Papers

Every item is listed with its original date and its status. The 2002 papers are concept proposals and were not peer reviewed.

2002

Two-page mission-architecture proposals. Reproduced unchanged.

27 October 2002 · Concept proposal · 2 pp.

Dramatically Reduced Launch Costs for Mars Missions using a Reusable Momentum Exchange Tether with Electrodynamic Reboost as the Upper Stage

Simon Rowland (Direct Leap Technologies) and Robert Hoyt, Ph.D. (Tethers Unlimited, Inc.)

Proposes a reusable tether facility in Earth orbit that throws secondary payloads toward Mars or the Moon and then restores its own orbit electrodynamically, without propellant. Sizes the facility for a single Dnepr launch and tabulates nine example missions.

PDF, 92 KB

27 October 2002 · Concept proposal · 2 pp.

Reducing Cost and Complexity of Future Missions to Mars with a Microsatellite Constellation Providing a Shared Communications and GPS Service

Simon Rowland (Direct Leap Technologies)

Proposes a few 15–30 kg UHF repeater satellites in high Mars orbit to relay data through existing science orbiters and provide a positioning service, so that small missions need not carry their own deep-space radio.

PDF, 81 KB