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aDepartment of Physics and Biological Science, New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, New York, USA bBAE Systems, Huntsville, Alabama, USA cSAIC, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
Address for correspondence: Gregory L. Matloff, Department of Physics and Biological Science, New York City College of Technology, 300 Jay St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. gregmat{at}hotmail.com
A sample-return mission to the Martian satellites using a con-temporary solar sail for all post-Earth-escape propulsion is proposed. The 0.015 kg/m2 areal mass-thickness sail unfurls after launch and injection onto a Mars-bound Hohmann-transfer ellipse. Structure and payload increase spacecraft areal mass thickness to 0.028 kg/m2. During the Mars encounter, the sail functions as a parachute in the outer atmosphere of Mars to accomplish aerocapture. On-board thrusters or the sail maneuver the spacecraft into an orbit with periapsis near Mars and apoapsis near Phobos. The orbit is circularized for Phobos-rendezvous; surface samples are collected. The sail then raises the orbit for Deimos-rendezvous and sample collection. The sail next places the spacecraft on an Earth-bound Hohmann-transfer ellipse. During Earth encounter, the sail accomplishes Earth-aerocapture or partially decelerates the sample container for entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Mission mass budget is about 218 grams and mission duration is less than five years.
Key Words: Mars satellite sample return • solar sail • aerocapture
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