Concept Overview for 2 mt Case “2 mt case”: integrated payloads of no more than 2 mt can be landed on the surface of Mars; extension of current Mars EDL technology Cargo transportation –All cargo packages are landed on the surface of Mars using scaled-up MSL-type vehicles –Each cargo package and the associated cruise stage and EDL system is launched and injected towards Mars using an EELV-class launch vehicle (Falcon 9 heavy, Delta IV heavy, Atlas V heavy, etc.) Crew transportation –Similar approach as for 10 mt case, but different hab / EDL design –Mars Transfer Vehicle is assembled in LEO out of 3 payloads of ~25 mt 1 st payload: habitat + Mars entry vehicle (same entry vehicle as for cargo) 2 nd and 3 rd payloads: each one ~25 mt propulsion stage for TMI –2 crew are transported using this transfer vehicle

Trans-Mars Injection Delta-V Needs Maximum minimum delta-v need over the 17-year cycle: ~4000 m/s

Cargo Transportation

Delta IV Payload Performance

Falcon 9 Heavy Estimated Performance

Spacecraft Mass (Including EDL, Cruise, and Payload) Cruise stage mass kept constant from MSL, all other components scaled linearly with surface payload (conservative, masses would likely not scale linearly with payload) Estimated Falcon 9 Heavy payload capability at a TMI delta-v of 4000 m/s Estimated Delta IV Heavy payload capability at a TMI delta-v of 4000 m/s Conservative assessment of payload performance indicates that existing systems cannot deliver 2 mt payload capability However, less-than-linear scaling of component mass as well as future launch vehicle performance increase may allow for utilization of full 2 mt payload mass capability allowed by current EDL technology