Northrop Grumman successfully tested an engine for the first rocket that is intended to launch from the surface of Mars. The solid rocket engine will be used as part of the Mars Ascent Vehicle, a key element of the Mars Sample Return mission developed by NASA and the European Space Agency.
The mission’s goal is to deliver Martian rock samples to Earth for the first time. At present, these samples are collected by the Perseverance rover and stored in sealed containers on the surface of the planet. Later, another spacecraft will pick them up, and the Mars Ascent Vehicle rocket will place the capsules into orbit. There, a satellite will retrieve them and send them back to Earth.
The engine tests were carried out in Maryland and confirmed the unit’s readiness for launch under extreme conditions. Key technical features of the rocket include spin-stabilization, which improves trajectory accuracy during liftoff from the planet’s surface, and reliable fuel based on STAR technology.
