Systems Integration : putting the mission together

The final assembly of the mission is and arduous and strenuous task that involves integrating various individual subsytems into a single spacecraft, making sure that they operate in conjunction and that they are compatible.

In order to do so in our mission, we must await the final design of all individual subsystems, a process in which our members are currently embarked. In the mentime, it may prove useful to analyze the two most exhaustive attempts that have been made to design a manned Mars mission.

The Mars Direct concept had been advocated by a group of scientists led by perhaps the most prominent figure in the quest for a manned mission to Mars, Dr. Robert Zubrin.

Mars Direct
Introduction 
Mars Direct Architecture 
Propellant 
Mission Planning
Activities on Mars and Mars Semi Direct

The other design is the result of the NASA/Boeing 90 day study, and was generically named Mars Reference Mission.

Design Reference Mission
Mission Architecture
Space Transportation

Initial approach to Mission Design

Based on the different existing possibilities and available technology, we have created an interactive page that allows our members to combine theses mission variations and calculates masses based on the mass estimations of the above missions.

Interactive Preliminary Mission Design Page