Expertise and Training Considerations for Crew Complement to the Mars Vicinity

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the public eye turn their sights to human-crewed mission to Mars, determining the capabilities needed by a crew to complete a Mars mission has started to become an important consideration. With the potential of a 22-minute communication delay each way and a three-week blackout period, a greater need has developed for crew autonomy and independent operation. Studies have been conducted to lay the framework for how to examine the impact of crew size on crew qualifications and responsibilities, and analyses have refined this trade space for a Mars Surface crew, but there is a need to analyze the Mars on-orbit crew and as well as the entire crew to the Mars vicinity. The aim of this report is to combine previous efforts to examine the trade space for a Mars expedition based on the expertise and personnel required for Earth-independent operations.