Martian Moon Investigation and Developmental Acquisition of Samples (MIDAS)

Abstract

This thesis explores a theoretical mission within the requirements of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) request for proposals for its 2022 Undergraduate Space Design competition. An Exploratory Excursion Vehicle (EEV) will launch from Earth and await a crew of two astronauts between the summer of 2040 at a 5-sol parking orbit around Mars. The crew will arrive on a Deep Space Transfer vehicle (DST) which will remain in the parking orbit after docking with the EEV. From there, the crew will transfer aboard the EEV and begin a single sortie mission to the two Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos. Samples of 50kg will be collected at each moon before the EEV returns to the parking orbit. The EEV will first land on Phobos for sample collection via drilling, then enter a quasi-satellite orbit with Deimos where sample collection will be conducted via a smaller probe. This thesis will explore the different mission subsystems, the approaches undertaken when designing, as well as final concepts and conclusions.