G. Marconi Orbiter and the Mars Relay Network
Carlo Bettanini; Giacomo Colombatti ; Francesco Angrilli ; ...Enrico Flamini
Jan - 2002
DOI: 10.2514/6.2002-2075

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type: Conference Proceedings

Abstract
A Mars relay network is being built using relay radios on nearly every Mars orbiter. Mars relay network performance has been limited because Mars orbiters are usually designed to support science missions from low, near-polar orbits; their relay functions are of secondary importance in spacecraft and mission design. The ASI/NASA G. Marconi Orbiter (GMO) will be the first Mars orbiter designed primarily for relay support; science experiments on GMO are secondary. Combining a high performance relay with a custom relay orbit, GMO can increase the data retumed from in-situ missions by an order of magnitude. GMO will increase connectivity to in-situ missions from a few minutes (typical of other orbiters) to hours at a time, offering much greater operational flexibility and resilience and enabling new relay services.

keywords : Flamini E. ASI author