At NASA Johnson Space Flight Center, a study was undertaken to design the return leg of an electric propulsion Mars sample return mission, focusing on propulsion, power, attitude control, and other critical subsystems. Figures of merit were mass, time of flight, and probability of mission success. A spreadsheet was assembled for comparative evaluation of designs. Three possible mission designs were proposed. Existing technological limitations in these designs that increase risk must be overcome if such a mission is to succeed.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Lachance, Carolyn
• Serafini, Julian
• Dolan, Stacey Leah
• Zeno-Rivera, Manuel Juan

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 03D173M

Advisor

• Blandino, John J.

Year

• 2003

Sponsor

• NASA-ARC/JSC-GLOVE

Date created

• 2003-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright