Next Mars Orbiter

Image:HallThruster 2.jpg.]]

Key features under study include solar electric ion drive engines, better solar arrays, and broadband laser communications (optic communication) between Earth and Mars.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/engineering/technology/txt_opticalcomm_benefits.html|title=Benefits of Optical Communications|publisher=NASA|editor-first=Thuy|editor-last=Mei|date=May 6, 2014}}

The orbiter is conceptually similar to the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, canceled in 2005, and could be a technology precursor for a future round-trip sample return mission{{cite web|url=https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/msr/indepth|title=Mars Sample Return: In Depth|publisher=NASA|first=Bill|last=Dunford|access-date=December 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028025734/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/msr/indepth|archive-date=October 28, 2016|url-status=dead}} and human expeditions to Mars.{{cite conference|title=Mars Sample Return Orbiter concepts using Solar Electric Propulsion for the post-Mars2020 decade|conference=2014 IEEE Aerospace Conference. March 1–8, 2014. Big Sky, Montana.|first1=R. E.|last1=Lock|first2=Z. J.|last2=Bailey|first3=T. D.|last3=Kowalkowski|first4=E. L.|last4=Nilsen|first5=R. L.|last5=Mattingly|date=March 2014 |doi=10.1109/AERO.2014.6836477}} Robert Lock is leading the concept studies for the 2022 orbiter.

Concern in NASA is that the currently used relay satellites, 2001 Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, may stop functioning, resulting in the need to press the MAVEN science orbiter into use as a backup telecommunications relay.{{cite news|url=http://astronaut.com/nasa-eyes-new-mars-orbiter-for-2022/|title=NASA Eyes New Mars Orbiter for 2022|work=Astronaut|first=Sebastien|last=Clarke|date=March 9, 2015|access-date=September 9, 2015|archive-date=March 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315012505/http://astronaut.com/nasa-eyes-new-mars-orbiter-for-2022/|url-status=dead}} Since the highly elliptical orbit of MAVEN limits its usefulness as a relay for surface operations,{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1407/27marstelecom/|title=NASA considers commercial telecom satellites at Mars|work=Spaceflight Now|first=Stephen|last=Clark|date=July 27, 2014|quote=It is due to arrive at Mars in September, but MAVEN's planned orbit is not ideal for collecting and sending rover data.}}{{cite news |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4370 |title=Newest NASA Mars Orbiter Demonstrates Relay Prowess|publisher=NASA|first1=Guy|last1=Webster|first2=Nancy|last2=Neal-Jones|id=2014-389|date=November 10, 2014}} NASA will lower its orbit from {{convert|6200|km|mi|abbr=values}} to between {{convert|4000|and|4500|km|mi|sp=us}} altitude, where it can serve as a relay while continuing its science mission.{{cite news|url=http://spacenews.com/nasa-mars-exploration-efforts-turn-to-operating-existing-missions-and-planning-sample-return/|title=NASA Mars exploration efforts turn to operating existing missions and planning sample return|work=Space news|first=Jeff|last=Foust|date=23 February 2018}}

Another suggested feature under study is "the sample rendezvous capture and return capability". The samples cached by the Mars 2020 rover would be placed in Mars orbit by a future Mars ascent vehicle. From there, the orbiter would rendezvous, transfer the samples into a capsule and send it back to Earth.{{cite web|url=http://www.dmns.org/museum-blog/Post/?nid=23546|title=NASA Eyes Sample-Return Capability for Post-2020 Mars Orbiter|last=Evans|first=Kim|work=Denver Museum of Nature and Science|date=October 13, 2015}}

The proposed orbiter would be propelled with two solar-electric ion thrusters; one engine would be active while the other one would be a spare. Electrical power to the engines would be provided by advanced solar arrays that generate 20 kW.

An ion engine would give the spacecraft significant orbital flexibility for long-term support of future missions, opportunistic flybys of Phobos and Deimos, as well as the added capability of orbit support—rendezvous and capture—for a sample return mission. An ion engine would also allow access to multiple latitudes and altitudes to optimise relay contacts.

