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Mars-Grunt

Proposed Russian Mars sample-return mission From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Mars-Grunt, also known as Expedition-M (Russian: Марс-Грунт),[5] is a proposed robotic Mars sample-return mission.[4][6][7][8][9] It was proposed to the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) by the Russian Space Research Institute.

Quick Facts Names, Mission type ...

As of September 2023, Mars-Grunt is expected to be sent to Mars following the success of Boomerang (Fobos-Grunt-2), which in turn is expected sometime after 2030.[3][2]

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Lander

If funded by the Russian space agency Roscosmos, it would be developed by the Russian Space Research Institute and NPO Lavochkin, based on Fobos-Grunt technology.[10] Designs show a dome-shaped lander would separate from the orbiter and would enter the Martian atmosphere protected within an inflatable rubber braking cone and fire retrorockets for a soft landing.[11] Once a robotic arm selects and retrieves the samples (mass about 0.2 kilograms (0.44 lb)),[4] a small rocket in the top of the lander would blast the ascent vehicle for rendezvous and docking with the orbiter for the soil sample transfer into the return vehicle.

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Cruise stage

The cruise stage PM (from Pereletny Modul Russian: Перелётный Модуль) is sometimes referred to as Flagman. It was developed for the Fobos-Grunt mission, but its basic architecture is promised to be the base for a whole generation of future planetary missions, including Luna-Glob, Luna-Resurs and Luna-Grunt to the Moon; Venera-D to Venus; Mars-NET and Mars-Grunt to Mars and, possibly, Sokol-Laplas to Jupiter. The platform's developer - NPO Lavochkin - stressed that in different configuration, the same bus could be adapted as an orbiter or as a lander.[1]

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Status

If the technology being developed for Luna Glob to the Moon, and Fobos-Grunt-2 to Mars' moon Phobos, is proved successful, it will then be used on Mars-Grunt.[12]

Tasks

Tasks set by the NPO Lavochkin and Roscosmos:[13]

  • Delivery of substance samples from Mars to Earth
  • Refinement of engineering and technical models of the atmosphere and surface of Mars
  • Detailed geochemical analysis of soil substance on Mars
  • Study of the interaction processes between the atmosphere, solar radiation, and the surface of Mars

See also

References

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