Presentation about principles of rocket propulsion, habitat design and simulation missions for Mars exploration. Talk at Universiteit Twente, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 15 May 2014
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Mars Habitat Propulsion and Living
1. The Next Giant Leap For Mankind
Propulsion and Habitats for Mars
Remco Timmermans
Talk at Mars mini-symposium Universiteit Twente, 15 May 2014
2. Agenda
• Getting to Mars is hard
• Why one way is easier than two way
• A little rocket science – propulsion
• Your home on Mars – habitats
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3. Getting to Mars is Hard
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4. So why is Mars harder than the Moon?
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5. Mars is Very Far Away
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55 – 103 million km
400 million km
Distance to the Moon: 384,400 km
Average travel time: 5 months
7. From Difficult to Very Difficult
• Flyby, unmanned (e.g. Mariner 4, 1964)
• One way, unmanned, orbit (e.g. ESA Mars Express)
• One way, unmanned, landing (e.g. Viking, MSL Curiosity)
• Flyby, manned (e.g. Inspiration Mars, 2021)
• Two way, unmanned, landing, sample return
• One way, manned, landing (e.g. Mars One)
• Two way, manned, operate rover from orbit
• Two way, manned, landing, people return
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8. Why is it so difficult?
∆𝑣 = 𝑣 𝑒𝑥ℎ𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑡 ln
𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
𝑚 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙
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∆v = acceleration OR deceleration
9. Rocket Equation
∆𝑣 = 𝑣 𝑒𝑥ℎ𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑡 ln
𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
𝑚 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙
Variables:
• Final mass, or spacecraft useful mass
• Required ∆v (destination and route)
• Propellant mass
• Exhaust velocity
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10. Gravity on Mars
Earth gravity: 9.8 m/s2
Moon gravity: 1.6 m/s2
Mars gravity: 3.7 m/s2
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13. Types of rockets
• Thermodynamic – heat and pressure
– Chemical propulsion (solid, liquid, hybrid)
• Electrodynamic – charged particles in fields
– Electrothermal (electrically produced heat)
– Electrostatic (electric fields)
– Electromagnetic (electro + magnetic fields)
• Nuclear propulsion – nuclear power for heat
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14. 1 - Chemical propulsion
• Fuel and oxidizer combine in combustion
chamber to produce heat and by-products
• Solid (solid fuel and solid oxidizer)
• Hybrid (solid fuel and liquid oxidizer)
• Liquid (liquid fuel and liquid oxidizer)
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32. Challenges after arrival
• Radiation
• Temperature
• Low oxygen
• Lack of food
• Lack of water
• Lack of fuel
• Atmospheric pressure
• Communication time delay
• Shelter
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33. Water of Life
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• Drinking water
• Fuel (H2)
• Oxygen (O2)
• Radiation Shield
51. Mars, we are on our way…
@timmermansr | UTwente | 15-05-2014 51Image: Mars Artists Community
52. Wordt onderdeel van de space community!
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