NASA expects to have a better understanding by this summer of potential commercial partnerships to support future Mars science missions.
  • threelonmusketeersMEnglish
    2·
    9 months ago

    The studies are intended to examine four specific design reference missions to explore commercial opportunities to support Mars exploration: delivery of small payloads of up to 20 kilograms to Mars orbit, delivery of large payloads of up to 1,250 kilograms to Mars orbit, services to provide high-resolution imaging of the Martian surface and communications relay services between Mars and Earth.

    “Mars may have some similarities, it may have some differences” from CLPS, he said. One of the goals of the studies is to see how a public-private partnership could be structured “such that it is beneficial to both sides.”

    “I’d be careful about referring to it as ‘Mars CLPS,’” he added, noting that the studies won’t cover landing payloads on Mars. “I think we are a long way away from that.”

    Interesting that they’re starting with only Mars orbit, and not full delivery to the surface. If CLPS is successful, I don’t see why a similar model wouldn’t work for Mars.

    • burble@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      3·
      9 months ago

      I want CMPS! (camps?)

      Getting more infrastructure in place sounds great. Intuitive Machines is working on a private Lunar relay satellite network, which NASA really should have already figured out for Artemis. It seems more critical for Mars missions.

      I’d love to see what payloads NASA could come up with for the 20 and 1250 kg size. 1250 is enough to pull off Sojourner, Spirit, or Opportunity. Sending one or two of those per window, with modern systems and instruments, would be incredible.