Nerva: Mission

Nerva Mars Mission Profile

Nerva Mission Profile

  1. Two expedition ships assembled in Earth orbit
  2. Inserted into near-Hohmann trajectory to Mars 12 November 1981
  3. Ships inserted into 24-hr elliptical orbit around Mars 9 August 1982
  4. Period of Mars exploration, including deployment of unmanned probes and landing excursions by three crew from each ship
  5. Depart from Mars orbit 28 October 1982
  6. Venus swing-by 28 February 1983, brakes speed and deflects path for fast return to Earth. Probes released into atmosphere of Venus.
  7. Insertion into Earth orbit 14 August 1983. Crews transfer to Space Shuttle for return to Earth's surface

Dates are those used in the original study for round trip lasting 640 days