One of the versions of landing apparatus

From a technical point of view the developers do not see obstacles to realization of the project. The significant part of elements of the complex and proposed solutions are fulfilled. Already developed is superheavy LV, the technology of automatic joining, developed uniform designs, life-support systems, the prototype of a control system are fulfilled. There is experience of manned flight to 14.5 month duration and the experience of lunar expedition.

Checking the influence of factors of space flight on the thin-film solar batteries is planned in the nearest flight of the cargo ship "Progress M-40" in October, 1998. Batteries are made of amorphous silicon on a substrate of alloyed steel with a thickness of 20 microns. They are approximately 10 times cheaper than traditional, and amorphous silicon is

At the second stage, and 2010-2012, dress rehearsal of the martian expedition in pilotless versionwill be carried out. The service (orbital) module is not included in structure of the complex - it is mastered in manned conditions in satellite orbit. Instead of man to Mars a second landing apparatus is sent. The first landing apparatus will take away samples of Martian soil and will return them to the Earth. The second instead of a takeoff rocket will carry the payload, which is a complete set of ten Mars rovers with a mass of 1.5-2 tons each with a large radius of action, is considered. They could pass along different courses and carry out an enormous volume of scientific research.

In the third stage is realized the first manned expedition, whose start can be carried out in 2015, and duration will be two years. If development of the

The structure of the solar tug includes the central module, propellant module with the tanks of working propellant (xenon), panels with plenty of the engines repeatedly reserved, control system of ERDU. Solar batteries are arranged in the form of a rhombus with 400 m sides and are constructed on the basis of trusses with film photoelectric converters.

Assembling the Martian complex is carried out autonomously, without use as base of this or that orbital station. First in orbit is delivered the habitable block, to which transport ships deliver staged crews for assembly and tests. Over in the course of several months elements of the solar tug are consecutively started, the last delivers the Martian landing apparatus. The assembly and test crews develop the batteries of the solar tug and will carry out tests of the complex, then arrives the crew of the Martian expedition (four people).

Acceleration from satellite orbit on a spiral trajectory to departure speed is made with the aid of ERDU within approximately three months. During the approximately

considerably less sensitive to radiation than crystalline, and according to calculations it should withstand acceleration in the radiation belts.

As ERD are examined the engines with the anodic layer development of TsNIIMash (Central Research Institute for Machine Building), which do not require the use of electric converters are considered. Flight finalizing of such engines is planned on experimental KA "Module-M",

Solar tug; 1 - panel with the engines: 2 - fuel modules with the tanks of working propellant; 3 - central module; 4 - fastening solar batteries.

twenty-four hours, when complex passes through the radiation belts, the crew is concealed in the radiation refuge. Solar tug is also used for injection into Martian orbit and flying away to the Earth. For gathering the landing apparatus from orbit, and then for start of takeoff rocket are used ZRD. Once near the Earth injection into satellite orbit is made with aid of the solar tug, on which the crew quarantine is carried out.

launch of which is planned on TKG "Progress M" No 242. Martian landing apparatus is a new development. Thus far are examined versions with lift-drag ratio 0.3-0.5, 0.5-1.0 and 1.0-1.5. Solar batteries or electrochemical generators can be used for electric power supply of the landing apparatus. Work on realization of the Martian expedition is carried out in three phases. On the first, in 1999-2005, on the base

Martian base will not be included in its tasks, the duration of crew activity on the surface of Mars will be from 7 to 30 days. If it is found out in the stage of pilotless research that this base (or radiation refuge) is necessary, its equipment can be delivered simultaneously with the Mars rovers, and the first manned expedition will be prolonged longer.

Hundreds of similar engines will be installed
on the solar tug

of the station "Mir" and Russian segment of the ISS is mastered use of electroreactive DU (projects "Module-M", "Module-M2", and "Mars-module"). The "Mars-module" is the scale prototype of the manned ship. These prototypes should confirm principles embedded in the project and - in addition - bring scientific information.

The vulnerable place of the project L.A.Gorshkov considers those six months, when the complex is accelerated and braked at the Earth, and the crew receives a certain dose of radiation. However, use of liquid-propellant engines for acceleration and braking at the Earth instead of ERDU produces an increase in the initial mass of the complex twice with even more significant increase in cost. The version of landing SA with the crew to the earth from an approach trajectory for decreasing the radiation dose is considered.

A question about the political and economic practicability of this project at the conference was not examined, was not even assigned a question about its calculated cost. Not time now for such questions.

COSMONAUTICS NEWS * No 19/20 (186/187) * 1998