
ultimate goal of the Mars Exploration Program 
(MEPAG 2010). Assessing the presence or absence of 
life on Mars is a pre-requisite for human exploration to 
identify potential threats to planetary protection.  Hu-
man exploration will also be enabled by the characteri-
zation of water resources, such as ground ice, that pro-
vide the basis for  sustained human presence. Finally, a 
future human Mars exploration program requires clear 
demonstration that humans can land and safely operate 
on the surface of Mars. 
Mission and Systems Concept:  The Ice 
Dragon mission uses landing system called “Red 
Dragon”[1] that is based on a SpaceX Dragon crew 
capsule to land on Mars. Launched by a Falcon Heavy, 
this spacecraft is capable of delivering more than 1000 
kg of analytical and engineering payload to the surface 
of Mars at low cost. The large interior volume allows a 
variety of possibly payloads to be delivered. 
The Ice Dragon mission concept focuses on 
three key questions: (1) Is there life on Mars? (2) Are 
there viable and accessible resources for humans? (3) 
Is it safe to land humans on Mars?  
These are logically addressed by studying martian 
ground ice. The subsurface environment provides pro-
tection from radiation to shield organic and biologic 
compounds from destruction.  The ice-rich substrate is 
also ideal for preserving organic and biologic mole-
cules and provides a source of H2O for any biologic 
activity.  Examination of martian ground ice can test 
the hypotheses of whether ground ice supports habit-
able conditions, that ground ice can preserve and ac-
cumulate organic compounds, and that ice contains 
biomolecules that show past or present biological ac-
tivity on Mars.  Furthermore, water on Mars, in the 
form of ground ice and hydrated minerals may provide 
a valuable resource to enable long-term human explo-
ration.  Water can provide the raw materials for rocket 
propropellant, other fuels, and life support consum-
ables for future human Mars missions.  
Ground ice is expected to be fairly common in mid 
to high latitudes on Mars based on Gamma Ray Spec-
trometer data, geomorphology, and numerical model-
ing.  Subsurface ice has been directly observed in two 
locations: the Phoenix landing site (68oN) and Ama-
zonis Plantia (~45oN) [2].  
Mission objectives  and payload elements of Ice 
Dragon include: 
Objective 1—Determine if life ever arose on 
Mars.  Ice Dragon will search for evidence of life us-
ing two different strategies: 1) searching for complex 
biomolecules that constitute definite evidence of bio-
logical activity (proof of life), accomplished using 
SOLID2 [3], a TRL-5 immunoassay instrument capa-
ble of detecting a broad range of biologically produced 
compounds. 2) search for simple organic molecules 
that might be linked to biological (or nonbiological) 
processes (indicators of life). The TRL-9 TEGA in-
strument used on Phoenix performed organic analysis 
[4] but could not uniquely detect organics in perchlo-
rate-rich Mars soil. An alternative candidate instru-
ment, currently at TRL-4, uses Laser Desorption Mass 
Spectrascopy.  
Objective 2—Assess subsurface habitability.  The habi-
tability of ground ice is assessed by evaluating the 
availability of water, energy, and nutrients to support 
life. Payload elements that can achieve this objective 
are TRL-9 and include the Wet Chemistry Laboratory 
flown on Phoenix [5] and APXS flown on Mars Explo-
ration Rovers [6] to identify the presence of nutrient 
elements and ions important for life. 
Objective 3—Establish the origin, vertical distribution 
and composition of ground ice. Ice Dragon will sample 
ground ice and determine whether liquid water proc-
esses were involved in its implacement or diagenesis 
by imaging the ice within the borehole, determining 
the water content of drilled samples, and measuring 
mechanical properties while drilling the ice. 
Objective 4— Assess potential human hazards in dust, 
regolith and ground ice, and cosmic radiation. 
Biological and chemical hazards to humans are 
assessed using the same instruments that addresses 
objectives 1 and 2.  A candidate instrument to 
characterize the radiation environment on the martian 
surface is the TRL-9 CRaTER instrument flown on 
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter [7]. 
Objective 5— Demonstrate ISRU for propellant 
production on Mars. Systems can be carried to 
demonstrate the collection of carbon dioxide from the 
Mars atmosphere and subsequent catalytic processing 
into methane and water.  Atmospheric collection will 
also allow for incorporation of a dust measurement 
4176.pdfConcepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration (2012)
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20120016811 2019-08-30T23:10:04+00:00Z
instrument (size and count rate).  The demonstration 
uses existing TRL 4/5 hardware as a starting point.  In 
addition to atmospheric ISRU, utilizing water from 
hydrated material and/or near surface ice could be 
game-changing.  Determining soil properties, water/ice 
quantity, contaminants and other volatiles in the soil, 
and evaluating cleaning techniques, are required to 
utilize these resources in future missions.  Payload 
elements that can demonstrate water extraction are 
currently TRL-5.  
Objective 6—Conduct human relevant EDL demon-
stration. Ice Dragon enters and lands on Mars using an 
EDL system that is relevant to spacecraft that may land 
humans on Mars in future missions, but has not previ-
ously been demonstrated in flight.  
Payload implementation: Samples are ob-
tained using a rotary percussive drill [8] capable of 
retrieving cuttings from up to 2 meters depth in ice-
cemented ground.  The 2 m depth allows access to 
materials that have not been sterilized by ionizing 
cosmic radiation over geologic timescales [9], and will 
allow ice to be sampled at midlatitude sites where it 
may be covered by up to 1 m of dry soil. The drill is a 
larger and deeper version of the Icebreaker drill that 
has been tested to TRL-6.  Figure 1 illustrates a con-
cept for implementing the drill and instruments in a 
Dragon capsule.  Icy regions on Mars are protected 
from contamination by terrestrial microbes by steraliz-
ing all elements that touch samples and keeping them 
within a sterile chamber housed in the capsule center.  
Instrument sample acceptance ports penetrate this 
chamber but the instruments and support hardware 
remain outside of it. The height of the capsule allows a 
single drill string capable of 2 m depth to fit vertically 
within it. The single drill string approach is simpler 
and lower risk than an approach requiring multiple 
drill strings to achieve depth.  Openings in the capsule 
base allow allow drill use inside the capsule. Cuttings 
samples from the drill are provided to the instruments 
aseptically.  
 
