Mars use cases¶
Summary. ADD Rev C lists 148 Mars use cases in Appendix B.2.3 (pp. 127–134), each an ID and a one-line title. The Mars objective decomposition spreadsheet (December 2025) has the same 148 and says which Mars functions perform each one. This page gives every use case in NASA's wording, by the letter in the ID, with the functions the spreadsheet puts under it and the technology gaps that cite it. 59 of the 148 are cited by a gap; 11 have no function in the spreadsheet.
The functions are on Mars functions, and the objectives each use case serves on Mars objectives. How to read an ID is on Use cases and functions. Mars IDs are numbered independently of lunar ones: UC-T-101 M is not the Mars version of UC-T-101 L (ADD p. 109).
How this page is built¶
- Titles are quoted from the ADD's table "Mars Use Case" (pp. 127–134), with the ADD's own spellings, such as "surface-born resources" and UC-U-808 M's "presence of Earth life on at various distances from landing sites the Martian surface". On pp. 130–134 the text layer separates IDs from titles, so those pages are checked against the PDF. The spreadsheet's "Use Cases" sheet has the same 148 IDs, order and titles (source page).
- Order is the ADD's, including UC-U-713 M printed before UC-U-712 M. The headings and their sub-architecture names are the wiki's reading of the ADD's p. 40 table, which the spreadsheet's key confirms (Sub-architectures).
- "Functions (Mars sheet)" column. From the spreadsheet's "Functions to Use Cases" sheet, in its order. "None" means the sheet reads "BLANK". Titles are on Mars functions. The ADD's B.2 lists don't pair functions with use cases; the spreadsheet does (Mars decomposition, "Functions to Use Cases").
-
"Tech gaps" column. From the tech-gap spreadsheet's "Architecture Traceability: Use Cases & Functions" field, which ADD Appendix D prints too. After each gap, the function it pairs with is in brackets; "All FN" and "no function" are the sheet's entries (tech gaps spreadsheet). Two marks show where the gap and the decomposition disagree (the wiki's check):
- † the decomposition doesn't put that function under this use case
- ‡ the gap lists the use case with no function, but the decomposition gives it functions
An empty cell means no tech gap cites the use case. It doesn't mean nothing is needed. The "All FN" entries are expanded on the gaps index.
-
Counts are the wiki's, made from the lists by ID.
At a glance¶
| Letter | Sub-architecture | Pages | Use cases | Cited by a tech gap | No function in the sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T | Transportation Systems | 127–129 | 25 | 9 | 0 |
| G | Infrastructure Support | 129 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| H | Habitation Systems | 129–130 | 15 | 8 | 0 |
| X | Human Systems | 130 | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| L | Logistics Systems | 0 | |||
| P | Power Systems | 130 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| M | Mobility Systems | 130–131 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| C | C&PNT Systems | 131–132 | 18 | 10 | 3 |
| D | Data Systems and Management | 132 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| A | Autonomous Systems and Robotics | 132–133 | 18 | 9 | 2 |
| I | ISRU Systems | 133 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| U | Utilization Systems | 133–134 | 36 | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 127–134 | 148 | 59 | 11 |
Compared with the lunar list (163 use cases, 61 cited), the Mars list has no Logistics use cases (its five logistics functions sit under T, G, H, X and A use cases), fewer Utilization ones (36 against 62), and more C&PNT, Habitation and Autonomy ones. Every Power, ISRU and Data use case is cited by a gap; only one Utilization use case is. These comparisons are the wiki's.
