A graphical tool to design two-ways human Mars missions

Abstract

Human two-way missions to Mars may be of two types: long-stay and short-stay missions. Both require that the crew spends several months in space, with all the problems related with exposure to radiation and microgravity. Using advanced propulsion the travel time may be reduced, but this requires developing nuclear propulsion, either NTP or NEP. Short stay missions also require non-minimum energy trajectories and usually involve quite a short stay on the planet. The aim of the present paper is to develop a graphical tool allowing to choosing the most suitable travel dates for a two-ways planetary mission, in a quick and straightforward way. This tool, which can be applied to both impulsive and low thrust propulsion, combines together the well known pork-chop plot – or J-plot or, alternatively, the bacon plot – computed for the two legs of the travel and combines them together after stating the time the crew has to spend on the planet.