Conclusions:  The payload and landing system we 
identify for Ice Dragon addresses high priority scien-
tific and human exploration goals. The mission seeks 
to bridge the gap between science and human explora-
tion, at low cost, by targeting key Strategic Knowledge 
Gaps. The mission can be scaled up in cost from Dis-
covery-class to New Frontiers-class, and is easily ad-
justable to budget limitations. However for each class 
Red Dragon can deliver to Mars more science and 
technology than previous landing systems. Based on 
preliminary studies Ice Dragon could become a high 
pay-off mission as early as the 2018 launch opportu-
nity. 
 
Figure 1: Schematic illustrating payload accommoda-
tion within the SpaceX Dragon capsule.  Two drills 
(one deployed to depth, one stowed, shown in red) are 
housed within a sterile chamber. Instruments are 
mounted around the circumference of the chamber 
with sample ports extending inside.  A sample transfer 
system (green) moves cuttings from the drill to the in-
strument ports. A human is shown for scale. 
 
References: 
[1] Karcz et al., this meeting 2012. [2] Byrne et al. Science 
325, 1674, 2009. [3] Parro et al. Astrobiology 
DOI:10.1089/ast.2007.0126, 2008. [4] Boynton et al. Science 
324, 61, 2009.  [5] Hecht et al. Science, 324, 64, 2009. [6] 
Reider et al. J.G.R. 10.1029/2003JE001250, 2003. [7] 
Spence et al. Space Sci. Rev. 150, 243–284, 
doi:10.1007/s11214-009-9584-8. [8] Glass et al., this meet-
ing, 2012. [9] Kminik et al. Radiation Research 159, 722, 
2003. 
 
4176.pdfConcepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration (2012)


Ice Dragon: A Mission to Address Science and Human Exploration Objectives on Mars

Ice Dragon: A Mission to Address Science and Human Exploration Objectives on Mars

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server