Michelle A. Rucker

TL;DR: The iMOST team as mentioned in this paper defined a set of science and engineering objectives for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign and provided a framework for demonstrating how the first set of returned Martian samples would impact future Martian science and exploration.

TL;DR: The iMOST team as mentioned in this paper defined the measurements and the types of samples that can best address the objectives of a Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign, and provided a framework for demonstrating how the first set of returned Martian samples would impact future Martian science and exploration.

TL;DR: In NASA's evolvable Mars campaign, transportation architectures for human missions to Mars rely on a combination of solar electric propulsion and chemical propulsion systems as discussed by the authors, and minimizing the Mars ascent vehicle (MAV) mass is critical in reducing the overall lander mass and also easing the requirements placed on the transportation stages.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared three different solar power options against a fission power system concept for a sub-scale, uncrewed demonstration mission and found that solar power was more reliable with a much lower mass penalty than solar power for this application.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors identified four key factors that drive MAV sizing: 1) Number of crew: more crew members require more equipment and a larger cabin diameter to hold that equipment, with direct implications to structural, thermal, propulsion, and power subsystem mass.