With its “Moon to Mars” program, NASA plans to send the first occupation missions to Mars by the end of the next decade. In order to meet this brave vision, the agency examines advanced technologies in numerous programs. This includes advanced drive technologies that reduce the transit times to Mars and thus restrict the exposure of astronauts compared to microgravity and cosmic radiation. Other technologies that are considered include methods for eliminating waste, water extraction, health and safety of the crew as well as the self -sufficiency of resources.
NASA is also working on developing key technologies that enable inexpensive exploration missions for Mars and throughout the solar system. This includes the most important technology: Sub-kilowatt electrical drive systems for small spaceship 500 kg (1100 lbs) or less. In a newspaper presented at the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2025 LPSC), a team of NASA researchers proposes a new initiative: the commercial Hall drive for Mars Pyload Services (Champs).
The study was carried out by the NASA researchers Gabriel F. Benavides, Steven R. Oson and Alain SJ Khayat. Benavides is an electrical drive engineer in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) room, while Alain SJ Khayat is a research scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA. Steven R. Oson is the head of the Compact Palace Designed Team of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the leadership of the NASA GRC compass team. This collaborative engineering team carries out integrated vehicle system analyzes.
A technology piece
As you show, your work is based on previous work such as the smallsat studies (Planetary Science Deep Space Smallsat Studies) and the Simplex program for small, innovative missions for Planetary Exploration (Simplex). These studies determined the importance of electrostatic reverb effects with high throughput with high throughput (HET) with optimized magnetic shielding. These drive systems rely on solar energy (or another energy source to ionize an inerity (such as Xenon), which is channeled by magnetic fields to create the thrust.
In the Artemis program, these systems will lead the first two elements of the Mondgateway – the power and drive element (PSA) and the outpost of the dwelling and logistics (Halo) – to their proposed orbit around the moon. In this mission, which is currently planned for 2027, both elements are launched from a falcon heavy from the earth to a lunar orbit. There, the PSA and Halo modules are dependent on their high-performance solar electrical drive systems (SEP) in order to establish an almost reectlinear halo orbit (NRHO).
Unfortunately, this area had a technology piece, so NASA 2017 launched the Small SpaceCraft Electric Propulsion (SSEP) project. This program aims to develop miniaturized versions of the most advanced high-performance solar electric systems (SEP) of NASA. The NASA's H71M is the current example of a miniaturized high -performance sep. With a predicted drive throughput of more than 140 kg (310 lbs), this system generates sufficient power to advance a spaceship of 450 kg (990 lbs).
NASA began working and licensing the H71M with commercial partners to ensure the availability of the system for future missions for small space vehicles. This meant that Oson and the compass team develop its champs concept for potential missions to Mars. This study stipulates that spaceships use a commercial version of the H71M -the NGHT -1X system developed by Northrop Grumman. These missions would be based on more frequent and cost-effective starting opportunities than on a direct-Mar-Transfer ornate.
Mission concept
One of the biggest challenges for the installation of the lower cost-effective science missions with small space vehicles is to identify a certain way of Mars and to keep the starting opportunity. Starting as the primary payload is potentially expensive, while starting can cause complications as a secondary payload, since the requirements of the primary payload lead the start date and trajectory. In addition, it is not always an option to rotate for an alternative start date. This appeals to the champs architecture by choosing a secondary start -up start with a CLPS mission.
These missions are expected to deliver payloads to the moon regularly in the coming years. The runway is well understood and there are probably many alternative starting opportunities. The mission would carry out instrument tests by observing the moon and at the same time performing a gravitational helfer maneuver to win speed. This maneuver enables the mission to temporarily get into a Nhro around the moon until the earth's stems are favored.
The first maneuver with a low thrust takes about three months, followed by a four -month cruise phase and another seven -month maneuver with a low thrust. As soon as it has reached Mars, the spaceship sets an orbit of 15 km above the surface, where it has a complete equatorial cover all five Sols (5,137 earth days). In the meantime, it will fulfill secondary science goals by studying Deimos, the smaller of the two moons of Mars. After two years, the spaceship will rise to an area synchronous orbit – 17 km (10.5 mi) above the surface.
This enables a continuous cover of the atmosphere on critical surface characteristics and acts as a data relay for surface missions.
Instruments and goals
The Champs mission will carry out several scientific studies with various instruments. In your paper, this includes a visible/UV image, such as the Mars Color Imager (Marci), which is used by Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). It will also have a thermal infrared (TIR) radiometer, which is comparable to the mini-mars climate sound (MCS) used by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and a near-infrared spectrometer such as the Argus instrument that was used here on Earth.
With these instruments, the mission of the champs measures the 3D structure of the atmosphere to determine pressure, temperature, aerosol distribution, water vapor and ozone content. The behavior and development of Mars dust and water ice clouds will also monitor more about the weather patterns and seasonal dust storms of the planet. Third, it will measure the plasma conditions and the magnetic field structure around Mars and how it interacts with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from the sun.
These studies enable scientists to examine important science issues about Marsklima, including the interaction and transport of fleeting components between the surface and atmosphere, such as the lower/middle atmosphere in regional and global and global warming, and how the room weather influences the atmosphere.
The team also points out that their proposal with Initiative 1 of the Mars Exploration Program (MEP) of NASA (MEP) matches:
“Create a regular cadence of scientifically controlled, cheaper mission options as a new element of the MEP portfolio to offer a quick and flexible reaction to discoveries, to answer the breadth of outstanding Mars questions and to enable increased participation through the diverse Mars science community.”
Further reading: USA
Comments are closed.