National Aeronautics and Administration

Interplanetary Mission Design Handbook: Earth-to-mars Mission Opportunities 2026 to 2045 National Aeronautics and Administration

Publisher Marketing: The purpose of this Mission Design Handbook is to provide trajectory designers and mission planners with graphical information about Earth to Mars trajectory opportunities for the years of 2026 through 2045. The trajectory data used to create the following opportunity contour plots was generated using MIDAS, a patched conic interplanetary trajectory optimization program that is able to optimize the times of specified trajectory events and other trajectory parameter. The plots, displayed on a departure date/arrival date mission space, show departure energy, right ascension and declination of the launch asymptote, and target planet hyperbolic arrival excess speed, V(sub infinity), for each launch opportunity. Trajectory contour plots are particularly important in the beginning stages of mission design as valuable tools that display the interplanetary flight path characteristics for a particular launch opportunity to Mars. The use of these contour plots is an important first step for determining initial optimal launch opportunities for interplanetary missions. They also serve as good approximations for directional values of the launch asymptote vector, target planet (Mars) arrival excess velocities, and total mission flight time. These plots allow a mission designer to determine the basic requirements for an Earth to Mars transfer vehicle as well as a preliminary estimate of the required propellant load. Provided in this study are two sets of contour plots for each launch opportunity. The first set of plots shows Earth to Mars ballistic trajectories without the addition of any deep space maneuvers. The second set of plots shows Earth to Mars transfer trajectories with the addition of deep space maneuvers, which further optimize the determined trajectories. Providing two sets of plots for each opportunity allows mission planners the ability to compare and contrast different mission architectures.