On the 27^th of March, 2000 the head office of The Mars Society announced a competition to design a construction for an analogue, airtight crew vehicle (on-surface carrier) for the Mars Direct mission. The vehicle would then be tested on Devon Island, North Canada, along with the already existing simulator of a habitat, within the scope of the Flashline Mars Artic Research Station research program.

On the 31^st of March, 2000, on the occasion of registering Mars Society Poland at the District Court in Warsaw (7^th civil and registration department), the participation of our branch of The Mars Society in the competition was discussed.

I admit that the idea was ambitious and seemed impossible to implement in Poland. Though we expected to face much disbelief and doubt we were confident to take up the challenge. In the beginning of April, 2000 I sent out invitations to Mars Society Polska members encouraging them to take part in the competition. Although astonished, over a dozen agreed to take part in the project. The first meeting of the people interested in the MPV project took place on the 29^th of April, 2000 in the Space Research Center CBK- PAN (Polish Academy of Sciences) at Bartycka Street 18 A in Warsaw. Beside the people involved in the project a few employees of the CBK had been invited to act as consultants. The purpose of the meeting was to initiate the project, clarify the idea of the vehicle construction and raise some general ideas concerning system installations.

Fig. 1. “The Cucumber”. The presented “Cucumber” proved to be an excellent ‘punching bag’ for the participants. Their critical remarks were helpful in working out new solutions. I have to admit that this provocation was done on purpose and finally gave outstanding results.

Within a week the basic concepts for the Polish MPV project were agreed. These were subsumed in the abstract sent to The Mars Society head office in the form of a preliminary application. The presentation of completed projects was to take place on the 13^th of August, 2000, during the Third International Mars Society Convention at Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, Canada. We were running short of time and technical problems multiplied every day, yet the commitment of the participants allowed us to solve them. After some time it turned out we needed more people to work on the project, however, encountered no difficulties in finding them. Due to intensive work, lasting more than a couple of weeks, the MPV project evolved and clarified.

Fig. 2. The MPV project in its early phase. The main effort was devoted to the issues of internal installations, the technology of the body, and the suspension of the vehicle. The main impediment, however, turned out to be the personal presentation of the project in Canada which was troublesome because of financial reasons. In order to solve this problem we began to look for a representative for our cause.

Fig. 3. The MPV shortly before the final meeting of Mars Society Poland. The meeting was held on the 29th of July, 2000 at the CBK. During the following few days all previous ideas were compiled into one coherent document. Detailed areas of the project were reviewed in order to adjust the vehicle to its purpose - long term exploitation. We took under consideration the power supply system, life-support and communication systems, the technology/construction of the body, the suspension system and the physical and psychological comfort of the crew. On the 3^rd of August 2000 the document was printed and sent to the Mars Society Conference in Canada.

Fig. 4. The MPV presented in Canada. The Polish project was presented on the 13^th of August, 2000 at the Third International Mars Society Convention by PhD. Wojciech Klimkiewicz, a Pole from Chicago (whom we sincerely thank).

We did not exactly know how many teams were taking part in the competition (we estimated about ten). We were aware of the fact that some of them had a strong support from scientific centers, while we experienced difficulties in achieving serious approach from local universities and consultants. That is why we were working on perfecting the technical side of the project, yet with hardly any belief that we may qualify to the next stage and get a chance of realizing it. At the end of November, 2000, after two weeks of waiting, the Mars Society board announced the results. From 22 teams, which took part in the contest, 5 made it into the final and got a chance to receive founds to help them carry on their projects.

1. Canada/ USA (MIT)

2. Australia

3. USA 1 (Michigan)

4. Poland

5. USA 2

The first three teams were immediately subsidized. They had already created a plan, found its executors and suppliers of subassemblies as well as estimated their costs. We were completely surprised by the Mars Society’s decision and therefore unprepared to face the fact that things turned out the way they did. Yet they really did! As the only team from Europe we got a chance of realizing this ambitious project.

The work on the MPV entered a new stage. On the 27^th of November we met at the CBK for the third time.

Fig. 5. The MPV- a new look. We began to look for subassembly manufacturers and suppliers and wrote a timetable of the project’s realization. With various results we also talked with Polish manufacturers about producing the largest elements. In the meantime we were still working on improving our construction.

Fig. 6. The MPV- computer rendering. We hope that both Polish universities and companies will spot an opportunity to promote Poland and themselves by helping with the project.

