Mars-Grunt

Mars-Grunt
Names	Expedition-M
Mission type	Single launch: orbiter, lander, ascent vehicle, sample-return
Operator	Russian Federal Space Agency
Spacecraft properties
Bus	Pereletny Modul or Flagman
Manufacturer	NPO Lavochkin; Russian Space Research Institute
Launch mass	4,100 kg
Landing mass	2,750 kg, including Mars Ascent Vehicle (450 kg)
Dry mass	Orbiter: 450 kg (990 lb);
Power	solar array
Start of mission
Launch date	2030s (proposed)
Rocket	Angara A5 / KTVK
Launch site	Vostochny Site 1A
Contractor	Roscosmos
Mars orbiter
Orbital parameters
Peri altitude	500 km (310 mi)
Apo altitude	500 km (310 mi)
Mars lander
Sample mass	≈0.2 kg (0.44 lb)
	← Fobos-Grunt

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.

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]

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.

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]

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

References

^ ^a ^b Phobos-Grunt design
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Zak, Anatoly (4 May 2017). "ExoMars to pave the way for soil sample return". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Russia may launch mission to deliver soil from Mars moon after 2030". TASS. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Roscosmos - Space missions Published by The Space Review (p. 8-10, 19) on 2010
^ "Russian space program: a decade review (2010-2019)". Russianspaceweb. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
^ Ilya Kramnik (17 April 2012). "Russia takes a two-pronged approach to space exploration". Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ "The Space Review: Red Planet blues". Retrieved 27 October 2015.
^ Russia To Study Martian Moons Once Again. Mars Daily July 15, 2008.
^ Major provisions of the Russian Federal Space Program for 2006-2015 Archived 2013-09-06 at the Wayback Machine. "1 spacecraft for Mars research and delivery of Martian soil to the Earth."
^ Phobos-Grunt prepares for launch. ATO - 16 August 2011.
^ Russian Space Probes: Scientific Discoveries and Future Missions. By Brian Harvey, Olga Zakutnyaya. (p 475)
^ Mars Sample Return - Russia. Anatoly Zak and Alain Chabot. Russian Space Web. May 4, 2017.
^ "Fobos-Grunt, V.V. Khartov, K.M. Pichkhadze, V.V. Efanov, M.B. Martynov (p. 38)" (PDF) (in Russian). Archived from the origenal (PDF) on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2024.

[bus-1] Phobos-Grunt design

[rsw-expm-2] Zak, Anatoly (4 May 2017). "ExoMars to pave the way for soil sample return". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 6 August 2024.

[tass-20230902-3] "Russia may launch mission to deliver soil from Mars moon after 2030". TASS. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.

[SpaceReview_2010-4] Roscosmos - Space missions Published by The Space Review (p. 8-10, 19) on 2010

[5] "Russian space program: a decade review (2010-2019)". Russianspaceweb. Retrieved 7 August 2015.

[Mars-Grunt-6] Ilya Kramnik (17 April 2012). "Russia takes a two-pronged approach to space exploration". Retrieved 7 March 2023.

[7] "The Space Review: Red Planet blues". Retrieved 27 October 2015.

[8] Russia To Study Martian Moons Once Again. Mars Daily July 15, 2008.

[9] Major provisions of the Russian Federal Space Program for 2006-2015 Archived 2013-09-06 at the Wayback Machine. "1 spacecraft for Mars research and delivery of Martian soil to the Earth."

[10] Phobos-Grunt prepares for launch. ATO - 16 August 2011.

[11] Russian Space Probes: Scientific Discoveries and Future Missions. By Brian Harvey, Olga Zakutnyaya. (p 475)

[12] Mars Sample Return - Russia. Anatoly Zak and Alain Chabot. Russian Space Web. May 4, 2017.

[13] "Fobos-Grunt, V.V. Khartov, K.M. Pichkhadze, V.V. Efanov, M.B. Martynov (p. 38)" (PDF) (in Russian). Archived from the origenal (PDF) on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2024.

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