Mars Swing

Entry, descent, and landing (EDL) are among the most difficult phases of a Mars mission. An internal study by the Vehicle Analysis Branch (VAB) explored several approaches, and the Mars Swing emerged as one of the more creative concepts. The idea uses a tether more than 100 km long placed in low Mars orbit.

The tether would rotate in its orbital plane so a mechanism at one tip could catch an incoming spacecraft; the craft would ride the tip as it swings around and be released near the atmospheric entry interface at less than half the typical Mars entry velocity. A markedly lower entry speed would greatly reduce or eliminate thermal protection needs for the lander, simplifying its design and potentially increasing payload delivered to the surface.

The system needs a heavy central mass to limit orbital disturbances during capture and release, with one proposed solution being a boulder from one of Mars’ moons. The tether would be made from inexpensive, currently available materials such as Spectra.

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