The Secret Plan to Build Mars’ Internet — Blue Origin’s New Orbiter

So let's now talk about something which is related to space, private space, but we are not talking about SpaceX. We're

talking about Blue Origin and the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter MTO.

It's going to be ready to support NAZA missions in 2028. The MTO is built on the company's blue ring platform and instead is intended to support NASA's

Mars telecommunication relay missions for 2028.

So here are the key capabilities that we can also uh well deduct from the few information that we know from the

company's website. It's going to be a

company's website. It's going to be a transformative telecommunication platform. So we are talking about

platform. So we are talking about telecoms and we're talking about the red planet. What you're going to see are all

planet. What you're going to see are all renders available on the website. It's

going to be a ready togo platform to support again telecommunication and the infrastructure around Mars. It's usually

an underestimated field, something that people are not used to think about.

You're always used to think about astronauts and people walking on the surface of the planet. But if you want a

serious approach to not colonization maybe uh not yet but even the would say basic exploration of an hostile

environment. Well the infrastructure

environment. Well the infrastructure what's around the main mission is of paramount importance. So we are talking

paramount importance. So we are talking about high-speed connect connectivity with continuous robust communication via multiple high rate links and also

deployable ultra high frequency UHF relay satellites. So not a single

relay satellites. So not a single satellite but we are talking about a complete platform also I would say

decentralized one with multiple well hards pieces of hardware in terms of satellites orbiting the planet. Hybrid

propulsion is another key thing. So it's

going to be for again for what we know it's going to be a combination of solar electric plus chemical propulsion in order to allow expanded launch windows

on onto and towards Mars. Keep this in mind because we're going to talk again about the launch windows to the red planet. They are talking about with they

planet. They are talking about with they I mean Blue Origin is talking about unmatched capacity in terms of the

orbiter being capable of carrying over one metric ton of payload to Mars and to the orbit of the red planet again

depending on the mission requirements.

Powerful data again includes edge processing, data storage and artificial intelligence in order to expand the capabilities of future infrastructure.

Again uh another thing that they are mentioning is uh being launch agnostic.

So compatibly with the new Glenn rocket and other 5 m class fairing rockets. Uh

the MTO is going to be um compatible with a variety of launchers not only from this company Blue Origin but also

uh but by giving uh metrics and dimensions going to be uh kind of standard in order to be compatible with basically uh any other rocket of this

cate of the category being capable of uh launching a payload towards this base in particular. to the red planet in this

particular. to the red planet in this case. So the MTO is envisioned as a part

case. So the MTO is envisioned as a part of a longer term Mars infrastructure play. It builds a prior on prior

play. It builds a prior on prior proposals like the Mars next generation relay, Mars simple return architecture

and is designed as a multiuse and enduring platform for high rate communication and also infrastructure services. Well, um the fact that you're

services. Well, um the fact that you're going to have a delay in the communication from when an information is transmitted to when that information

is received is physics is not something that you can avoid.

Maybe only the in the next close future.

But this is this is a thing. the fact

that on the other side if you cannot minimize the delay time between the communication points well you can

increase and you're going to increase a lot the band and also the width of this band and also the rate on which you are transmitting information towards our

home planet. So a key strategic point is

home planet. So a key strategic point is the fact that blue origin is emphasizing um this much of their moonlanding work

and is also directly applicable and reusable for the red planet. So they are positioning the MTO as part of the of this efficient and also affordable

transition. This is very important. So

transition. This is very important. So

we have started talking about uh some key aspects of the thing. We talked

about highspeed connectivity. Let's talk

about propulsion. So the spacecraft is built on a blue origins brewing platform. But in terms of propulsion,

platform. But in terms of propulsion, this is going to be um hybrid in terms of a combination of solar electric propulsion such as the electric

thrusters powered by the solar arrays and chemical propulsion in terms of what's defined as traditional rockets to reach

the red planet and insert into an orbit giving more flexibility in order in terms of launch windows.

Well, the point is that you still need chemical propulsion to escape from earth gravity. Um, we are going to um go

gravity. Um, we are going to um go deeper into this concepts on our website spaceinfo.comclub

spaceinfo.comclub and also in our free and premium courses. There is also um we are also

courses. There is also um we are also talking about this thing but let's um decompose the let's talk about this in

simpler terms in order to escape from earth gravity uh or something similarly on other planets nowadays you still need

a trust over specific impulse in in this uh scenario this is far more important to have trust than specific inputs. This

means that if you compute and compare different kind of proportions, chemical ones are the only ones I want to

underline nowadays, the only ones capable of giving you the thrust ratio in terms of thrust over mass capable of

escaping the gravity of our planet or any other planet you are lifting off from. So this is a need not something

from. So this is a need not something that we are using because it's comfortable but it's a physical need.

