ESA Document - Emits - ESA

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HMM
Assessment Study
Report: CDF-20(A)
February 2004
page 122 of 422
• Rendezvous and docking to the Orbital Vehicle (scaled)
• Injection in a transfer orbit to Earth of the Earth Return Vehicle (scaled)
• Landing of the Earth return capsule (it could bring back Martian samples, if deemed
suitable)
• Exploitation of the Planetary Protection procedures, as far as their unmanned parts are
concerned.
One advantage of this model is that it could be possible to fully verify the system and gain vital
mission data for the safer performance of the next manned mission. In addition, the landing and
deployment of a Martian surface Element could provide additional back up to the next mission,
making available to the astronauts another fully equipped habitable module. The Surface
Element could be set in a quiescent state after the post-landing activation and checks, with just
telemetry of housekeeping data, surrounding environment data and pictures.
An alternative qualification flight concept could be exploited in Earth orbit, in a reduced
configuration of the final spaceship (partial assembly) that could enable the exercise of flight
manoeuvres:
• Exercise separation, rendezvous and docking (a dedicated reduced flight model of the
MEV should be built. It would be expendable)
• Exercise partial thrust activation and propulsion stages separation (dedicated reduced
flight models of the TMI and TEI should be built. They would be expendable)
• Verify the flight vehicle on-board subsystems
• Assess system’s true reliability
• Crew should be on-board and issuing commands
Even if not a complete mission, this flight test would dramatically improve the knowledge of the
spaceship behaviour in the real environment conditions. However, a second cycle of assembly
operations would still have to be performed on the inhabited section of the spaceship, to mate it
for the propulsion stages.
2.12.3.2 Descent and landing system qualification
From a programmatic point of view it is clear that whichever the choice, the qualification of a
full vehicle will have a much higher impact (time and cost) than qualifying an aero shell only.
The qualification of the landing system requires the build-up of a dedicated facility. A support
test facility is required, to verify first a development model, then a qualification model, the
landing system controls, end to end. The test facility shall include remote control and direct
(from the lander model) control by the astronauts. It will be a training facility for the pilot
astronauts too. It is a reasonable assumption to rely on previous development and experience
from previous lunar manned missions.
2.12.4 Baseline operations
A realistic delivery rate for the propulsion modules of the various stages is 2 months and it
would fit with a reasonable assumption of 2 months for the launch rate of the modules, i.e. with
the availability rate of the launchers (mainly Energia).
The current assembly sequence defines a serial integration of the spacecraft modules/elements.
As regards safety, it would be reasonable to assume that the assembly of the propulsion stages
would be performed at a safe distance from the habitable elements of the spaceship. This would