by ETX
The first LightShip mission is scheduled for 2032. Photography Courtesy of ESA©
The European Space Agency (ESA) is working on the development of a propulsive tug capable of transporting a spacecraft carrying various modules and leaving them in orbit around Mars. The project, called LightShip, is designed to facilitate low-cost scientific missions between Earth and the Red Planet.
In order to carry out its very first mission, scheduled for 2032, the ESA is launching a call for proposals for the first payloads to be carried onboard the LightShip-1 mission. The agency is seeking proposals to complement its main payload, which includes several high-resolution cameras. The call therefore focuses on additional instruments that could enrich the scientific mission without interfering with the main objectives. For example, modules for monitoring atmospheric phenomena such as weather, wind and dust could be launched as a priority.
The idea is to make future missions to Mars more accessible, modular and economical. Once all its "passengers" have disembarked along the way or at the final destination -- in one or more orbits -- the spacecraft itself will remain in high orbit around Mars (at an altitude of just under 6,000 km) to serve as a communications relay, while the tug will return to Earth for further use. As a result, as the missions progress, the number of relays will continue to increase, to perfect communication between the various modules and Earth. Ultimately, the project will also enable the deployment of a veritable satellite navigation service on Mars, for precise landing and navigation.
The distance between Earth and Mars can reach 400 million kilometers. To make travel to the Red Planet more frequent and affordable for science and exploration, engineers have come up with the concept of a reusable interplanetary tug. This electrically propelled craft is powered by solar energy, supplied by large panels deployed on either side. It will be responsible for transporting one or more spacecraft to Mars at a time.
The first LightShip mission is scheduled for 2032, with further launches planned every two or three years if all goes well.
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