The Mobile MAV concept for Mars Sample Return

Abstract

Mars Sample Return (MSR) is the highest priority planetary science objective as identified in the Planetary Science Decadal Survey. To return a sample to Earth would require the accomplishment of several critical steps in the collection and transfer of the sample from the surface of Mars to the surface of the Earth. While there are many architectures and approaches to returning a sample of Martian surface material to the Earth, the current architecture includes the following series of missions: (1) a sample caching mission which would scientifically select, acquire and cache the sampled material on the surface of Mars, (2) a sample retrieval mission which would collect the sample from the surface and place it into Mars orbit, and (3) a Sample return orbiter which would rendezvous with the sample and return it to Earth. A fourth element of the architecture, the Mars Returned Sample Handling facility (MRSH) would be developed to receive the returned sample and provide for the sample analysis and curation. The Mobile MAV concept is an approach to the sample retrieval and launch element of the architecture. The design concept that was extant during the Decadal Survey studies featured a stationary platform lander, which would land a small fetch rover to retrieve the sample cache (collected by the previous mission), and the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), which would inject the sample cache into Mars orbit. MSL's success in demonstrating a new Entry, Descent, and Landing architecture, which placed the rover directly on the surface in a mobility touchdown configuration, motivates a closer assessment of a MSL class rover which is capable of supporting the MAV and retrieving the cached samples. This architecture eliminates the need for a return trip to a stationary lander, which would be required of a fetch rover in the Decadal Survey mission architecture, significantly reducing the required surface mission duration and traverse requirements.