Mars Waystation: Architectural Optimization for Human Safety and Robotic Efficiency

Abstract

Establishing a waystation between Earth and Mars would have manifold advantages, serving as logistics depot, staging point, and safe haven for interplanetary travelers. Future human missions to Mars face the major challenge of very-long-term, longdistance travel without resupply or emergency recourse, unless a waystation exists. Several key criteria lead to the conclusion that such a capability should be placed within the martian gravity well (low or high Mars orbit, or at Phobos, etc). From a surface habitat or base, it provides an everready safe haven facilitating abort-to-orbit escape from landed systems failed or rendered dangerous. It could also function as the parking node and staging point for descent and ascent relative to a surface station. As a Command Post for control of surface operations, it provides telecommunications delays of less than two minutes, compared to up to 40 minutes of latency to Earth. Conversely, as various robotic and human missions transport supplies or disposable mass to the martian system, they could be accumulated and stockpiled at the Waystation, providing an ever-increasing infrastructure for future missions and thereby improved safety, well-being, and efficiency for the astronauts and robotic systems that take advantage of it.