% title ISSDC: Mars Vehicle Design Exercise</title>

<div class=paragraph>

<h2>Mars Areological Research Surface Utility Vehicle (MARSUV) Exercise </h2>

<p>The following pages provide materials for a miniature version of
a Space Settlement Design Competition scenario, in which participants
design a vehicle for use in exploring the surface of Mars. This could
be a design project for a small group, with a design process lasting
as little as an hour, and concluding with a presentation about the
design. It could be a competition lasting a few hours or half a day,
with presentations by the competing teams and selection of a winning
design. It is intended to be a small, self-contained exercise that can
be conducted quickly and without additional reference materials. It is
not recommended that these materials be used for a design exercise or
competition lasting for a day or more; with more time, design teams can
get into issues that require more extensive reference materials (e.g.,
daily quantities of food, water, and waste associated with humans;
construction techniques and sources of materials; maps of Mars to
determine likely terrain a surface vehicle would encounter). </p>

<p>The MARSUV materials provide information about infrastructure
presumed to be available on Mars in 2051, and some examples of future
technologies that may be available at that time. Background material about
the customer organization is provided for context-why would anybody want
to go to Mars, and how would they get the money to live in space? A list
of Mars attributes summarizes some of the challenges associated with
designing equipment to operate on the planet's surface. The final page
is the Request for Proposal (RFP), or description of requirements that
the customer wants the vehicle design to meet. The RFP is arranged to
show how four engineering departments could divide the tasks to get the
design completed.  Note that there is some communication required between
the groups handling separate tasks--the departments must communicate their
work to each other so that the whole design comes together (e.g., Human
Engineering determines requirements for water, Operations Engineering
figures out how to provide it, Automation Engineering controls the
recycling of it, and Structural Engineering figures out where the systems
go in the design). </p>

<p>Remember, the primary reason for doing a design process of this type is
to demonstrate techniques for managing a complex task in a short amount of
time. It provides a means for developing team-building skills, and shows
how tasks get accomplished in industry. Those are hard lessons to learn,
but this is a means for having fun during the learning process! </p>

<h2>The Customer</h2>

<p>The Foundation Society is an organization founded for the purpose of
establishing human settlements in space. Its first settlement became
operational in 2025, and served as the construction base for the huge
solar shield at the Earth-Sun L1 libration point. The solar shield
succeeded in reducing sunlight on Earth by 0.5%, reversing effects of
global warming that were predicted to have adverse impacts to the world's
economy. The success of the solar shield resulted in enormous financial
compensation for the Foundation Society, enabling it to pursue its goal
to move increasing numbers of its members into space. </p>

<p>The organization now operates three settlements in Earth orbit and
one on Earth's moon. Each settlement meets residential, business, and
recreational needs of between 10,000 and 20,000 permanent residents. Each
settlement also provides a unique element of infrastructure for human
activities in space: a manufacturing and materials processing center
(the &quot;rust belt&quot; of space), a financial and commerce center
(a sort of &quot;Singapore-in-Orbit&quot;), a center for research and
development of technology (the &quot;Tech Torus&quot;, with tenants from
several Silicon Valley companies, and the main campus of The University
of Space), and a lunar mining and tourist center. </p>

<p>The Foundation Society was a partner in the five commercial Mars
exploration missions that took place during the past decade. These
missions studied only a few promising sites for mining operations, yet
they showed that the abundance of resources on the planet has potential
for providing materials for in-space construction projects at much less
cost than Earth-based sources. Studies have only begun to address the
economics of tourism, science, and inspiration for human creativity in
the unique Mars environment. The Foundation Society is now committed
to its own ambitious global survey of the planet, which will identify
candidate sites for a future surface settlement. The Mars Areological
Research Surface Utility Vehicle (MARSUV) will be a critical element of
this mission. </p>

<p>The most important construction at Mars is a settlement being built in
orbit above the planet by the Foundation Society. Partial operations will
begin at this settlement in 2057, and the settlement will be ready for its
permanent residents in 2063. The intent of this settlement is to provide
a &quot;Port of Entry&quot; for Mars-a place where interplanetary ships
will transfer their cargo to landing ships that deliver goods to locations
on the surface. This settlement will also serve as a construction base
for future settlements on Mars, and will serve as a supply and shipping
center for mining operations in the asteroid belt. </p>

