New Mars Forums

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

This topic is offered as a place to put items that relate specifically to the launch windows from Earth to Mars that come up periodically.

The topic will open with a request for update on the ESA mission planned (originally) for September 2022.

That particular launch may have been interrupted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

(th)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

For anyone who might have time to investigate, please report on the status of the ESA launch in the quote below, as well as any other launches to Mars that may be planned for September of 2022.

About 10,800,000 results (0.50 seconds)
Image result for when is the next mars transfer window
The weather at Mars, the type of launcher, and the laws of physics governing the planets determined a 12-day launch window starting on September 20, 2022.Oct 1, 2020

ExoMars 2022: The Way Forward to Mars - SciTechDailyhttps://scitechdaily.com › exomars-2022-the-way-forward...
About featured snippets

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

Tahanson I believe the Russian Kazachok lander would have delivered the ESA Rover on the surface, however after the Russia invasion of Ukraine sanctions were put on Russians. ESA then was stuck having to quickly have its own Lander or expected some kind of long delay and restart or going to another group like NASA or SpaceX come in to quickly build them something, is unlikely to launch on time.

I would have to dig through an ExoMars MSR thread of which there are many

The twitter account continues to be active with updates
https://twitter.com/ESA_ExoMars/status/ … 5662138369

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

For Mars_B4_Moon ... here is an update per Google, still showing ESA hoping ??? to launch this window:

Per Google: When is next Mars launch window

Google
when is the next mars launch window

Tools
About 12,400,000 results (0.51 seconds)
Launch windows

Year    Window    Spacecraft (launched or planned)
2016    Mar    ExoMars TGO
2018    May    InSight
2020    Jul–Sep    Mars Hope orbiter, Tianwen-1 orbiter, deployable and remote camera, lander and Zhurong rover, Mars 2020 Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter

2022    Aug–Nov    Rosalind Franklin rover

2 more rows

Exploration of Mars - Wikipedia

And this from Wikipedia:

The next missions expected to arrive at Mars are:

The joint ExoMars program of Roscosmos and ESA has delayed the launch of the Kazachok landing platform, which will carry the Rosalind Franklin rover, until 2022.

Mars Orbiter Mission 2 by India, planned launch in 2024.

I am astonished that no one else is planning for this window.

A year ago, GW Johnson made a significant effort to catch this window, with detailed proposals for a water finder lander mailed to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Apparently the window is already open, so there might yet be a launch, but if there is one in planning, the news has been well kept secret.

Update a few minutes later:

On 17 March 2022, the ESA announced that the launch of the rover has been suspended. As of May 2022, the launch is expected to occur no earlier than 2028.
Launch mass: 310 kg (680 lb)
Launch date: NET 2028

Rosalind Franklin (rover) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Rosalind_Franklin_(rover)

(th)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

OK ... for GW Johnson ... it looks as though 2024 is the next window.  If you have the energy to work on it, I'm still game.

I'd like to suggest enlarging the field of pings ... In your first round of mailings, we stayed within the US.  That seemed reasonable at the time, but it is obvious that the conditions were not right for anything to happen in that limited arena.

India looks to me like a prospect, if they are willing to consider an addition to their already planned launch.

in addition, South Korea might well be interested in considering your ideas for a 2024 launch, since they appear to be on their way to the Moon now.

Other launch providers in the United States (and other countries) might be worth considering.

For Mars_B4_Moon .... if you run across the names of launch providers you think might be worth considering for 2024, please post your finds here.

(th)

GW Johnson

Member

From: McGregor, Texas USA

Registered: 2011-12-04

Posts: 5,796

Website

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

I've posted the Mars rover thing (drill plus soil tester) on exrocketman.  It is timed for the 2026 window,  with data return starting 2027,  to support big stuff going to Mars starting in 2028.   I don't think the necessary modifications to the pre-existing MER design could be done in less than 3 years.  Which is why I targeted 2026,  not 2024. 

GW

---

GW Johnson
McGregor,  Texas

"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew,  especially one dead from a bad management decision"

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

For GW Johnson re #6

Thank you for putting your proposal on the board for 2026.

2024 is a more appealing target. 

(th)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

Renewing this topic with focus on 2024...

Per Google >> Wikipedia...

The next missions expected to arrive at Mars are: The ExoMars program of ESA has delayed the launch of the Rosalind Franklin rover, until later in the 2020s. Mars Orbiter Mission 2 by India, planned launch in 2024.
Exploration of Mars - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Exploration_of_Mars

I wonder if India would be willing to drop GW Johnson's drill package in 2024?  No one else appears to be aiming for that launch window.

(th)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

Renewing this topic with a focus on 2024

NASA offers a course of instruction to help students to understand planning for a Hohmann Transfer orbit...

