CHRONOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF THE MISSION CONCEPT AT RSC ENERGIA

Year of the design Design features 1960 Use of electric propulsion for interplanetary transit powered by a 7 MW nuclear reactor; Crew of 6; Delivery to Martian surface of a group of vehicles to make up a self-propelled train 1969 Reactor power increased to 15 MW; Crew cut down to 4; Switch to a stationary "headlight"-shaped lander with frontal heat shield 1987 Switch to two independent nuclear reactors to increase flight reliability; Changed shape of the lander (lifting body instead of "headlight" with heat shield) 1988 Replacement of nuclear power plant with a solar power plant based on a film-type photoelectric converter 1999 Modular design for the solar arrays; Changed shape of the lander; Switch from one lander to two (a manned and a logistics lander)

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