In 2010, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission will pioneer the next generation of robotic Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) systems by delivering the largest and most capable rover to date to the surface of Mars. In addition to landing more mass than prior missions to Mars, MSL will offer access to regions of Mars that have been previously unreachable. The MSL EDL sequence is a result of a more stringent requirement set than any of its predecessors. Notable among these requirements is landing a 900 kg rover in a landing ellipse much smaller than that of any previous Mars lander. In meeting these requirements, MSL is extending the limits of the EDL technologies qualified by the Mars Viking, Mars Pathfinder, and Mars Exploration Rover missions. Thus, there are many design challenges that must be solved for the mission to be successful. Several pieces of the EDL design are technological firsts, such as guided entry and precision landing on another planet, as well as the entire Sky Crane maneuver. This paper discusses the MSL EDL architecture and discusses some of the challenges faced in delivering an unprecedented rover payload to the surface of Mars. 1,2 1000 m above MOLA areoid Flyaway Backshell Separation Sky Crane Throttle Down to 4 MLEs Touchdown

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Portions of this research were carried out at MIT under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNH17CH01C) and at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under NASA contract 80NM0018D0004. We thank Gavin Kohn for modeling the dust loading rate and capture fraction.

A system trade study was conducted to determine the feasibility of a 2007 Mars sample return (MSR) mission utilizing the Martian atmosphere for in-situ propellant production (ISPP). A hybrid zirconia and SabatierElectrolysis (S E) process ISPP system was assumed that produced liquid oxygen and liquid methane. The emphasis of the study was threefold. First, to determine what impact the choice in mixture ratio of the oxygedmethane propellant combination used for Mars ascent has on the overall injected mass from Earth of the MSR mission elements. Second, to ascertain if the 2003/2005 "workhorse" lander being designed for MSR missions can be modified to accommodate a 2007 ISPP MSR mission. Third, to identify what parameters and technologies have a significant impact on the overall injected mass of the MSR mission elements. This paper also summarizes the current status of ISPP work funded by the NASA through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It was determined that the choice in mixture ratio has a moderate impact on the overall injected mass from Earth of the MSR mission elements. Although it satisfies the injected mass constraint of an affordable medium"? launch vehicle, a 2007 ISPP MSR mission cannot be accomplished using a modified 2003/2005 "workhorse" lander due to configuration and packaging issues. Configuration, propulsion, power, and thermal control appear to be the four areas with the highest impact on the overall feasibility and injected mass for an ISPP MSR mission. Technology investment in these areas is required to make a 2007 ISPP MSR feasible.

An evaluation of the feasibility and mission performance benefits of using advanced space storable propellants for outer planet exploration was performed. For the purpose of this study, space storable propellants are defined to be propellants which can be passively stored without the need for active cooling. A secondary purpose o f this study was to provide guidance as to the limits, benefits, and possible methods of passively storing such mild cryogenic propellants for deep space missions. The study was composed of four distinct efforts. First, candidate propellants were defined and their relevant properties determined. Second, a propellant combination analysis using the Two Dimensional Kinetics 1997 (TDK97) program was conducted. Third, a thermal storage design was analyzed. Lastly, a mission and systems analysis was performed for three outer planetary missions. The missions are representative in complexity, duration, and requirements for a variegated set of outer planet exploration missions currently being considered by NASA. Nonetheless, the analysis conducted and outlined in this paper determined that outer planet exploration using advanced storable propellants was feasible and offered a significant benefit in delivered payload compared to previous design studies.