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/acti … h-windows/

I am interested in any news that our members may discover, about plans by ** any ** Nation ** (or Entity) to launch during the 2024 window.

Because planning has to start ** way ** before the actual launch date, if there ** is ** anyone planning a launch in 2024, there should be hints to that effect somewhere on the Internet.

India was reported to be planning a flight, per Post #8.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

Psyche NASA JPL ASU, will do a gravity assist fly by

Some talk in news articles about 'Mangalyaan-3' or some ISRO mission
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/isro-ma … te-4569691

it is possible you could see something from the Private Sector

SpaceX had announced plans way back in 2017 that would send two more uncrewed flights to Mars and two crewed flights in 2024...Musk is known to miss his early announced launch dates
https://spacex.relayto.com/
'launch as early as 2024'
https://www.space.com/spacex-launch-ast … -mars-2024

JAXA has not published updates on 'MELOS' most assume it never got approved and is now cancelled

There is a Chinese mission maybe 2028-2031 timeline but at the current rate NASA moves it is possible China will beat NASA in getting a sample return

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-12-08 12:47:10)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

We have a number of discussions on a Sample Return and a number of 'NASA is screwed up' type threads.
Here is an article from Robert Zubrin

He describes the rising costs of NASA's mission, the risks of an ESA spacecraft getting cancelled and describes how NASA  last flew a life detection experiment to Mars in 1976.

'Rethink the Mars Program'
https://spacenews.com/rethink-the-mars-program/
"It’s time to consider alternatives to sample return"

NASA’s robotic Mars exploration program is in crisis. A recent review of the plan of its flagship Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission pegged its cost at $10 billion, a price tag that threatens to preclude funding any other exploration missions to the Red Planet for the next decade and a half.

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

finally updates

The longstanding mystery of Mars' moons – and the mission that could solve it
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/longstanding- … 36574.html

Comparing meteorites and material brought back from Phobos will be a fantastic tool for helping us understand the origin of the two moons. Once we have material in the laboratory, rigorous analytical techniques can be applied to the samples.

One such technique is oxygen isotope analysis. Isotopes are versions of elements whose nuclei have more or fewer particles called neutrons. Oxygen, for example, has three stable isotopes, with atomic masses of 16, 17 and 18.

The sum of the isotopic ratios of oxygen-17/oxygen-16 and oxygen-18/oxygen-16 is denoted as Δ17O, and is characteristic of specific parent objects. Depending on where in the Solar System a rocky body is formed, a distinct oxygen composition is acquired and retained in the rocks. For example, rocks from Earth have Δ17O of around 0, while meteorites from Mars have Δ17O of around ~0.3. Therefore, rocks from Earth and Martian meteorites can be readily separated from one another.

MMX is one of the most exciting planned missions in space exploration. With less than a year to go, our fingers are already firmly crossed for a successful launch, sample acquisition, and sample return.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

The unmanned missions do look interesting but ought to have topic for them in unmanned.
There is a sample return already in place for mars but work on the moons might be new.

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

For Mars_B4_Moon .... First, thank you for your many contributions to the forum, and for bringing back so many of our ancient topics.

As a special request ... this topic was set up specifically for you (and others) to report any news of launches in the next Hohmann Launch Window to Mars, which will occur late next year.

The ESA launch planned for this window was postponed due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I believe there is at least one launch definitely planned, and others may come to light, although time is getting short.

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

all the 2024 missions seem to be delayed

MMX revision of plan

bumped to financial year 2026, was scheduled to launch in September 2024

https://twitter.com/mmx_jaxa_jp/status/ … 1031128374

There were two other missions mentioned that could happen in 2024 Mars Orbiter Mission 2 also called Mangalyaan-2 is in 2024 and Relativity Space and Impulse Space, announced they are teaming up to launch the first commercial mission to Mars in 2024, they have Terran 1 an expendable two-stage small-lift launch vehicle using LCH4 / LOX.

maybe India they already had a Mars Orbiter

ISRO called for an 'Announcement of Opportunities' on MOM 2
https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story … 2021-02-20

Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) unofficially known as Mangalyaan

Designed for 6 months it was 7 years in Orbit
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/techn … 679383.ece

In 2022, it was reported that the orbiter had irrecoverably lost communications
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation … 04219.html

'A Relativity Space Terran R rocket will launch an Impulse Space lander to Mars in 2024 if all goes well.'
https://www.space.com/relativity-space- … ching-2024

the Terran rocket does not seem ready for such a payload, maybe they will miss 2024 unless they plan on flying with Space-X

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2023-12-24 03:18:32)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: Mars Launch Window - Mars Transfer Window

For Mars_b4_Moon re #15

Thank you for this timely update on possible missions to Mars in the upcoming Hohmann Transfer window!

I sure hope Relativity Space is able to put that test lander into motion, even if they can't launch it themselves.

(th)