Mars Ascent Vehicle I
Project Description
The challenge provides opportunities to develop a wide range of innovative methods to insert the sample, provide sample containment, erect the launch vehicle and deploy the sample container with limited human intervention and validate a reliable methodology. This challenge especially seeks to engage the amateur robotics and rocketry communities to provide solutions.
More »Anticipated Benefits
The challenge is designed to demonstrate systems that autonomously can recover, load, and launch a Mars sample cache from the red planet surface to a pre-selected orbit, to eventually be returned to Earth for analysis. It provides opportunities to develop a wide range of innovative methods to insert the sample, provide sample containment, erect the launch vehicle and deploy the sample container with limited human intervention and validate a reliable methodology. This challenge especially seeks to engage the amateur robotics and rocketry communities to provide solutions.
More »Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Marshall Space Flight Center
(MSFC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Huntsville, Alabama |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) | Supporting Organization | Academia | San Luis Obispo, California |
| Clark College | Supporting Organization | Academia | Vancouver, Washington |
| Cornell University | Supporting Organization | Academia | Ithaca, New York |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (GA Tech) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Iowa State University | Supporting Organization | Academia | Ames, Iowa |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Supporting Organization | Academia | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Northeastern University (NEU) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Northwest Indian College | Supporting Organization | Academia | Bellingham, Washington |
| Northwestern University | Supporting Organization | Academia | Evanston, Illinois |
| Tarleton State University | Supporting Organization | Academia | Stephenville, Texas |
| University of Florida | Supporting Organization | Academia | Gainesville, Florida |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Supporting Organization | Academia | Urbana, Illinois |
| University of Louisville | Supporting Organization | Academia | Louisville, Kentucky |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Supporting Organization | Academia | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| University of North Dakota (UND) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Grand Forks, North Dakota |
| University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez | Supporting Organization | Academia | Mayaguez, Puerto Rico |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Alabama
-
North Carolina
-
Texas