The MPV construction team

Head of the project

Krzysztof Lewandowski (First Head)

Krzysztof Biernacki (Current Head)

Grzegorz Bartkowiak

Marcin Brzezinski

Borys Dąbrowski

Agnieszka Isańska

Leszek Jędrzejewski

Władysław Kopczyński

Radek Kornicki

Andrzej Kotarski

Piotr Kowalewski

Piotr Krosnowski

Arkadiusz Krysiak

Daniel Kubiak

Michał Młotek

Piotr Moskal

Bartosz Nowicki

Franciszek Przystupa

Andrzej Rewiński

Edward Slaski

Marek Strąpoć

Michał Szelągowski

Jarosław Wójcik

People cooperating in/on the project:

Piotr Beliczyński, Grzegorz Borowiak, Zbigniew Chabraś, Piotr Dudziński, Jacek Grajnert, Eng. Robert Kamiński, Tomasz Krosnowski, Arkadiusz Krysiak, Zenon Kulpa, Stanisław Kwaśniowski, Mieczysław Lech, Piotr Leń, Jerzy Marcinkowski, Piotr Podkowicz, Ph.D. Franciszek Przystupa, Leszek Stricker, EBogusław Turko, Piotr Wolko, Marek Zawisza.

The guidelines for the MPV

In a document from the 27^th of March, 2000 the administration of The Mars Society set out the basic guidelines for the concept of a pressurized exploration vehicle for the Mars Direct mission crew.

The presented guidelines were similar to those established for the pressurized exploration vehicle in the Apollo mission. The MOLAB (Mobile Lunar Laboratory) vehicle was meant to be used by two members of the lunar landing module crew for a period of two weeks. The vehicle was supposed to have a maximum range of 125 miles from the module and be able to cover the distance of about 250 miles.

After analyzing the main assumptions of the Mars Direct mission and the document provided by the Mars Society it turned out that it is not possible to fulfill all the requirements given - for example the weight of 3300 pounds - and not all of them had been well thought over (like the lack of an airlock).

The basic criteria followed while working on the Polish concept of the pressurized exploration vehicle:

1. The prototype vehicle has to be in its construction as close as possible to the vehicle that will be used in the Mars Direct mission;

2. The vehicle will be designed considering the local terrain characteristics in the landing area of the Mars Direct mission;

3. The vehicle will be optimized in view of the crew’s maximum protection against various hazards:

1. microbiological: taking into consideration recent reports stating the possibility of presence of water on Mars, we cannot exclude the presence of primitive life forms- extremophile bacteria in areas where the triple point of water may be exceeded; the Valles Marineris, the Noctis Labirynthus complex, Chryse Planitia, where the first manned landing on Mars is planned, and Argyre Planitia and Hellas Planitia impact craters can not be excluded as well. A potential effect on human physiology is unknown;

2. radiological: Mars’ thin atmosphere and a weak magnetic field do not sufficiently protect its surface from cosmic and solar radiation;

3. mycological: lack of sufficient sanitary conditions may lead to the presence and growth of fungi and mould, which may easily mutate and pose a threat to the astronauts’ health or even lives;

4. suspensions or dust penetrating the interior of the vehicle; dust particles on Mars have a very small diameter (around 21’m) and their structure suggests that they conduct electricity (high level of iron content), which may cause pneumoconiosis and short- circuits in the electric equipment;

4. A two-month autonomous activity of at least three crew members. In emergency situations providing transport for four (all members of the Mars Direct mission crew);

5. The vehicle was equipped with an integral airlock. It was assumed that it will not have a lock for ground samples, suggested by the authors of the guidelines.

Guidelines for the MPV’s analogue

1. The base for the construction of the Polish MPV prototype is the chassis of the Star 266 truck, adapted to carry a body corresponding in measurements to the body of the MPV.

2. The basic points considering the building of the MPV prototype:

• to find an optimal chassis of an existing vehicle in order to reduce the costs of adapting it to the target version;

• to decide on the optimal level of similarity in construction between the prototype and the aerial version of the MPV;

• to choose the suppliers of available technologies

3. The adaptation of the Star 266 truck chassis will proceed in the following steps:

In order to build the MPV prototype we are planning to use the chassis from a Star 266 truck. Its measurements nearly fit the size of our target vehicle concept. For the purpose of building a Martian pressurized exploration vehicle (MPV) according to the project of the Polish branch of The Mars Society, Mars Society Poland, in 2001 the Army Property Agency in Wroclaw presented the Mars Society Student’s Scientific Circle in the Wroclaw Polytechnic with a Star 266 truck .

Thanks to only a minor difference in the wheel base (max. of 190 mm), the Star 266 truck chassis allows us to attach a body fully correspondent in size to the body described in our project of the MPV.

Separate stages of adaptation work are presented on the figures below.

Stage 1. The Star 266 truck as a base for adaptation work. (A model geometry of the cabin and part of the chassis)

Stage 2. The Star 266 chassis after removing the cabin. The drawing shows key elements of the equipment of the cabin: the batteries. The dashboard and steering wheel are not in the picture. The outline of the engine cover in the driver’s cabin can be seen. The propulsion unit will not be modified during the adaptation work on the chassis.

