Mars 1986 Credit - © Mark Wade

In 1994-95, RKK Energia, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory analyzed the project 'Mars Together'. This studied the use of spacecraft using solar arrays or nuclear reactors of up to 30 to 40 kW for insertion into Martian orbit and operation of a side-looking radar to digitally map the surface. As a preliminary step a demonstration launch was proposed of a spacecraft with a mass of 120 to 150 kg, a solar panel area of 30 square meters and engines with a thrust of 3 kW. Objectives of the experiment would be understanding of the changing of the orbital altitude with continuous work of the ion engine for several hundred hours.

Mass: 150 kg (330 lb). Electrical System: Solar panels - 30 square meters. Electric System: 40.00 average kW.

• 1994 January 1 - Mars Together -

  RKK Energia, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory analysed the project 'Mars Together'. This studied the use of spacecraft using solar arrays or nuclear reactors of up to 30 to 40 kW for insertion into Martian orbit and operation of a side-looking radar to digitally map the surface.

• Semenov, Yu. P., S P Korolev Space Corporation Energia, RKK Energia, 1994. ISBN: 1896522815. Dual English/Russian language picture book of the history of the Energia Corporation. Many unique photos and drawings of Korolev's rockets and spacecraft. Republished by Apogee books in 2000. More at amazon.com...