Mars Excursion Module

Mission Profile

Mars Excursion Module (MEM) was a NASA concept for a crewed Mars lander studied during the 1960s and early 1970s as part of long-range post-Apollo planning. The design evolved through multiple iterations, featuring a biconic aeroshell for entry into the Martian atmosphere followed by propulsive landing, with a crew of two to four. Weighing hundreds of tonnes at entry interface, it represented one of the first rigorous engineering studies of what a human Mars landing mission would require. The concept was shelved when NASA's post-Apollo budget was drastically reduced, but it informed all subsequent crewed Mars mission architectures.