Stage 3. The chassis of the Star 266 with the engine cover in the driver’s cabin removed. The basic construction for our adaptation work.

Stage 4. The adaptation frame attached to the Star 266 chassis frame. Its special geometry in the front is related to the necessity of leaving the original propulsion unit unmodified. The adaptation frame was set up using the same mounting points where originally the body and cabin is set. All those six points are marked in green.

Stage 5. The new location of the batteries on the chassis. The batteries must be accessible form the outside due to functional reasons.

Stage 6. Special handles used to attach the body of the MPV prototype. They allow evaluating the load of the body construction, built in the self-supporting version, by introducing forces of the body.

Stage 7. The lower body board of the self-supporting MPV prototype. In the analogue version the body will be made with the technology used in building isothermal bodies, easily accessible in Poland. A manufacturer or sponsor is being looked for.

Stage 8. The body of the MPV prototype attached to the truck’s chassis. The windscreen and windows will be made out of compact glass, which will allow the vehicle to function in low temperatures.

Stage 8b. A general view of the body of the MPV prototype after finishing the project.

Stage 9. Drawings of the Polish MPV prototype.

1. The body of the MPV prototype will be made using isothermal technology.

The body of the MPV prototype.

The analogue version of the MPV is meant for exploration of different climatic regions on Earth. In relation with a test of partly simulated life support system, which includes the HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) of the cabin, it is desirable for the body of the MPV prototype to have good thermal isolation. It will allow testing the HVAC system as well as the isolation of the body.

The body of the MPV prototype will be made using isothermal technology. The main idea of the construction will be based on the usage of layered thermo-insulated boards. Such solution will enable us to build the body according to the idea of self-supporting construction just as it is done it the case of aerial model of MPV body.

This will allow testing the ergonomics of the interior, its functionality, and the effect of a claustrophobic environment on the interpersonal relations between the crew members, upon introducing a three-month sociotechnical research program.

The planned building materials for the body of the MPV analogue are layered polyurethane boards with aluminum or laminate lining. The weight of a 50 mm board is 20- 40 kg/m².

The floor board will be made of a thermal insulating board with an additional plywood board for the surface of the floor.

The estimated weight of the body is 800- 900 kg.

2. The MPV prototype construction plan includes the following simplifications for the prototype version:

The vehicle will not be an airtight construction;

The vehicle will not have the target (aerial) version of the chassis;

The vehicle will not be equipped with air and water recycling systems;

The vehicle’s body geometry will fully correspond to the target MPV; necessary adjustments will be caused by the adaptation of the body of the prototype to the existing chassis;

The vehicle will have an air conditioning and ventilation system adapted from an available system;

The vehicle will not have the target power supply voltages of 115V400Hz and 28VDC. It will be simulated with 220-230V50Hz and 24VDC voltages;

The vehicle will not have an ISPP (In Situ Propellant Production) installation or radioisotope RTG generators. Their work will be simulated by 10kW and 2kW current-generating internal combustion generators;

The vehicle will not be equipped with robotic arms, designed for the target version, or a crane. Geometric models of these will be built from cheap materials (PVC pipes, springs, etc.). The work of these systems will be simulated using virtual models;

The chassis of the Star 266 will be modified so that it can be controlled by the use of electric servomechanism;

The prototype vehicle will have a simulation of control of the virtual model of the MPV;

3. Basic simulated systems in the Polish MPV analogue program:

Steering system of the MPV;

The ergonomics of the MPV cabin for 3 or 4 members of the crew;

Air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) systems of the interior: open in the first phase, closed in the second phase;

The structural system of the data processing and transfer network in normal and emergency modes;

The air and water recycling system: open in the first phase, closed in the second;

The power supply system with limited power consumption in normal and emergency modes;

The remote control of virtual models of manipulators and the main crane;

Stationary testing of the dynamics of the MPV virtual model in a chosen MBS system;

Stationary calculations of the MPV virtual model’s strength in a chosen FEM program;

An analysis of the biological hazard for the MPV crew health caused by poor hygiene conditions.

An analysis of relations between people in confined space for a given period of time: participation of volunteers is foreseen.

An analysis of indispensable logistic provision for the Mars Direct mission crew on the basis of determining the reliability of the planned devices and series of types of elements of mechanical and electronic systems;

MPV specifications

Use

The MPV (Mars Pressurized Vehicle) is a pressurized exploration vehicle, designed for three (four, in emergency situations) members of the Mars Direct mission crew. Its purpose is to provide security and proper work conditions for the astronauts in a minimum range of 250 miles from base, for a minimum period of 45 days.

The analogue version of the vehicle corresponds to the target version in around 70%. The aim of constructing an analogue version is to test the components, assumptions and suggested ideas in the FMARS base, built by The Mars Society on Devon Island, Canada, or in any other suitable location (Iceland for example).

Specifications of the vehicle