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The Mars 2022 orbiter is a concept study by NASA to develop a Mars communications satellite with a modest mapping capability payload, and propelled by a solar electric ion thruster. The orbiter is proposed to be launched in September 2022 to link ground controllers with rovers and landers and extend mapping capabilities expected to be lost when the ''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter'' and ''2001 Mars Odyssey'' stop functioning.〔 ==Features== Key features under study include solar electric ion drive engines using Hall effect, better solar arrays, and broadband laser communications (optic communication) between Earth and Mars.〔〔〔Dunbar, B. (2014, October 23). "(Benefits of Optical Communications )." NASA TV. May 6, 2014. Retrieved on 9 September 2015. 〕 The orbiter is conceptually similar to the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, canceled in 2005,〔 and could be a technology precursor for a future round-trip sample return mission and human expeditions to Mars.〔 Robert Lock is leading the concept studies for the 2022 orbiter.〔〔 Concern in NASA is that the currently used relay satellites, ''2001 Mars Odyssey'' and ''Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter'', may stop functioning, resulting in the need to press the MAVEN science orbiter into use as a backup telecommunications relay.〔〔〔(NASA Eyes New Mars Orbiter for 2022 ). ''Astronaut'' March 9, 2015. Retrieved on September 9, 2015.〕 However, the highly elliptical orbit of MAVEN will limit its usefulness as a relay for surface operations. Another suggested feature under study is "the sample rendezvous capture and return capability." The samples cached by the Mars 2020 rover would be placed in Mars orbit by a future Mars ascent vehicle. From there the orbiter would send the samples back to Earth. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mars 2022」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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