• Broadband laser communications (optic communication) between Earth and Mars
• High resolution imager (30 cm/pixel)
• Potential for rendezvous and capture of soil samples
• Water ice detection and mapping{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Stephen|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/07/27/nasa-developing-plans-for-commercially-built-mars-orbiter/|title=NASA developing plans for commercially-built Mars orbiter|work=Spaceflight Now|date=July 27, 2016}}
• Potential for additional instruments from international partners

File:Mars sample returnjpl.jpg

The orbiter mission has been suggested by the Planetary Science Decadal Survey to be one of three missions of the proposed Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign.{{cite web|url=https://sites.nationalacademies.org/cs/groups/ssbsite/documents/webpage/ssb_059308.pdf|title=Mission Concept Study: Planetary Science Decadal Survey - MSR Orbiter Mission (Including Mars Returned Sample Handling)|publisher=NASA|first=Richard|last=Mattingly|date=March 2010}} Samples would be collected and cached by the Mars 2020 mission and would be left on the surface of Mars for possible later retrieval. The orbiter would be launched on a medium-class vehicle, reaching Mars in about nine months and set to aerobrake down to a {{convert|500|km|mi|abbr=on}} circular orbit over six to nine months.

The third mission of the proposed MSR campaign, the lander, would nominally be launched two years after the orbiter launch. The lander would deploy a "fetch rover" to retrieve the sample caches. A container holding the samples would be launched by a two-stage, solid-fueled Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) and placed in a {{convert|500|km}} orbit comparable with the new orbiter and perform a rendezvous while in Mars orbit. The container would be transferred to an Earth entry vehicle (EEV) which would bring it to Earth, enter the atmosphere under a parachute and hard-land for retrieval and analyses in specially designed safe laboratories.

{{update section|date=August 2023}}

Some NASA officials consider the Mars 2022 orbiter an "essential orbital support for sample return", "significant" in maintaining the Martian communications infrastructure, and desirable for the continuity in remote sensing. The President's FY2017 Budget provided $10 million to begin early conceptual work on the proposed Mars orbiter.{{cite conference|last=Watzin|first=Jim|title=NASA Mars Exploration Program Update to the Planetary Science Subcommittee|url=http://www.lpi.usra.edu/pss/mar2016/presentations/Watzin-MEP.pdf|conference=Update to the Planetary Science Subcommittee|date=March 9, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6427|title=NASA Seeks Industry Ideas for an Advanced Mars Satellite|publisher=NASA|first1=Dwayne|last1=Brown|first2=Laurie|last2=Cantillo|date=April 21, 2016}} In July 2016, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory awarded five $400,000 sub-contracts to conduct concept studies. The five engineering companies are Boeing, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Orbital ATK, and Space Systems/Loral.{{cite news|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-five-mars-orbiter-concept-studies|title=NASA Selects Five Mars Orbiter Concept Studies|work=NASA TV |date=July 8, 2016}}{{cite news|last=Gearin|first=Conor|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2097920-next-gen-mars-orbiters-to-help-human-missions-become-more-real/ |title=Next-gen Mars orbiters to help human missions become more real|work=New Scientist|date=July 19, 2016}}

However, in August 2017, Jim Green of NASA's Planetary Science Division stated that a 2022 launch for the orbiter was "probably off the table", as it would be too difficult to assemble an orbiter with all of the desired features in that time frame.{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Stephen|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/08/28/nasa-studies-mission-to-return-samples-from-mars-by-end-of-2020s/|title=NASA studies mission to return samples from Mars by end of 2020s|work=Spaceflight Now|date=August 28, 2017}} Jim Watzin of NASA's Mars Exploration Program stated in September 2017 that the orbiter may have to be cancelled, citing that "the likelihood of all of the relay orbiters failing is so low that no more investments are needed for that purpose."{{cite news |url=https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/todays-tidbits-september-25-2017/|title=Watzin to MEPAG: No 2022 Orbiter, No Decision on Helicopter|work=Space Policy Online|first=Marcia|last=Smith|date=September 25, 2017}}

In February 2018, NASA announced that it was moving ahead with plans to alter the orbit of the MAVEN orbiter to have it serve as a communications relay. It will be lowered to {{convert|4000|-|4500|km|mi|sp=us}} altitude, where it can serve as a relay while allowing it to continue its science mission.{{cite news|url=http://spacenews.com/nasa-mars-exploration-efforts-turn-to-operating-existing-missions-and-planning-sample-return/|title=NASA Mars exploration efforts turn to operating existing missions and planning sample return|work=SpaceNews|first=Jeff|last=Foust |date=February 23, 2018}} In March 2018, NASA officials decided that the ageing Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) will be managed such that it will continue service for about ten more years, and the program will now focus its resources on flying a sample-return mission first. The 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter will also be managed to continue operating until about 2025.{{cite news|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/41405-nasa-mars-odyssey-satellite|title=NASA Satellite Began Mars Odyssey 16 Years Ago and Is Still Going Strong|work=Inverse|first=Alasdair |last=Wilkins|date=February 19, 2018}} A new Mars relay orbiter is likely to take part in the sample-return architecture envisioned for the late 2020s.

• ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
• Laser communication in space
• List of missions to Mars

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