<h2>Your Company</h2>

<p>Marsotronix, Inc., was founded to conduct research applicable to
commercial enterprises on the surface of Mars. It began its studies in
2007 as an entrepreneurial partner with NASA for missions to Mars, and
has been involved in every commercial Mars expedition.  It currently
is headquartered in facilities leased from the Foundation Society's
settlement on Earth's moon. The lunar location enables the company to
test its products in a harsh space environment.  Suppliers on the moon
and at space-based materials processing and manufacturing facilities
provide most of the raw materials and components the company requires
for its assembly operations. </p>

<p>The company's early contributions to Mars missions focused on accurate
and speedy data analysis to aid in planning of future Mars missions. As
its experience, reputation, clientele, and revenues grew, it grew its
business base to encompass more of the expertise involved with humans'
relationships with Mars. Marsotronix built the surface structures
for the first human crew that landed on the planet and conducted
scientific research there. It designed the laboratories in use at the
first permanent Mars base, and has had a role in each of the other
two bases on the planet. Each base is little more than a collection of
radiation-shielded shelters and small labs; due to their vulnerability
to maintenance failures, Marsotronix provides a staff technician at
each base, to identify maintenance and support challenges before they
become emergencies.  </p>

<p>The company is at the forefront of innovation for developing
technologies appropriate for operations on Mars. It has created automated
landing systems that can pinpoint a probe's position within a few yards;
drilling systems that can recover soil, rock, and ice samples from 50
feet below the surface; and vehicles that can safely operate up to
40 miles from their bases. It developed the radio beacons that mark
&quot;roads&quot; in the vicinity of the Mars bases; the beacons are
placed every half mile and provide both navigational aids for vehicles
and communications back to the base. Marsotronix designed the small rocket
craft that, in an emergency, can get to almost any location on the planet
to conduct a rescue mission, if a suitable landing area can be found. </p>

<p>The most ambitious project undertaken by Marsotronix is a fleet of
cycler ships to provide scheduled transportation between Earth orbit and
Mars orbit. These large ships will remain in their orbits, with only small
adjustments to compensate for perturbations in orbital mechanics. Transfer
ships will rendezvous with them in the vicinity of Earth and Mars (the
Mars transfer ships will be based at the Foundation Society's Mars
orbiting settlement), unloading imported goods and delivering export
cargo for shipment. The first of these ships is completing its first
cycle between the planets; others are under construction and will enter
service during the next five years. </p>

<h2>Mars Environment</h2>

<p>Although considered this solar system's best opportunity for productive
human settlement away from Earth, Mars in 2051 is still a very hostile
place, at the frontier of human existence. The few score of human
visitors have confirmed what robotic probes revealed near the end of
the last century: it is cold, desolate, dangerous, eerily beautiful,
and seductively beckoning humans to come and plant roots. </p>

