Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN) Objectives and Requirements Document Summary

This is a preliminary Statement of Objectives and Requirements Document (MTN-402-REQ-0001, Revision Preliminary, Effective Date 02/09/2026) for NASA's Mars Telecommunications Network project, issued by Goddard Space Flight Center. The document outlines the top-level objectives and technical requirements for establishing a high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter system capable of providing robust, continuous communications between Mars assets and Earth through 2035. The project involves multiple NASA stakeholders including the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), Strategy and Architecture Office (SAO), Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Program, and the Moon to Mars (M2M) initiative.

The requirements encompass three primary link types: Direct with Earth (DWE) links, proximity links for Mars surface and orbital assets, and associated services. Key specifications include: minimum 5-year operational lifetime from post-commissioning readiness; hardware delivery by December 31, 2028; operational readiness by end of calendar year 2030 (threshold) or 2029 (goal); DWE link data rates of at least 0.1 Mbps forward and 1 Mbps return at maximum range (~400 km) for threshold, with goal rates of 1 Mbps forward and 7 Mbps return; proximity link data rates of 2 Mbps minimum (threshold) to 8 Mbps goal for UHF, and 25 Mbps threshold to 100 Mbps goal for advanced non-UHF links; minimum 600 km Mars orbital altitude; non-volatile store-and-forward memory of 1.0 Tbyte for DWE and 0.5 Tbyte for proximity links; end-to-end link performance with ≥3 dB margin; bit error rate of 10⁻⁷ or better; concurrent dual-duplex proximity link support; near-global Mars surface coverage (±50°); DWE service availability of 95% threshold/99% goal; proximity link availability of 98% threshold/99% goal; and solar conjunction operation at Sun-Earth-probe angles greater than 3° (threshold) or 2° (goal). The system must comply with Deep Space Network (DSN) standards, CCDS protocols, planetary protection guidelines, orbital debris requirements, and cybersecurity best practices, with scheduling functionality for both DWE and proximity users.