T: Transportation (pp. 127–129)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-T-101 M | Transportation of crew from Martian surface to Mars vicinity | FN-T-102 M, FN-H-120 M, FN-C-205 M | #1105 (FN-T-102 M) |
| UC-T-102 M | Transportation of crew from Mars vicinity to the Martian surface | FN-T-401 M, FN-H-102 M, FN-C-204 M | #1103 (All FN) |
| UC-T-103 M | Staging of crewed Mars mission assets in Earth vicinity | FN-T-101 M, FN-T-203 M, FN-H-116 M, FN-L-201 M, FN-C-108 M, FN-C-203 M | |
| UC-T-104 M | Transportation of crew between Earth surface and Earth vicinity | FN-T-103 M, FN-G-101 M, FN-G-102 M, FN-G-103 M, FN-G-104 M, FN-C-203 M | |
| UC-T-105 M | Transportation of crew between Earth vicinity and Mars vicinity | FN-T-104 M, FN-C-202 M | #1104 (All FN) |
| UC-T-106 M | Staging of crewed Mars surface mission assets in Mars vicinity | FN-T-205 M, FN-H-117 M, FN-C-202 M | |
| UC-T-107 M | Return crew from Earth vicinity to Earth surface | FN-T-402 M, FN-G-201 M, FN-C-203 M | |
| UC-T-108 M | Operation of robust Martian transportation systems | FN-T-104 M, FN-T-210 M, FN-T-211 M, FN-T-212 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-C-306 M | #0503 (FN-T-210 M, FN-T-211 M, FN-T-212 M), #1104 (All FN), #1106 (FN-T-211 M, FN-T-212 M), #1107 (FN-T-210 M) |
| UC-T-201 M | Aggregation and/or physical assembly of assets in Earth vicinity | FN-T-203 M, FN-C-203 M | |
| UC-T-202 M | Transportation of cargo between Earth surface and Earth vicinity | FN-T-204 M, FN-G-101 M, FN-G-102 M, FN-G-103 M, FN-G-104 M, FN-C-203 M | |
| UC-T-203 M | Transportation of cargo between Earth vicinity and Mars vicinity | FN-T-213 M, FN-C-202 M | #1104 (All FN) |
| UC-T-204 M | Aggregation and/or physical assembly of assets in Mars vicinity | FN-T-205 M, FN-C-202 M | |
| UC-T-205 M | Deployment of assets in Earth vicinity | FN-T-206 M, FN-T-207 M, FN-P-301 M, FN-C-301 M | |
| UC-T-206 M | Deployment of assets in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-T-208 M, FN-T-209 M, FN-P-302 M, FN-C-302 M | |
| UC-T-207 M | Transportation of cargo from Mars vicinity to the Martian surface | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-404 M, FN-C-204 M | #1103 (All FN) |
| UC-T-208 M | Transportation of cargo from the Martian surface to Mars vicinity | FN-T-215 M, FN-T-216 M, FN-C-205 M | #1105 (All FN) |
| UC-T-209 M | Transportation of cargo from Earth vicinity back to Earth-based facilities | FN-T-217 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-G-202 M, FN-G-203 M, FN-C-203 M, FN-C-206 M | |
| UC-T-301 M | Return varying sizes of unconditioned samples and containers from the Martian surface to Earth with the samples in sealed sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-215 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-M-502 M, FN-U-402 M | |
| UC-T-302 M | Return varying sizes of frozen samples and containers from the Martian surface to Earth with the samples in sealed conditioned sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-215 M, FN-T-302 M, FN-T-305 M, FN-T-306 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-M-503 M, FN-U-403 M, FN-U-404 M, FN-U-405 M, FN-U-406 M, FN-U-407 M | #1201 (All FN) |
| UC-T-303 M | Return varying sizes of cryogenic samples and containers from the Martian surface to Earth with the samples in sealed conditioned sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-215 M, FN-T-307 M, FN-T-308 M, FN-T-309 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-M-504 M, FN-U-408 M, FN-U-409 M, FN-U-410 M, FN-U-411 M, FN-U-412 M | #1201 (All FN) |
| UC-T-304 M | Transportation of biological experiments and specimens along with crew from Mars vicinity to the Martian surface | FN-T-401 M, FN-H-102 M, FN-C-204 M, FN-U-204 M | |
