The aerospace company that will build the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), or the rocket that will play a critical part in NASA's mission to return samples from Mars, has been named by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
According to NASA's report, the MAV will be built by Lockheed Martin Space, a global security and aerospace company based in Colorado.
In a previous Science Times report, NASA has already "granted Lockheed Martin Space" a contract for "designing, developing, testing, and assessing" the MAV rocket.
This illustration shows a concept for a set of future robots working together to ferry back samples from the surface of Mars collected by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover.
NASA's MAV Mission, Specs
Lockheed Martin will have a difficult time developing the MAV. It must be able to resist the harsh Martian climate, adapt to various spacecraft, and be tiny enough to fit within the Sample Retrieval Lander.
The company must design, build, test, and assess the MAV system and the technology that will allow it to be operated from Earth.
NASA said per Daily Mail that the MAV is small and lightweight. But this rover's function in the difficult mission of collecting samples from Mars and bringing them back to Earth for advanced study is just as extensive and crucial.
The Mars Ascent Vehicle can only be 9.2 feet (2.8 meters) tall and 1.9 feet broad, according to early design limits (57 centimeters). Its total liftoff mass can't be more than 881 pounds (400 kilograms).
Because the gravity on Mars is just 38% that on Earth, a rocket intended to launch a payload into orbit may be significantly smaller. In addition, the MAV only needs to transport 30 to 35 pounds (14 to 16 kg) of cargo into Mars' orbit.
By launch vehicle standards, the criteria build up to generate a MAV design that is compact. However, NASA engineers told SpaceFlightNow that the specifications were sufficient for the task.
According to engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, the best choice for the Mars Ascent Vehicle is a two-stage, solid-fueled rocket.
NASA had previously considered a single-stage hybrid propulsion technology for the MAV, which would have burnt a solid wax-based fuel with a liquid oxidizer.
NASA collaborated with two hybrid propulsion companies to test hybrid rockets. However, in recent months, agency officials opted to go with a two-stage Mars Ascent Vehicle fueled by solid rocket motors.
NASA's Mars Sample Return Campaign aims to transform our understanding of Mars by delivering scientifically chosen samples to be studied by the world's most advanced sensors.
MAV's mission is to land in (or close to) the Jezero Crater. MAV will gather samples from Perseverance Rover whenever it arrives, collecting samples (rock, sediment, and air samples) since last year.
NASA also said that the MAV's launch platform would be the Sample Retrieval Lander. Once the samples were secured, the MAV would launch.
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However, the complication does not end there. After it reached Mars' orbit, MAV would subsequently be caught by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth Return Orbiter probe.
After that, in the 2030s, the samples would be returned to Earth.
Apart from the flying unit, Lockheed Martin Space will also deliver testing units as part of the deal.
NASA said this would be the first expedition to return samples from another planet. This Mars Sample Return Program is seen as a significant step forward.
Perseverance Rover
The Mars Perseverance Rover's missions to hunt for indications of ancient microbial life and gather samples would be greatly aided by the successful development of MAV.
These samples are crucial for further research. According to a NASA report, the Perseverance Rover has a total of 43 tubes to fill with materials from Mars.
Perseverance has already collected five samples from Mars by December 2021. It was so close to obtaining its sixth sample - it was able to place it in its tube - but a technical glitch occurred.
The Perseverance Rover's mechanical problem, according to Scientific American, was caused by several stones that were "caught in its throat."
By removing the tube from the carousel, the rover could resolve the problem.
The MAV rocket is envisioned as a means of learning more about Mars. The project, a strategic cooperation between NASA and ESA, provides a unique chance to learn about Mars' past and its potential for life.
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