The Deep Space Transport (DST), also called Mars Transit Vehicle, is a crewed interplanetary spacecraft concept by NASA to support science exploration missions to Mars 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
Orion (officially Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle or Orion MPCV) is a partially reusable crewed spacecraft used in NASA's Artemis program. The spacecraft consists of a Crew Module (CM) space capsule designed by Lockheed Martin and the E ...
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 to be serviced and reused for a new Mars mission.
Orion capsule
Orion (officially Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle or Orion MPCV) is a partially reusable crewed spacecraft used in NASA's Artemis program. The spacecraft consists of a Crew Module (CM) space capsule designed by Lockheed Martin and the E ...
and a habitation module that would be propelled by both electric propulsion 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
SLS may refer to the Space Launch System, a launch vehicle developed by NASA. It may also refer to:
Education
* Stanford Law School, California, U.S.
* Sydney Law School, Australia
* Symbiosis Law School, India
* Same language subtitling, of TV ...
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
An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a hi ...
, chemical analyses, freezers, medical research, small live animal quarters, plant growth chambers, and
3D printing
3D printing or additive manufacturing is the Manufacturing, construction of a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design, CAD model or a digital 3D modeling, 3D model. It can be done in a variety of processes in which material is ...
. 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
An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere.
...
. 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.
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
SLS may refer to the Space Launch System, a launch vehicle developed by NASA. It may also refer to:
Education
* Stanford Law School, California, U.S.
* Sydney Law School, Australia
* Symbiosis Law School, India
* Same language subtitling, of TV ...
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
Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Generally, shakedown cruises are performed before a ship enters service or after major changes such as a crew change, repair or overhaul. The shakedown cruise s ...
) 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 system
A life-support system is the combination of equipment that allows survival in an environment or situation that would not support that life in its absence. It is generally applied to systems supporting human life in situations where the outsid ...
s 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.
See also
*
Deep Space Habitat
The Deep Space Habitat (DSH) is a series of concepts by NASA that would be used to support crewed exploration missions to the Moon, asteroids, and eventually Mars.Project Prometheus