Mars Telecommunications Orbiter
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2008) |
| |
| Organization: | NASA |
| Major Contractors: | JPL |
| Mission Type: | Planetary Science, Mars Exploration |
| Satellite of: | Mars |
| Launch: | Cancelled |
| Launch Vehicle: | Possibly an Atlas V(401) or a Delta-4M. |
| End of Mission: | Cancelled |
| Planned Mission Duration: | 1 year cruise plus 10 years on orbit |
| Mass: | 1,800 kilograms |
| NSSDC ID: | Undetermined |
| Webpage: | JPL's MTO web page |
| Orbital elements | |
|---|---|
| Semi-major axis: | 5,000 kilometers |
| Eccentricity: | Unknown |
| Inclination: | Unknown |
| Orbital Period: | Unknown |
| Aphelion: | Unknown |
| Perihelion: | Unknown |
| Orbits: | Unknown |
| Planned Instruments | |
| Electra : | Relay science data from future Mars missions |
| Optical Communications Payload: | Demonstrate laser communications to Earth |
| Narrow Angle Camera: | Support canister detection |
| Orbiting Sample Demonstration Canister: | Technology demonstration |
The Mars Telecommunications Orbiter was a cancelled Mars mission that was originally intended to launch in 2009 and would have established an Interplanetary Internet between Earth and Mars. The spacecraft would have arrived in a high orbit above Mars in 2010 and relayed data packets to Earth from a variety of Mars landers and orbiters for as long as ten years, at an extremely high data rate. Such a dedicated communications satellite was thought to be necessary due to the vast quantity of scientific information to be sent to Earth by such landers as the Mars Science Laboratory. However, on July 21, 2005, it was announced that MTO had been cancelled due to the need to support other short-term goals, including a Hubble servicing mission, Mars Exploration Rover extended mission operations, ensuring that the Mars Science Laboratory would fly in 2009, and to save the ill-fated Earth science mission Glory from cancellation.[1]
Data transfer technology
The Mars Telecommunications Orbiter was a project to demonstrate optical communications using laser, instead of usual radiowaves. "Lasercom sends information using beams of light and optical elements, such as telescopes and optical amplifiers, rather than RF signals, amplifiers, and antennas" [2]
Proposed successors
After the cancellation of the Telecommunications Orbiter, a broader mission was proposed as the Mars Science and Telecommunications Orbiter.[3] However, this mission was soon criticized as lacking well-defined parameters and objectives.[4] Another mission has since been proposed as the 2013 Mars Science Orbiter. The communications capability provided by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Express science missions has proven substantial, demonstrating that dedicated relay satellites may be unnecessary in the near future.
References
- ^ Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives July 15, 2005 | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference
- ^ Townes, Stephen A.; et al. "The Mars Laser Communication Demonstration" (PDF). Retrieved April 28, 2008.
{{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help) - ^ NASA (2006). "NASA MEPAG: Mars Science and Telecommunications Orbiter (DRAFT)".
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ NASA (2006). "Assessment of NASA's Mars Architecture 2007-2016".
External links
- End-to-End Information System Concept for the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter – March, 2006 NASA JPL report describing the mission.
- NASA To Test Laser Communications With Mars Spacecraft – By Brian Berger, Space News, 25 May 2005
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