Qualitative Analysis of Mars Entry and Descent Options for Manned Missions

Overview & Synopsis

If the mass is sufficiently reduced, the required heatshield diameter becomes indeed reasonable and it is possible to use rigid deployable and adaptable heatshields, as proposed for example by engineers from Ariane Group [6]. A qualitative assessment of the 3 options has been performed. According to our analysis, the first option has the best integration of the heatshield but the control of the descent is complex. The second option allows a good size/risks tradeoff, but the complexity is still very high. Finally, the third option seems to be the simplest and the less risky for landing large payloads on Mars, but the constraints on the architecture are strong. Without experimental data, it is not possible to be conclusive. We therefore recommend further analysis of the 3 options in order to determine which is the most appropriate for landing on Mars.