Prospects of Phobos Sample Return Mission Using Electrostatic Container

This paper explores the feasibility and benefits of a new way of the Phobos sample return delivery mission to a Phobos Sample Return (PSR) orbiter using the electrostatic field artificially generated in proximity to the Mars-Phobos L1 libration point. The proposed method uses the electrostatic interaction to retrieve an orbit sample container (OS) launched from Phobos. This is possibly the first discussion of the mission to deliver Phobos samples to a small area around a PSR orbiter for the subsequent capture of the OS, e.g., using a magnetic trap or net. The feasibility of the proposed retrieval system is discussed from the aspect of local space weather Debye length. The container's motion is studied, and the conditions of reaching the small given vicinity, the L1 point, are determined. The proposed mission's principal feasibility is demonstrated. The influence of the electrostatic charge level and the Debye length is studied on the container trajectory and the possibility of capturing the container. In addition, the possible launching points of the container from the Phobos surface and the launching velocity at which the PSR orbiter can capture the container are determined by the backward numerical integration method of the motion equations.

Automated summary

This paper explores the feasibility and benefits of using an artificially generated electrostatic field to retrieve a sample container launched from Phobos to a Phobos Sample Return (PSR) orbiter. The study discusses the conditions for reaching the small vicinity around the L1 point and demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed mission. It also investigates the influence of electrostatic charge level and Debye length on the container trajectory and the possibility of capturing the container.