Preliminary design of a stand-alone Mars Cubesat mission integrating dlr in-house technologies

This work presents a design for a stand-alone Mars exploration mission utilizing a 12U CubeSat, showcasing the integration of DLR's in-house technologies. Focused on demonstrating the capabilities of miniaturized satellites in deep space, this innovative 4-year mission will travel independently to Mars propelled by a low-thrust propulsion system. Upon reaching Mars, the spacecraft will insert itself into a highly elliptical orbit, transitioning to a Primary Science Orbit (PSO) at 250 km altitude through aerobraking. This orbit is strategically chosen for its sun-synchronous and near-circular properties, optimizing scientific operations aimed at studying Mars' lower atmosphere and gravity field. The CubeSat features a 20.8 kg wet mass, a 6.3 km/s maneuvering capability, and can generate up to 90 W of power. It is equipped with a 2U infrared spectrometer, a 1U gravimeter, and a 12 Mpx CMOS camera for scientific data collection. Utilizing DLR's technology, including an integrated avionics stack combining communications, power, and onboard computer subsystems, the mission seeks to advance the CubeSat platform for interplanetary use, significantly reducing costs and fostering future exploration opportunities.