Preliminary system analysis of in situ resource utilization for Mars human exploration

Rapp, Donald; Andringa, J.; Easter, Robert W.; Smith, J. L.; Wilson, Thomas J.; Clark, David L.; Payne, Kathy

doi:10.1109/aero.2005.1559325

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Human safety concerns and in situ resource utilization (ISRU) are two of the most pressing guiding factors in planning for persistent human exploration and habitation of the lunar and Martian surface. A number of studies have stressed the potential hazards that may exist to humans on these surfaces (for a small sample, see Delp et al., 2016; Hellweg & Baumstark‐Khan, 2007; Parihar et al., 2016; Reitz et al., 2012) and the importance of access to potential in situ resources (Anand et al., 2012; Rapp et al., 2005). Understanding the present day safety environment and the ability to protect humans on the surface, as well as the ability to access nearby resources, requires localized measurements of a number of key processes and characteristics of the surrounding environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Situ Optimized Substrate Witness Plates: Ground Truth for Key Processes on the Moon and Other Planets

Saxena,

Morrissey,

Killen

et al. 2023

Earth and Space Science

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Future exploration efforts of the Moon, Mars, and other bodies are poised to focus heavily on persistent and sustainable survey and research efforts, especially given the recent interest in a long‐term sustainable human presence at the Moon. Key to these efforts understands a number of important processes on the lunar surface for both scientific and operational purposes. We discuss the potential value of in situ artificial substrate witness plates, powerful tools that can supplement familiar remote sensing and sample acquisition techniques and provide a sustainable way of monitoring processes in key locations on planetary surfaces while maintaining a low environmental footprint. These tools, which we call Biscuits, can use customized materials as wide ranging as zircon‐based spray coatings to metals potentially useable for surface structures, to target specific processes/questions as part of a small, passive witness plate that can be flexibly placed with respect to location and total time duration. We examine and discuss unique case studies to show how processes such as water presence/transport, presence and contamination of biologically relevant molecules, solar activity related effects, and other processes can be measured using Biscuits. Biscuits can yield key location sensitive, time integrated measurements on these processes to inform scientific understanding of the Moon and enable operational goals in lunar exploration. While we specifically demonstrate this on a simulated traverse and for selected examples, we stress all groups interested in planetary surfaces should consider these adaptable, low footprint, and highly informative tools for future exploration.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Situ Optimized Substrate Witness Plates: Ground Truth for Key Processes on the Moon and Other Planets

Saxena,

Morrissey,

Killen

et al. 2023

Earth and Space Science

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show abstract

“…These studies did not take into account the non-trivial cost to develop and implement the ISRU infrastructure to create that propellant. While some studies in the literature [2,3] have acknowledged this fact, quantitative assessments of the other impacts (benefit, cost, and risk) are an underexplored area of research in ISRU for Mars surface missions. Similarly, the assessment of other metrics besides mass allow for better understanding of the full impact of choices in a trade space.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Mission Duration on a Mars Orbital Mission

Arney

Earle

Cirillo

et al. 2017

AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition

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Performance alone is insufficient to assess the total impact of changing mission parameters on a space mission concept, architecture, or campaign; the benefit, cost, and risk must also be understood. This paper examines the impact to benefit, cost, and risk of changing the total mission duration of a human Mars orbital mission. The changes in the sizing of the crew habitat, including consumables and spares, was assessed as a function of duration, including trades of different life support strategies; this was used to assess the impact on transportation system requirements. The impact to benefit is minimal, while the impact on cost is dominated by the increases in transportation costs to achieve shorter total durations. The risk is expected to be reduced by decreasing total mission duration; however, large uncertainty exists around the magnitude of that reduction.

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An independent assessment of the technical feasibility of the Mars One mission plan – Updated analysis

Owens

et al. 2016

Acta Astronautica

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Preliminary system analysis of in situ resource utilization for Mars human exploration

Cited by 5 publications

References 15 publications

In Situ Optimized Substrate Witness Plates: Ground Truth for Key Processes on the Moon and Other Planets

In Situ Optimized Substrate Witness Plates: Ground Truth for Key Processes on the Moon and Other Planets

The Impact of Mission Duration on a Mars Orbital Mission

An independent assessment of the technical feasibility of the Mars One mission plan – Updated analysis

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