Conceptual design methodology and tools for human Mars landers: Subsystems Design

The main goals of NASA's Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC) include expanding the human presence on Mars by 2030 to promote scientific progress, innovation and international collaborations. This campaign, therefore, requires the development of new technologies to support the human presence and to transport heavy cargo to Mars. Thus, the development of multifunctional and reusable landers including the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) is critical. This thesis addresses the preliminary sizing of the major subsystems of a manned Mars lander with the ability to descend and ascend from Mars orbit. The goal is to deliver a tool requiring a limited set of users’ inputs to select that will allow for a set of outputs calculated through specific algorithms. These inputs are design variables that are obtained from an initial phase of study and research on the state of the art of current technologies concerning Martian manned landers. Then these inputs will be used to obtain outputs that represent the preliminary sizing of the subsystems that will characterize the lander, which are: Attitude & Orbit Control System (AOCS), Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS), Propulsion system, Thermal Protection System (TPS), Structure, Avionic System, Thermal Control System (TCS) and Electric Power System (EPS). The various sizing algorithms are designed to provide different outputs depending on the user's choice of different types of inputs. The main focus of the thesis will be on the sizing of the subsystems and validation of the results obtained, however, the first steps of the design will be analyzed through statistical analysis. Detailed integration with the mission analysis part is left as future development with the goal of creating a valid methodology for lander design that can be implemented within a tool.