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Status of the French Mars exploration program

Status of the French Mars exploration program. «  P rogramme de R etour d’ E chantillons M artiens et I nstallation d’ E xpériences en R éseau ». EGS, Nice April 24, 2002. The two main components of the PREMIER program. participation to the Mars

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Status of the French Mars exploration program

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  1. Status of the French Mars exploration program « Programme de Retour d’Echantillons Martiens et Installation d’Expériences en Réseau » EGS, Nice April 24, 2002

  2. The two main components of the PREMIER program participation to the Mars sample return project (MSR) through a co-operation with NASA deployment of a network of Martian landers in co-operation with European partners (NetLander project) both being considered as equally important

  3. Elements of PREMIER • Main elements • development and operation of the Martian orbiter of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission • development and deployment of the NetLanders with a European consortium • Additional elements • instrumental participation to ESA’s Mars Express • provision of scientific equipment on the orbiters, landers & rovers on the future Mars exploration missions, e.g. NASA’s 2009 « smart lander »

  4. Complementarity orbital science in situ science: - local investigations (landers & rovers) - network measurements (NetLander stations) sample return

  5. 2007 CNES mission:basic requirements • the 2007 orbiter mission will prepare MSR through the validation of its major critical step  sample canister rendezvous & capture in-orbit demo • it must have a high level scientific content  NetLander + complementary scientific mission

  6. CNES 2007 mission (1/2) • main mission: • Ariane 5 direct launch to Mars (Sept-Oct. 2007) of an orbiter + 4 NetLanders carried by the orbiter’s 1st stage • NetLanders carried, ejected and deployed; mission duration goal: 1 Martian year (22 months) • Mars orbit insertion • sample canister rendezvous & capture demo • telecom relay function for the NetLanders

  7. CNES 2007 mission (2/2) • options considered for the Complementary Mission (1) orbital science (2) orbital phase, then escape from Mars for Vesta fly-by (3) Mars atmospheric sample return; the sample is collected during the aerocapture phase (4) Phobos sample return (5) Phobos lander & in situ science

  8. Drivers for the Complementary Mission (CM) (CM) must have a limited impact on the design (e.g. TM, elm, AOCS)  mass & volume strictly limited for the CM payload  CM must not impact the relay function of the orbiter: - the required data rate (15 Mbit / day / station) - the latitude dispersion (+/- 30°) - the longitude dispersion

  9. Complementary mission (1/3) • Mid-2001: preliminary assessment of the impact of the risk mitigation plan on the complementary mission options • 2 options assessed as feasible: • orbital science • Phobos lander + in situ science

  10. Complementary mission (2/3) • CNES’s Science Program Committee recommended the « orbital science » option • Synergy between the scientific objectives of the proposed orbital experiments and of the NetLander objectives, e.g. study of the Martian atmosphere: • density profiles of the main components • global circulation • escape phenomena

  11. Complementary mission (3/3) • payload selection schedule: • international AO released: February 2002 • Letter of Intent : 20 received • Proposal due: May 15, 2002 • Final selection: July 2002

  12. Recent evolutions (1/3) • CNES + French industry had selected aerocapture for Mars orbit insertion • aerocapture combines a minimal cruise time to Mars (as does chemical propulsion) with a reduced launched mass (as does electric propulsion or propulsive Mars orbit insertion + aerobraking phase) • May - June 2001: joint NASA - CNES risk assessment group for the 2007 mission, especially those linked to aerocapture •  elaboration of a risk mitigation plan

  13. Recent evolutions (2/3) • conclusion of the NASA-CNES risk assessment group: the risk associated to aerocapture is acceptable and comparable to other Mars missions (propulsive Mars orbit insertion + aerobraking) if a risk mitigation plan is implemented • conclusion endorsed by the MPSET, by CNES and NASA • however, the implementation of the mitigation plan necessitates the re-sizing of sub-systems, which causes an important increase of the orbiter cost

