Mars orbit rendezvous
Encyclopedia
Mars orbit rendezvous is a concept for space travel, where a spacecraft takes off from Mars (a martian ascent stage) and does a rendezvous in Mars orbit with another spacecraft. Applied to a Mars sample return or manned mission to Mars
, it allows much less weight to be sent to the surface and back into orbit, because the fuel needed to travel back to Earth is not landed on the planet. It can also be used for a Mars sample return.
NASA developed designs for a combination of a mars lander, surface habitat, and ascent vehicle called a Mars Excursion Module (MEM) in the 1960s for its human mars mission plans.
MOR is analogous to Lunar orbit rendezvous
(LOR) used on the United States NASA
Apollo program missions to Earth's moon during 1969 to 1972 (as opposed to Earth orbit rendezvous
(EOR) or Direct ascent
).
Another variation is a Mars flyby rendezvous, where the mother ship (such as a Mars cycler
) does not enter orbit. Mars flyby rendezvous was evaluated at NASA's Manned Spaceflight Center in the 1960s.
Another variation is that the ascent stage comes from one of the Mars moons, in the case of an expedition to Phobos
or Deimos
.
Manned mission to Mars
A manned mission to Mars has been the subject of science fiction, engineering, and scientific proposals throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century...
, it allows much less weight to be sent to the surface and back into orbit, because the fuel needed to travel back to Earth is not landed on the planet. It can also be used for a Mars sample return.
NASA developed designs for a combination of a mars lander, surface habitat, and ascent vehicle called a Mars Excursion Module (MEM) in the 1960s for its human mars mission plans.
MOR is analogous to Lunar orbit rendezvous
Lunar orbit rendezvous
Lunar orbit rendezvous is a key concept for human landing on the Moon and returning to Earth.In a LOR mission a main spacecraft and a smaller lunar module travel together into lunar orbit. The lunar module then independently descends to the lunar surface. After completion of the mission there, a...
(LOR) used on the United States NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Apollo program missions to Earth's moon during 1969 to 1972 (as opposed to Earth orbit rendezvous
Earth orbit rendezvous
Earth orbit rendezvous is a type of space rendezvous and a spaceflight methodology most notable for enabling round trip human missions to the moon...
(EOR) or Direct ascent
Direct ascent
Direct ascent was a proposed method for a mission to the Moon. In the United States, direct ascent proposed using the enormous Nova rocket to launch a spacecraft directly to the Moon, where it would land tail-first and then launch off the Moon back to Earth...
).
Another variation is a Mars flyby rendezvous, where the mother ship (such as a Mars cycler
Mars cycler
A Mars cycler is a special kind of spacecraft trajectory that encounters Earth and Mars on a regular basis. The term Mars cycler may also refer to a spacecraft on a Mars cycler trajectory...
) does not enter orbit. Mars flyby rendezvous was evaluated at NASA's Manned Spaceflight Center in the 1960s.
Another variation is that the ascent stage comes from one of the Mars moons, in the case of an expedition to Phobos
Phobos (moon)
Phobos is the larger and closer of the two natural satellites of Mars. Both moons were discovered in 1877. With a mean radius of , Phobos is 7.24 times as massive as Deimos...
or Deimos
Deimos (moon)
Deimos is the smaller and outer of Mars's two moons . It is named after Deimos, a figure representing dread in Greek Mythology. Its systematic designation is '.-Discovery:Deimos was discovered by Asaph Hall, Sr...
.
External links
- Mars Orbit Rendezvous Strategy for the Mars 2003/2005 Sample Return Mission (The Smithsonian/NASA Astrophysics Data System)