Mars Lander/Rover vehicle development: An advanced space design project for USRA and NASA/OAST

A design is proposed for a Mars Lander/Rover (MLR) for use in gathering needed environmental and surface information. The design focus will be upon a Mars Lander/Rover that will leave an orbit around Mars, reenter and soft land on the Martian surface, and move sequentially to widely scattered locations to sample, measure, and analyze the Martian environmental and surface conditions. Primary goals will be payload mass and size definition, characterization of the Martian atmosphere, selection of sampling locations, identification of alternative design concepts, selection of a preferred design, team organization, and preparation for the detailed design phase.