Optimization of a Low-Altitude Tethered Probe for Martian Atmospheric Dust Collection

Abstract - A tethered satellite system is proposed for the collection of a dust sample from the Martian atmosphere. In a previous paper, under the assumption of a circular orbit, a system had been designed by trading off the lowest reachable altitude versus the propellant consumption necessary to maintain a constant altitude orbit. Because of the dust density and distribution during a Martian storm, significant improvements in the mission scenario are achieved in the present paper by considering an elliptic orbit with dramatic reduction of propellant consumption with respect to our previous results. The system design is optimized in terms of tether diameter and orbital parameters with a simplex optimization algorithm that considers the propellant consumption as the cost function and the maximum in-plane libration and the tether tensile safety factor as constraints. The simulations of the system dynamics include an active feedback tether control for stabilizing the tether libration, which, for an elliptic orbit with low periapsis, can be significant. The analysis shows the potential of a tethered system for collecting a dust sample from the Martian atmosphere.