Analysis of Key Technologies and Solutions for Liquid Propulsion System of Mars Ascent Vehicle

The liquid propulsion system of Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) provides orbital control thrust, as well as attitude control forces and torque, which is crucial for ensuring the MAV’s payload capacity, precise orbital insertion, and reduced energy requirements. The system needs to undergoe complex mission profiles, including Earth-to-Mars transfer, Mars orbital insertions, Mars EDL (Entry, Descent, and Landing) flight, and storage on the Martian surface before being operational. In this paper, the strict constraints on structural mass, envelope size, and available energy faced by the MAV’s liquid propulsion system were addressed. Key technologies required for lightweight, miniaturization, and high-precision orbit insertion, such as thrust, specific impulse, environmental adaptability and reliability, were systematically reviewed. A design solution incorporating low-freezing-point propellants, medium-chamber-pressure engines, surface tension common-bottom tanks, and a highly reliable, highly integrated system was proposed. The results provide an important reference for the formulation of Mars ascent vehicle’s design scheme.