The Deep Space Transport (DST), also called Mars Transit Vehicle, is a crewed interplanetary

spacecraft A spacecraft is a vehicle or machine designed to fly in outer space. A type of artificial satellite, spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, p ...

concept by

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

to support science exploration missions to

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...

of up to 1,000 days.Finally, some details about how NASA actually plans to get to Mars
Eric Berger, ''ARS Technica''. March 28, 2017.NASA Unveils the Keys to Getting Astronauts to Mars and Beyond
Neel V. Patel, ''The Inverse''. April 4, 2017. It would be composed of two elements: an Orion capsule and a propelled habitation module.Deep Space Gateway -Enabling Missions to Mars
— Shakedown Cruise Simulating Key Segments of Mars Orbital Mission. ''Mars Study Capability Team'' (2018). Michelle Rucker, John Connolly. NASA. As of late 2019, the DST is still a concept to be studied, and NASA has not officially proposed the project in an annual U.S. federal government budget cycle.Cislunar station gets thumbs up, new name in President’s budget request
Philip Sloss, ''NASA Spaceflight''. March 16, 2018.NASA evaluates EM-2 launch options for Deep Space Gateway PPE
Philip Sloss, ''NASA Spaceflight''. December 4, 2017. The DST vehicle would depart and return from the

Lunar Gateway The Lunar Gateway, or simply Gateway, is the first planned extraterrestrial space station in lunar orbit intended to serve as a solar-powered communication hub, science laboratory, and short-term habitation module for government-agency astr ...

to be serviced and reused for a new Mars mission.

Architecture overview

Both the Gateway and the DST would be fitted with the International Docking System Standard. The DST spacecraft would comprise two elements: an Orion capsule and a habitation module that would be propelled by both

electric propulsion Spacecraft electric propulsion (or just electric propulsion) is a type of spacecraft propulsion technique that uses electrostatic or electromagnetic fields to accelerate mass to high speed and thus generate thrust to modify the velocity of a sp ...

and chemical propulsion, and carry a crew of four in a medium-sized habitat. The fully assembled spacecraft with the Orion capsule mated would have a mass of about 100 metric tons. The spacecraft's habitat portion will likely be fabricated using tooling and structures developed for the SLS propellant tank; it would be in diameter and in length. The habitat portion of the DST spacecraft may also be equipped with a laboratory with research instrumentation for physical sciences, electron microscopy, chemical analyses, freezers, medical research, small live animal quarters, plant growth chambers, and

3D printing 3D printing or additive manufacturing is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model. It can be done in a variety of processes in which material is deposited, joined or solidified under computer co ...

. External payloads might include cameras, telescopes, detectors, and a robotic arm. Its initial target for exploration is Mars (flyby or orbit), and other suggested destinations are Venus (flyby or orbit), and a sample return from a large asteroid. If the DST spacecraft were to orbit Mars, it would enable opportunities for real-time remote operation of equipment on the Martian surface, such as a human-assisted

Mars sample return A Mars sample-return (MSR) mission is a proposed mission to collect rock and dust samples on Mars and sample-return mission, return them to Earth. Such a mission would allow more extensive analysis than that allowed by onboard sensors. The thr ...

. It would use a lunar flyby to build up speed and then using solar electric propulsion (SEP) it would accelerate into a heliocentric orbit. There it would complete its transit to Mars or other possible destinations. It would use chemical propulsion to enter Mars orbit. Crews could perform remote observations or depart for the surface during a 438-day window. The vehicle would depart Mars orbit via a chemical burn. It would use a mix of SEP and lunar gravity assists to recapture into Earth's sphere of influence.

Suggested timeline

If funded, the DST would be launched toward the Lunar Gateway in one SLS cargo flight, probably in 2027. The spacecraft would be expected to undergo 100–300 days of DST Habitat crewed operation before it starts a one-year long flight test ( shakedown cruise) in cislunar space in 2029 at the earliest. It would be designed to transport a crew to orbit Mars, but not land, in the 2030s. Its first mission would likely involve a Venus flyby and a short stay around Mars.Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate - Architecture Status
(PDF) Jim Free. NASA. March 28, 2017. Additional developments and vehicles would be required for a Mars human surface mission. In August 2019, the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) delivered a report commissioned by NASA in 2017 specifically for a technical and financial assessment of "a Mars human space flight mission to be launched in 2033" using the DST. The report concluded that "even without budget constraints, a Mars 2033 orbital mission cannot be realistically scheduled under NASA's current and notional plans," and that "the analysis suggests that a Mars orbital mission could be carried out no earlier than the 2037 orbital window without accepting large technology development, schedule delay, cost overrun, and budget shortfall risks." A mission to Mars launching in 2033, the report concluded, would need to have life support systems and propulsion tested by 2022, which is unlikely. The report estimated that the total cost of the elements needed for the Mars mission, including SLS, Orion, Gateway, DST and other logistics, at $120.6 billion through fiscal year 2037.

References

{{use American English , date=March 2017 Human spaceflight Lunar Gateway Human missions to Mars

Architecture overview

Suggested timeline

See also

References