A Critical Analysis of Robert Zubrin's "Practical Approach to the Mars Sample Return Mission"; Why the Proposal Is Severely Impractical
Neal Lachman
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By Neal S. Lachman, CEO & Chief of Spacecraft Design, Titans Space and Franklin Ratliff, CTO, Titans Space
Table of Contents
1. Cost and International Collaboration
2. Single Launch vs. Mission Redundancy
3. Propellant Production on Mars
4. A 40kg Spacecraft from Mars Won't Survive Earth Re-entry
5. Planetary Protection: Beyond Meteorite Fallacy
6. Mission Affordability
7. A Crewed MSR Mission
1. Cost and International Collaboration?
Zubrin correctly points out the high cost estimate for the current MSR plan at $11 billion . However, he simplifies the issue by blaming international collaboration (and the inherent bureaucracy).
While streamlining the mission structure can lead to cost savings for NASA, international partnerships offer significant advantages. Sharing resources and expertise allows participating space agencies like ESA to contribute their strengths in orbital mechanics and rendezvous technology, reducing the overall financial burden for each partner. Collaboration also fosters international scientific exchange and broader public interest in space exploration.?
2. Single Launch vs. Mission Redundancy
The proposal for a single-launch, single-vehicle mission using a modified skycrane is a risky and untenable gamble. The skycrane has a limited payload capacity of 1,000 kg - as Zubrin acknowledges in his proposal.?
Squeezing both a sample return vehicle and a sample collection rover onto one platform creates significant engineering challenges and reduces scientific potential. Furthermore, a small single, multifunctional rover tasked with both sample acquisition and return adds technical complexity and reduces its ability to perform in-depth scientific investigations on the Martian surface.?
The current plan, which leverages the existing Perseverance rover for sample collection, offers valuable redundancy. In case of unforeseen issues with the proposed rover, the samples collected by Perseverance remain available for future retrieval missions.
3. Propellant Production on Mars
The idea of using Martian resources to produce methane/oxygen propellant for the return trip is an intriguing one. Zubrin?acknowledges that this approach adds complexity but suggests it could demonstrate key technologies for future human Mars missions.?
While In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technology holds great promise for future self-sustaining Mars missions, incorporating it into the proposed low-cost MSR mission with a limited payload capacity presents significant challenges.
While ISRU offers exciting possibilities for future Martian exploration, its inclusion in the proposed low-cost, small-payload MSR mission is simply overly ambitious.?
4. A 40kg Spacecraft from Mars Won't Survive Earth Re-entry
Zubrin proposes a 40kg spacecraft for the direct return mission to Earth. While this concept seems lightweight and efficient, the reality of Earth re-entry paints a different picture.
The 40kg craft faces significant challenges:
A 40kg spacecraft, while conceptually attractive for its simplicity, is simply inadequate for surviving the harsh environment of Earth re-entry, especially considering the immense velocity from the return trip. A more substantial design with a robust heat shield, an effective parachute system, and a structurally sound frame is necessary to ensure the safe return of the precious Martian samples.
5. Planetary Protection: Beyond Meteorite Fallacy
Zubrin dismissively brushes aside planetary protection concerns as bureaucratic overkill. This is a dangerous misconception. Planetary protection is a critical aspect of space exploration with a two-pronged approach: preventing forward contamination (Earth microbes reaching Mars) and backward contamination (potentially hazardous Martian materials reaching Earth). He argues that Martian meteorites already bombard Earth, implying such concerns are unfounded.
However, meteorites undergo extreme heating during atmospheric entry, potentially sterilizing them. A controlled return mission with a potentially biohazardous sample requires much stricter protocols to ensure the integrity of Martian science and protect Earth's biosphere from any potential Martian contaminants.?
It is essential to adhere to established protocols and regulations to ensure responsible exploration and minimize the risk of unintended consequences.?
