Mars Commercial Rover Payload Services

Abstract

As the new decade begins, new programmatic strategies to conduct more frequent, lower cost missions are beginning to be applied to deep space robotic science missions, such as the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. These new strategies include moving from cost-plus contracts towards fixed price contracts, commercial contractors increasingly sharing in development costs, finding launch opportunities through ride sharing and comanifesting payloads, and making use of smallsats and other spacecraft with off-the-shelf hardware. While these new practices are now being applied in many areas across NASA, they are not yet being widely implemented in the Mars exploration program, where large bespoke missions have become the dominant programmatic strategy. As the decadal survey for planetary science in the 2020’s begins its deliberations, it should consider how programmatic strategies that emphasize lower cost, more frequent missions to Mars can provide groundbreaking science return and enable the beginning of a new age in Martian exploration