BRINGING MARS TO EARTH
SCIM will embark on a breakthrough journey inspiring the world with an entirely new view of Mars. SCIM is a mission whose time has come!
Round Trip to Mars
SCIM - Sample Collection to Investigate Mars - will return the first samples of Martian materials to Earth without the complexity and risk of landing, and at a fraction of the cost. As the first round trip mission to Mars, SCIM will break new ground, and set the stage for future visits to Mars by humans.
Sampling Mars
With launch opportunities in 2018 and 2020, SCIM performs a daring high-speed atmospheric pass down to below 40 km altitude timed to coincide with seasonal Martian dust storms, collecting thousands of precious Martian dust particles from the atmosphere. After the sample collection pass at Mars, the spacecraft returns directly to Earth, where its precious, sterilized samples descend by parachute to the ground.
2018 Mission Profile
Launch (April 15, 2018)
- C3=10.4 km2/sec2
Mars Encounter/Aeropass (October 1, 2018)
- Ls=260° (near Mars’ perihelion – dust storm season)
- Altitude of Closest Approach = 37 km, Latitude=7 deg.
- Velocity at Closest Approach = 6.4 km/s
Earth Return Maneuver (August 13, 2019)
- Delta V=1500 m/sec
Earth Return (July 4, 2020)
- Velocity of Entry=11.8 km/sec
2020 Mission Profile (Preliminary)
Launch (July 26, 2020)
- C3=19 km2/sec2
Mars Encounter/Aeropass (June 19, 2022)
- Ls=250° (near Mars’ perihelion – dust storm season)
- Altitude of Closest Approach = 37 km, Latitude=-28 deg.
- Velocity at Closest Approach = 6.22 km/s
Earth Return Maneuver (August 3, 2022)
- Delta V=966 m/sec
Earth Return (February 1, 2023)
- Velocity of Entry=11.75 km/sec