Feasibility Study of Mars Exploration Missions

A brief outline of NASDA's study status on Mars exploration missions was presented. The joint agreement between NASA and NASDA was reached on the Mars exploration mission in 1996. There were four major objectives in Mars exploration. The first objective was to understand the climate and environmental conditions at present and their chronological changes in the past, and the second to examine life on Mars. The third objective was to look into future utilization of Mars and to expand the range of human activities by using resources available on Mars. The fourth objective was to develop advanced space technologies to achieve the three objectives mentioned above. Some historical Mars probes including Mars Pathfinder and Global Surveyor in 1996 were reviewed. NASDA was working on the H-2A launch vehicles, which had the launching capability of sending satellites weighing 2 tons to 6 tons to Mars. NASDA made various estimates of vehicle mass for a mission to bring back samples of 1 kg to the Earth. The total probe mass was estimated to be about 900 kg including the Mars lander of 540 kg and the return vehicle of about 140 kg. In an actual project the probe might have twice as much mass and be launched by the 2-t class H-2A geostationary rocket. In addition, new technologies for Mars landers, surface rovers, and communication and data transmission capabilities were studied and their feasibility was evaluated.