<table>
<tr><td width=22%>Gravity</td> <td>38% of Earth's</td></tr>
<tr> <td> Distance from Sun  </td> <td> average 141.6 million miles (Earth is 93 million miles)  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Minimum Energy Orbit Travel Time from Earth  </td> <td> 259 days  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> &quot;Windows&quot; for Optimum travel from Earth  </td> <td> about one month, at two-year intervals  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Length of Day  </td> <td> 24 hours, 37 minutes  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Length of Year  </td> <td> 687 (Earth) days  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Diameter  </td> <td> 4,218 miles  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Surface Area  </td> <td> approximately equal to Earth land area  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Magnetic field  </td> <td> insignificant  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Atmosphere  </td> <td> less than 1% of Earth's pressure, mostly carbon dioxide  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Surface Temperatures  </td> <td> average -30&deg;; range from -100&deg;F to just above freezing  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Radiation Environment  </td> <td> equivalent to interplanetary space from above  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Weather  </td> <td> Some clouds, winds to hundreds of miles per hour  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Storms  </td> <td> winds can cause months-long global dust storms  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Seasons  </td> <td> due to axis tilt and elliptical orbit, southern seasons are more extreme-southern winter is longer and colder; southern summer is shorter but warmer  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Surface composition  </td> <td> ample silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium, and calcium  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Resources  </td> <td> concentrations and accessibility of ores and useful minerals similar to Earth  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Water  </td> <td> substantial quantities, mostly frozen underground in northern basin  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Terrain  </td> <td> primarily rocky plains, with plentiful quantities of very fine dust  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Topography  </td> <td> Large, deep basin in the northern hemisphere <br> Heavily cratered highlands in the southern hemisphere <br> Several very large and tall volcanic mountains <br> A few very large ancient river valleys, with steep canyon walls up to two miles high  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Polar Caps  </td> <td> northern polar cap water ice; southern polar cap mostly carbon dioxide ice  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Moon: Phobos  </td> <td> 13 miles across <br> Orbit altitude 5,800 miles from Mars center <br> Orbits three times per Martian day  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Moon: Deimos  </td> <td> 7.5 miles across <br> Orbit altitude 14,600 miles from Mars center <br> Orbits once per 1.3 Martian days  </td> </tr>
 <tr> <td> Hazards to Long-Term Operations  </td> <td> Dust causes premature wear and breakdowns of mechanical equipment <br> Wind-blown dust at high speed has sandblasting effect on surfaces <br> Dust storms restrict visibility and reduce effectiveness of solar cells  </td> </tr>
 </table>

<p>For a good read with some great information about Mars, check out
Kim Stanley Robinson's trilogy, Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars. </p>

<h2>Request for Proposal</h2>

<ul>
<li><b>Date:</b> February 2051</li>
<li><b>Re:</b> Mars Areological Research Surface Utility Vehicle (MARSUV) Contract</li>
</ul>

<h2>Introduction</h2>

<p>This is a request by the Foundation Society for contractors to propose
the design of a vehicle to enable long-term surface exploration on the
planet Mars, for the purpose of identifying candidate sites for a future
settlement on the Martian surface. </p>

<h2>Statement of Work</h2>

<p>Basic Requirements - The MARSUV must provide a safe and pleasant
environment for a crew of eight engineers and scientists to engage in
exploration missions for periods of up to six months with no resupply
or support. The vehicle will be designed to enable the crew to go out
on the surface in space suits. </p>

<h3>Structural Engineering Requirements </h3>

<ul>

<li> Define exterior design -- provide a drawing showing vehicle size
and shape</li>

<li> Show installations on the vehicle of all major components</li>

<li> Show arrangement of interior functions</li>

<li> Show tires, treads, or other means for providing mobility on the
planet surface</li>

<li> Identify locations of storage compartments</li>

<li> To enable transportation from construction in Earth orbit to landing
on Mars, MARSUV must fit in a standard 15 foot square by 30 foot long
cargo container, and weigh less than 30,000 pounds</li> </ul>

<h3>Operations Engineering Requirements </h3>

<ul>

<li> Identify means for providing electrical power </li>

<li> Provide engine design, and identify fuel and storage needs </li>

<li> Identify means for providing communication </li>

<li> Provide heating, cooling, environmental control, and recycling
systems </li>

<li> Determine means of providing food and water for the crew during
MARSUV missions </li>

</ul>

<h3>Human Engineering Requirements </h3>

<ul>

<li> Provide &quot;cockpit&quot; enabling crew visibility and adequate
control of the vehicle

<li> Design furniture, meeting and dining space, and sleeping areas  </li>

<li> Design kitchen and hygiene areas  </li>

<li> Specify requirements for food, water, and clothing for six-month
mission durations  </li>

<li> Provide opportunities for crewmember privacy  </li>

</ul>

<h3>Automation Engineering Requirements </h3>

<ul>

<li> Provide navigational systems for location, route selection, and
hazard avoidance

<li> Computer must monitor vehicle status, and control atmosphere and
recycling functions

<li> Computers provide data processing, communication, and entertainment
for crew

<li> Computer and robotics systems will aid collection and analysis
of samples

<li> Automate tasks that would be dangerous or boring for the crew

</ul>

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