Cryogenic propellant liquefaction and storage for a precursor to a human Mars mission

An analysis of cryogenic liquefaction and storage methods for in-situ produ ced propellants (oxygen and methane) on Mars is presented. The application is to a subscale precursor sample return mission, intended to demonstrate c ritical cryogenic technologies prior to a human mission. A heat transfer an alysis is included, resulting in predicted cryogenic tank surface temperatu res and heat leak values for different conditions. Insulation thickness is traded off against cryocooler capacity to find optimum combinations for var ious insulation configurations, including multilayer insulation and microsp heres. Microsphere insulation is shown to have promise, and further develop ment is recommended. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.