Low-Cost Planetary Missions Utilizing Small Launch Vehicles and a Novel Launch Mode

The ability to substantially reduce the cost (~lplanetary missions lies not only in the cost reductions to befound in 'IJXlCecrqfi design but also in choice (~llaunch vehicle. Smaller launch vehicles are cheaper but are also less capable at i<~tiing sufficiently large masses to interplanetary velocities, while excessive miniaturization (~l ~pacecraft subsystems typically leads to higher cost. Microcosm has identftied a new launch technique using traditional vehicles and technologies to circumvent these restrictions for many ,Iy)lar .Iystem exploration missions. For the purposes of this paper, we named it the Modified Launch Mode (MLM). This method can substantially increase the payload mass capabilities of all launch vehicles for high energy (high C 1) missions. it is particularly advantageous in missions that require onboard propulsion at destination and there/lyre can make repeated use (?f that system. The technique has been described elsewhere and only a summary is preseflled here. This paper summarizes the newly available spectrum of low-cost planetary capability that this technique makes available to the small satellite community using smaller, cheaper vehicles to carry their spacecrq/i then have been commonly considered as necessary. A multi:taated trade (?(launch vehicle capability against spacecrqfi size will be appropriate to minimize overall mission cost or to enhance mission capabilities within .Ipecftied cost constraints. Emphru'is is placed on the matching (?f minimum-cost launch vehicles to small spacecrqtt now being considered/i)r deep-.lpace expi<)ration.