1. ThunderStruck
Destination Mars 2022
by Robert Brand

2. What is ThunderStruck?
A modular Spacecraft scheduled for orbital flight in 5-6 years – Lego style construction
It is a series of craft with re-entry ability
Winged (LEO speeds for re-entry)
Capsule (higher speeds for direct re-entry)
It is primarily a space courier service:
Delivering payloads up to 200kg
Returning Payloads up to 50kg

3. Supersonic Winged Test Phase X1
Mach 1.5 concept design. Never meant to fly.
Known as X1
This craft is for Supersonic tests and will look nothing like the orbital re-entry vehicle

4. Supersonic Winged Test Phase X2
Mach 1.5 test of braking and stabilisation systems scheduled at Longreach QLD in Sept. 2015
Operational design (known as X2)

5. Desktop Testing
This example is Pressure Differentials at Mach 1.5 at one instant

6. Flight Systems – Fully Automated

7. Flight Systems – Fully Automated
Once committed to re-entry, the flight systems are fully automated for landing and rely on:
GPS
Video Flow Control
Specialised radio markers to guide to the end of the runway
Land based camera video feedback flight parameters.

8. Configurations
Capsule – Traditional ablative heat shield and parachute handling a 50kg payload
Winged – will look more like a mini Dream Chaser design, but much smaller handling a 50kg payload
Traditional Spacecraft, but employing many of the same systems of the two above – plug and fly principles

9. Potential Payload: CUBESATS
Timelines
Supersonic / transonic tests - 6 months. Test of braking and stabilisation systems.
Sounding Rocket flight and landing – 2 years.
Flight to orbit and re-entry – 5-6 years.
Proposed shakedown flight to Mars with an ion engine – 7 years.
Potential Payload: CUBESATS

10. Navigation to Mars – Pork Chop Analysis
Initial work on orbital possibilities told us that the flight, given a lot of unknowns, was possible. We had to begin work on the feedback needed to ensure that the design would allow for the detail that the navigation calculations told us was possible.

11. More Detailed Navigation - 2022
With the slower thrust of an ion engine, we are expecting a 2 year flight to Mars and that means that are continuous opportunities for a launch window right across the year..
A high elliptical orbit is expected for the deployment of the cubesats around Mars giving the chance for a greater number or types of experiments.

12. ThunderStruck as a Comms Relay
ThunderStruck will stay close to the cubesats to act as a relay for communications to earth.
It will also act as a test facility for our Deep Space Network utilising older 30m dishes.
It will stay in orbit and may carry embedded experiments.
Its required lifetime in orbit will be 1 month, but may stretch to be much longer.

13. Thank You Robert Brand CEO - Manager Project ThunderStruck
1st April 2015