Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Mars Base Camp

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Manufacturer
  
Lockheed Martin

Status
  
Under study

Country of origin
  
United States

Notable payloads
  
Orion MPCV

Function
  
Crewed Mars laboratory orbiter

Mars Base Camp (MBC) is a crewed Mars laboratory orbiter concept that proposes to send astronauts to Mars orbit as early as 2028. The vehicle concept was developed by Lockheed Martin in the U.S. and proposed in 2016. It would utilize both future and proven concepts as well as the Orion MPCV, also built by Lockheed Martin.

The purpose of MBC is to conduct real-time telerobotic science, both in Mars orbit and on the surface of its moons (Deimos and Phobos), and serve as a proving ground in preparing humans for future missions to the Martian surface.

Vehicle and mission design

Mars Base Camp lays out a proposed technology road map to support NASA's Journey to Mars. The main systems and modules are:

  • Orion MPCV - Command-and-control heart of the orbiting spacecraft, housing vital navigation, communications and life support for extended missions.
  • Solar arrays - Generate the power for spacecraft operations and solar electric propulsion engines.
  • Radiators - Regulate heat of electronics and crew habitation quarters.
  • Cryogenic propulsion stage - Provide thrust for injection trajectory burns from the Moon heading to Mars. In addition, the propulsion stage will have the capability to provide maneuverability via impulse burn thrusters for excursions to Deimos and Phobos. During these missions, the Cryogenic Propulsion Stage will transport Orion, a Service Module, and Excursion Module for the purpose of delivering scientist-astronauts to the satellite surfaces.
  • Laboratory - Houses scientific equipment, sample analysis tools and workstations to remotely pilot drones and rovers on the Martian surface.
  • Habitat - Provides additional living quarters for crew, as well as consumables storage, radiation protection, and an exercise equipment.
  • Excursion Module - Module designed to house one or multiple excursion vehicles to be utilized by crews performing scientific work on the surface of the Martian moons.

    • References

    Mars Base Camp Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA