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Preventing the Forward Contamination of Mars (2006) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix G Spacecraft Propellant and By-Products as Potential Contaminants
Pages 148-151

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From page 148...
... G Spacecraft Propellant and By-Products as Potential Contaminants An important concern with respect to potential contamination is the release of propulsion exhaust products into the atmosphere and onto the surface of Mars, a process that necessarily occurs during any Mars entry, atmospheric flight/descent, and landing. The amount of exhaust products emitted can range from as little as a few kilograms (Pathfinder)
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From page 149...
... APPENDIX G 149 the standard for all subsequent Mars soft landers to date, although tests also showed that the purified hydrazine would contaminate Mars landing sites with ammonia (50 to 500 ppm)
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From page 150...
... 150 PREVENTING THE FORWARD CONTAMINATION OF MARS Mars Science Laboratory Mach Velocity Flight Path Angle Altitude AGL Entry Interface V = 5.68 km/s = -13.8 deg h = ~ 125 km Entry Deploy Supersonic Parachute M = 2.0 V = 447 m/s = -18.8 deg h = 6.5 km Heatshield Separation M = 0.7 V = 160 m/s = -35.3 deg h = 4.3 km Parachute Descent Radar Activation and Mobility Deploy Jettison Chute and Backshell, Begin Powered Descent Vv = 84 m/s, VH = 24 m/s = -74.1 deg h = 1.0 km Powered Descent 38.2 s Begin Sky Crane Vv = 4 m/s, VH = 0 m/s h = 35 m 59.3 s Sky Crane Rover Touchdown Vv < 1 m/s, VH < 0.5 m/s h = 5 m 40.3 s Flyaway E + 0 s 272.5 s 293.6 s 298.6 s 331.8 s 358.7 s 372.1 s 2000 m above MOLA areoid MSL Delta Mission Concept Review FIGURE G.1 Mars Science Laboratory nominal entry, descent, and landing using a sky crane for terminal descent. SOURCE: Mars Science Laboratory Project Office, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, July 2004.
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From page 151...
... APPENDIX G 151 TABLE G.1 Examples of Possible Amounts and Composition of Mars Surface Mission Propellant Exhaust Products aus oduc s MSR Mars Ascent Stage Missions > Phoenix MSL MSR MAV Lander Airplane for Humans Propellants > N2H4 N2H4 N2H4/N2O4 NH4ClO/Al/HTPB MMH/N2O4 CH4/O2 Typical > Propellant > 35 250 250 160 40 30000 Masses (kg) > Exhaust Products (kg)
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