6. Mission Affordability
Zubrin raises a valid concern about mission affordability. However, his proposed solution is overly simplistic and disregards the benefits of international collaboration, robust mission design with redundancy, and responsible planetary protection. A successful Mars Sample Return mission requires a balanced approach that optimizes cost while maintaining scientific value, mission safety, and responsible stewardship of our celestial neighborhood. Finding this balance will require careful consideration of all factors, ensuring a mission that is both scientifically groundbreaking and fiscally responsible.
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7. A Crewed MSR Mission
Titans Space's?Crewed Mars Mission:? 2032 serves?as a catalyst for international collaboration in space exploration, bringing together multiple countries, space agencies, and commercial partners in the mission to achieve a common goal. By pooling resources, sharing expertise, and coordinating efforts, international partnerships enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Mars exploration missions, while promoting cooperation, diplomacy, and goodwill among nations and commercial partners. The collaborative nature of a crewed MSR mission reflects humanity's collective desire to explore and understand the cosmos, transcending national boundaries and political differences in pursuit of shared scientific objectives.
Join our consortium to be part of this revolution.
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About Titans Space Industries
Titans Space Industries (TSI) is creating a streamlined Earth-to-lunar surface transport infrastructure with spaceplanes, space stations, spaceships, and dedicated lunar vehicles for landing and travel.
Titans Space intends to:
? Become the largest LEO and Lunar Space tourism company
? Become the largest Real Estate owner in Space and the Moon
? Become the largest Lunar commerce and mining company (from 2031 onwards)
TSI, a division of Titans Universe , comprises a vast portfolio of incredible, revolutionary space infrastructure that will allow safe and efficient end-to-end space transportation, including spaceplanes and space stations for space tourism , commercial, and industrial purposes, as well as for research, governments, and military usage.
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TSI's space tourism division is building the future of luxury space exploration with spaceplanes, spaceships, space stations, and lunar transport vehicles. TSI’s revolutionary LEO Space Station and Lunar Space Station will redefine humanity’s place amongst the stars, with lunar tourism , scientific research, commercial mining applications, lunar factories, and lunar real estate .
About the Founding Team
TSI was founded by a group of 15 partners with a combined 450 years of business experience, representing investor interests in Titans Universe/TSI. They worked together on numerous projects for a combined 200+ years.
The founding team includes a 28-year-veteran space entrepreneur and satellite broadband pioneer, a PE fund manager who raised more than $6 billion in capital, a 40+ year rocketry and aerodynamics veteran, a 40+ year Space entrepreneur and activist, a Hall-of-Fame NBA basketball legend, a former Head of Business Development at Apple, a multi-billion-dollar business strategist, a former MD of KPMG NYC who advised on 100+ PE and M&A transactions, and the former CFO of a Formula One racing team and public listed companies.
Our Founding CEO, Neal S. Lachman is a serial entrepreneur with 35 years of investment, business, space, technology, and telecom experience. In 1992, he picked up the phone and started communicating with companies like PanAmSat. He has been a space entrepreneur since 1994/1995 when he and two of his brothers applied for and received three international digital satellite broadcast licenses.
Innovator, space thruster engine.
6 个月Robert Zubrin? His approach is still costly!
Artist - StarMuralist - SEAEO - Nature Cinematographer & Photographer - Stars4Sleep - Art That Puts You To Sleep Naturally
6 个月Excellent critical analysis Neal...really enjoyed the read! I noticed that word again...collaboration. Wow, what a concept...working together for a common, successful, and mutually beneficial outcome...for all of the players and their various interests. A novel concept, to say the least! How about that Starliner project? Don't get me started...and don't offer me even a free ticket to ride that scary thing!
CEO Apogee Power USA LLC. SDVOB
6 个月Neal, imo the government is often a barrier to progress. They often have an agenda that is flawed and will continue to stay with the flawed approach vice using something different that may arise from the commercial marketplace or other areas of expertise.