  14. Recent evolutions (3/3) • the risk mitigation plan induced constraints in the inclination and the altitude of the orbit, with a dis-optimisation of the NetLander relay function; it also strongly constraints the complementary mission. • it has thus been decided to give up with aerocapture for PREMIER 2007 Mars orbit insertion • the launcher performances in 2007 and 2011 are compatible with this decision: • 2007: Ariane 5 EPS 3 t Ariane 5 ESC-A 3.5 to 4 t • > 2011:Ariane 5 ESC-B or Delta 4 Heavy > 5 t

  15. Final orbiter concept (1/2) • 2 stage vehicle • 2007 Orbiter: • 1st stage: passive NetLander carrier • Mars orbit insertion and orbit maintenance by the 2nd stage (main stage) • 20XX-MSR orbiter: • 1st stage: propulsive stage for Mars orbit insertion • orbit maintenance and escape from Mars by the 2nd stage (main stage)

  16. Orbiterconfiguration 2007: Mars orbit 2007: Cruise configuration 20XX MSR Orbiter

  17. Final orbiter concept (2/2) • working orbit: • near circular @ 500 km, near polar, heliosynchronous @ 12 a.m. local time • optimal for NetLander relay (goal: 1 Martian year) • in a later phase, orbit lowered for the benefit of the complementary mission (goal: 1 Martian year)

  18. Orbiter characteristics • mass budget (incl. margins): • orbiter dry mass: 830 kg • NetLanders: 340 kg (4x76.5 kg + interfaces) • rendezvous demo payload: 80 kg • additional science payload: 50 kg + I/F • Fuel: 1,680 kg • total mass : ~3,000 kg (compatible with Ariane 5 + EPS)

  19. NetLanders • 4 small ground station network • geophysical complement of MSR • main partners: CNES, FMI (Finland), DLR (Germany), Belgium • 11 countries, mostly European and USA, contribute to the NetLander payload

  20. NetLanders • scientific objectives: • study of the internal structure of Mars • sismometric measurements • magnetic sounding • subsurface sounding (GPR) • climate monitoring • measurements of P, T, V, H20 • study of the polar condensation / sublimation cycle • geodesy

  21. NetLander mission scenario Atmospheric Entry Cruise Landing Descent

  22. Electric field (ARES) Panoramic Camera (PANCAM) Meteo boom (ATMIS) Magnetometer (MAG) Radioscience (NEIGE) geodesy & ionosphere Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Seismometer (SEISM) Microphone Soil properties (SPICE) Netlander payload

  23. Technical status • orbiter • short definition phase (updating of phases A/B1): March - July 2002 • September 02: selection of a prime contractor • phase B2/C/D starts: 4th quarter 2002 • NetLander • phase C/D starts: June 2002

  24. MSR preparatory activities (1/2) • objectives: ground based program aiming at preparing the French laboratories to response with success to the future international AOs concerning the analysis of the returned samples • plan for upgrading the analysis facilities under preparation

  25. MSR preparatory activities (2/2) • Planetary Protection activities • Planetary Protection Committee set up at the Ministry of Research level • Planetary Protection office at CNES level

  26. Cooperative status • October 2000: signature of a NASA - CNES « Statement of Intent » on Mars exploration • July 2001: NASA-CNES LoA • Spring 2002: draft NASA-CNES MoU under preparation (signature expected mid-2002)

  27. European DSN (1/2) • NASA’s DSN overloaded: • several Mars missions simultaneously on operation • high data rates, e.g.. 2nd generation MOC • other deep space missions (Cassini, Odyssey, MRO, …) • need for complementary facilities • utility for Rosetta, Bepi Colombo, Planck and Herschel

  28. European DSN (2/2) • existing or planned European facilities: • ESA antenna in Australia (Perth) • ASI antenna in Sardinia (2005 ?) • a 3rd antenna ( = 34 m), in South Africa (tbc) funded by CNES will provide a nearly full coverage

  29. Conclusion • the elaboration of the PREMIER program has had a tremendous federative effect on the French scientific community the AO on the MSR preparatory activities has received more than 40 proposals, involving 100 teams and 300 individuals • many newcomers from the Earth and life science areas

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