MAGELLANO: a Navigation and Data Relay Constellation to Serve Mars Surface and Space Assets

Upcoming and future missions to Mars will generate rapidly increasing amounts of scientific data and require greater independence from Earth. Therefore, locally provided positioning, navigation, and data transfer services will be critical for any long term exploration plan. Local provision of accurate real-time positioning and high data-rate communications will allow spacecraft to dedicate a greater proportion of their mass and power budgets to payloads, improving science return and cost effectiveness. The design of a suitable constellation is presented here, as well as a strategy for the interplanetary transfer, Mars capture, and achievement of the operational configuration.