Red Dragon
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| Operator |
Under evaluation by NASA and SpaceX |
| Major contractors |
SpaceX |
| Mission type |
Astrobiology lander |
| Launch date |
2018 (proposed) |
| Launch vehicle |
Falcon Heavy |
| Current destination |
Mars |
| Mass |
6.5 tonnes (14,000 lb) plus 1 tonne payload[1] |
Red Dragon is a modified SpaceX Dragon capsule for low-cost Mars lander missions using Falcon Heavy rockets. Plans call for a sample return rover to be delivered to the Martian surface while also testing techniques to enter the Martian atmosphere with equipment a human crew could eventually use.[1] The concept will be proposed for funding in 2013 as a United States NASA Discovery mission, for launch in 2018.[2][3] The announcement of opportunity for a next Discovery mission was postponed to 2015 due to budget reasons.[4]
Proposal [edit]
NASA's Ames Research Center is working with the private spaceflight firm, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), to plan a mission that would search for evidence of life on Mars (biosignatures), past or present. The 3.6-metre (12 ft) diameter Dragon module offers an interior volume of 7 cubic metres (250 cu ft) for up to 1 tonne (Bad rounding here2,200 lb) of instruments.[5] A variant called Red Dragon, would drill about 1.0 metre (3.3 ft) underground in an effort to sample reservoirs of water ice known to exist in the shallow subsurface. The mission cost is projected to be less than USD$400 million,[2] plus $150 million to $190 million for a launch vehicle and lander.[1][3] SpaceX is currently planning the first Falcon Heavy launch for 2013 and quotes launch cost at $128M.[5]
- Scientific goals[1]
- Search for evidence of life (biosignatures), past or present
- Assess subsurface habitability
- Establish the origin, distribution, and composition of ground ice
- Understand past climate using ground ice record
- Human precursor goals[1]
- Conduct human-relevant entry, descent and landing (EDL) demonstrations
- Assess potential hazards in dust, regolith, and ground ice
- Characterize natural resources
- Demonstrate access to subsurface resources
- Conduct in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) demonstration
Landing system [edit]
The feasibility of a Dragon-derived Mars lander for scientific and human-precursor investigation is being studied by NASA's Ames Research Center.[1][5] The SpaceX's Dragon capsule is being developed to ferry cargo and astronauts to and from the International Space Station. A slightly modified version of the crewed Dragon capsule could be used for payload transport to Mars, and a precursor to the ambitious long-term plans of sending a manned mission to Mars.[2][3] Because of its design, a Dragon capsule may perform all the necessary entry, descent and landing (EDL) functions in order to deliver payloads of 1 tonne (2,200 lb) or more to the Martian surface without using a parachute; the use of parachutes is not feasible without vehicle modifications that would require a significant development program.[1] It is calculated that its own drag may slow the capsule sufficiently for the remainder of descent to be within the retro-propulsion thruster capabilities; this approach should make it possible to land the capsule on legs at much higher Martian elevations than could be done if a parachute was used, and with 10 km (6.2 mi) landing accuracy.[5] The engineering team continues developing options for payload integration with the Dragon capsule.[3] Potential landing sites would be polar or mid-latitude sites with proven near-surface ice.[1]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
Further reading [edit]
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