Attachment B - Draft MTN Objectives and Requirements.pdf

This is a Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN) Objectives and Requirements Document, effective March 19, 2026, for DRFP 80GSFC26R0011.

The document establishes objectives and technical requirements for a Mars Telecommunications Network system that NASA is procuring via Fixed Price Contract. The MTN will provide communications, Position Navigation and Timing (PNT) services, and data relay functionality for Mars surface and orbital assets through 2035, with full operational readiness required by end of calendar year 2030 (threshold) or 2029 (goal). The system must maintain a minimum 5-year operational lifetime and support concurrent full-duplex communications. Core requirements include: Direct with Earth (DWE) links supporting X-band and Ka-band connectivity with data rates of 0.1-0.5 Mbps forward and up to 3.0 Mbps return at maximum Mars-Earth range (~400 million km), achieving ≥95% availability; Proximity links operating at UHF (legacy) and S/K/Ka-band (advanced) frequencies with per-user data rates of 2-8 Mbps for UHF and 25-100 Mbps for advanced links, providing ≥98% availability during communication windows; non-volatile store-and-forward memory of at least 1.0 Tbyte for DWE and 0.5 Tbyte for Proximity links; 2-way coherent ranging and Doppler services with 1-meter and 0.5 mm/s precision; and 1-way Doppler with 0.5mm/s precision. Additional requirements include ground commanded data prioritization, scheduling functionality for both link types, end-to-end link performance with ≥3 dB margin, bit error rates of 10⁻⁷ or better, support for in-flight reprogramming, cybersecurity with command protection, compliance with planetary protection and orbital debris standards, and autonomous navigation capability. Hardware delivery with all associated reviews must be completed by December 31, 2028. The document includes detailed ground rules, system overview diagrams distinguishing threshold versus goal configurations, link budget templates in appendices, and frequency assignments for Proximity links (UHF: 390-450 MHz; Advanced: S/K/Ka-band 2025-2300 MHz and 22.55-27.5 GHz).