Parametric Design of a Crew Transfer Vehicle for Earth

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Parametric Design of a Crew Transfer Vehicle for Earth–Mars Cyclers

Machado, Larissa Balestrero / Wilde, Markus

This paper presents a parametric design model and a design study for a crew transfer vehicle designed to transfer humans between Earth or Mars and a spacecraft on a cyclic Earth–Mars trajectory. The model is based on empirical data for astronauts, consumables, and spacecraft components. The model estimates the dry mass and total mass of the crew transfer vehicle based on crew size, mission duration, planetary encounter velocities and altitudes of the cycler trajectory, and propellant type of the main propulsion system. The design of the crew transfer vehicle is focused on reducing the propellant demand, the overall mass, and hence the overall cost of the mission. The model includes a combination of propulsive and aerodynamic braking for insertion into a low Mars orbit and into a low Earth orbit. The study shows that a crew transfer vehicle for a cycler-based Mars exploration is feasible within the limitations of current launch vehicles.