Then when you are in space you you don't have to win gravity uh in such a brutal way. You don't have to escape uh the

way. You don't have to escape uh the gravity of a planet. You are already costing in a costing you are already in a costing phase. Let's say from Earth to

the moon, from Earth to deep space or to Mars. Well, you don't need that amount

Mars. Well, you don't need that amount of thrust ratio over mass. But

uh well, having high specific impulse is enough and is preferable in terms of um propulsion efficiency. So you can switch

propulsion efficiency. So you can switch from chemical propulsion to the like electric one. You're getting energy from

electric one. You're getting energy from the sun and you're converting that solar energy into electric propulsion. So you

don't have much thrust in terms of thrust to mass ratio. You are not accelerating that much but that

acceleration is constant. And even if it's small um over a long period of time like two,

three, nine months, if you put a small but constant acceleration 24 hours a day, well, you will obtain a

significant amount amount of velocity already after well relatively small amount of time. And this is very very

efficient in terms of uh propulsion optimization, energy cost and things like that. So there are different uh

like that. So there are different uh points on having one or the other propulsion system and if you have bought you can choose and switch from uh to the

most efficient or most effective depending on what you need. So also the use of solaretic help to well supplement

the launch energy so that the craft can reach Mars even under challenging conditions and also you don't have to

increase your mass just to uh well get on board far more um propellant quantity and mass consequently to cost from Earth

to the red planet. Also, let's talk about the payload communication capability. Well, the orbiter is

capability. Well, the orbiter is described as having over 1,000 kilograms of payload capacity to Mars orbit depending on specific mission clearly.

So it's uh it's more of an indication more of well a strategic symbolic number

but this gives you an idea of u the importance of how big this thing will be. Not just to be as big as impressive

be. Not just to be as big as impressive but to give you an idea of how much mass will be transportable by this thing.

Also the communication system will be multiple and capable of steering the high rate links between Earth and Mars.

A broad beam of wide area coverage will be supplemented by a small number of deployable ultra highfrequency relay satellites in low Mars orbit and relay

satellites will extend the coverage especially to legacy Mars assets or like landing sites for example and also the

whole data infrastructure is going to be well designed to emphasize the edge processing the data storage and the artificial intelligence capab abilities.

If this is well, this is a clear trend and the positive one which is going to be followed by uh by a lot of companies, small startups and also bigger ones uh

also around earth. The fact that you are capable of processing data on board your craft while uh conducting the computation, the observation. So you

both have the acquisition of the data and the onboard processing which is uh based on edge edge computing. So to make

it that simple it's also decentralized on board of single satellites of a swarm of a of a constellation and then the

process the processed data are sent towards ground already processed. So you

basically um uh reduce the computational efforts of centralized systems and you demand this computation on board locally

on the satellites where the acquisition occurs. This is particularly efficient

occurs. This is particularly efficient efficient under multiple points of view and this is a positive thing that's going to be adopted in this case. Then

another very positive point is the fact that uh it's going to the MTO is going to be launch vehicle agnostic. So uh the

orbiter is uh again launch agnostic in the sense that it's compatible with the new glenn and all pro all the majority

probably of the 5 m diameter class fairing rockets. So, Boring is pushing

fairing rockets. So, Boring is pushing uh for its own heavy lift rocket, but also uh to be adaptable with respect to

not uh strictly speaking the competitors, but generally speaking uh the launcher companies and the launchers more generally speaking. Also, the

platform, the Blue Ring platform is stated to be in production in a dedicated facility in Huntsville.

Now, let's talk about the mission timeline. The concept is designed to

timeline. The concept is designed to support another Mars telecommunication relay mission aimed for 2028. So, it's

kind of close. And the MTO is pitched to be part of a long-term mass infrastructure approach, not just as a one-off orbiter. It's going to be built

one-off orbiter. It's going to be built on earlier proposal proposals like the Mars next generation relay and also the

Mars sample return architecture and it's going to be to be meant for repeated use future human and also robotics

exploration. So if some external

exploration. So if some external commentary suggests that uh while many details are public many are still

conceptual so not necessarily secret but conceptual so very very preliminary so many uh are not uh we don't have all

the specifications the exact the exact delta v budgets the detailed antenna size and things like that probably don't they they themselves

don't have yet. We still don't know what's the phase of development of this thing, but it's interesting and it's on

its way. So, uh, also hybrid propulsion

its way. So, uh, also hybrid propulsion and the greater payload capability may be a fact. Blue Origin claims that the

MTO is greatly expanding the windows to get to the red planet and it's also reducing the mission risk. So well we

are here to witness to the future maybe we are also here to take part in building this future and if you are interested in this last thing well

explore the courses and get in touch on spaceinfo.comcl club because uh we are

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