| UC-T-306 M | Return varying sizes of refrigerated samples and containers from the Martian surface to Earth with the samples in sealed conditioned sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-215 M, FN-T-310 M, FN-T-311 M, FN-T-312 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-M-505 M, FN-U-413 M, FN-U-414 M, FN-U-415 M, FN-U-416 M, FN-U-417 M | |
| UC-T-307 M | Return varying sizes of unconditioned samples and containers from deep space and/or Mars vicinity to Earth with the samples in sealed sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-U-418 M | |
| UC-T-308 M | Return varying sizes of refrigerated samples and containers from deep space and/or Mars vicinity to Earth with the samples in sealed conditioned sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-312 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-U-416 M | |
| UC-T-309 M | Return varying sizes of frozen samples and containers from deep space and/or Mars vicinity to Earth with the samples in sealed conditioned sample containers | FN-T-213 M, FN-T-306 M, FN-T-403 M, FN-U-406 M |
G: Infrastructure Support (p. 129)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-G-201 M | Delivery of unconditioned cargo to curation facilities or other appropriate facilities on Earth, while maintaining scientific integrity of the samples | None | |
| UC-G-202 M | Delivery of conditioned cargo to curation facilities or other appropriate facilities on Earth after landing, while maintaining scientific integrity of the samples | None | |
| UC-G-401 M | Commissioning, servicing, maintenance, and upgrades for assets to maintain and restore appropriate performance in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-G-404 M, FN-G-405 M, FN-G-411 M, FN-G-412 M, FN-G-413 M, FN-L-203 M | #0501 (All FN) |
| UC-G-402 M | Commissioning, servicing, maintenance, and upgrades for assets to maintain and restore appropriate performance on the Martian surface | FN-G-402 M, FN-G-403 M, FN-G-406 M, FN-G-408 M, FN-G-409 M, FN-G-410 M, FN-L-203 M | #0501 (All FN) |
| UC-G-501 M | Demonstration of response to off-nominal, time-critical events during a mission on the Martian surface with Mars communication latency | FN-D-201 M, FN-U-101 M | #1003 (FN-D-201 M) |
| UC-G-502 M | Demonstration of response to off-nominal, time-critical events during missions in deep space and/or Mars vicinity with communication latency | FN-A-403 M, FN-U-108 M |
H: Habitation (pp. 129–130)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-H-101 M | Habitable assets response to emergencies autonomously to enable crew survival in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-H-101 M, FN-H-118 M | #0302 (All FN) |
| UC-H-102 M | Habitation for extended duration (year+) in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-H-103 M, FN-H-104 M, FN-H-105 M, FN-H-106 M, FN-X-101 M, FN-L-301 M, FN-M-201 M | #0303 (FN-H-104 M), #0307 (FN-H-106 M), #0308 (FN-H-106 M), #0701 (FN-H-104 M), #0702 (FN-L-301 M) |
| UC-H-103 M | Habitation for crew exploration missions on the Martian surface | FN-H-107 M, FN-H-108 M, FN-H-109 M, FN-H-110 M, FN-X-102 M, FN-L-202 M, FN-L-302 M, FN-M-202 M | #0303 (FN-H-108 M), #0306 (FN-H-109 M), #0307 (FN-H-110 M), #0308 (FN-H-110 M), #0701 (FN-H-108 M), #0702 (FN-L-302 M), #0802 (FN-H-110 M) |
| UC-H-104 M | Crew living for extended duration (year+) in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-X-101 M, FN-X-103 M, FN-X-104 M, FN-L-301 M | #0305 (FN-X-104 M) |
| UC-H-105 M | Crew living for mid-duration (month+) crew exploration mission(s) on the Martian surface | FN-X-102 M, FN-X-105 M, FN-X-106 M, FN-L-302 M | #0305 (FN-X-106 M) |
| UC-H-106 M | Monitoring of environment in habitable assets and mitigation of relevant asset hazards to protect crew health in deep space and Mars vicinity | FN-H-118 M | #0304 (FN-H-118 M) |
| UC-H-107 M | Monitoring of environment in habitable assets and mitigation of relevant asset hazards to protect crew health on the Martian surface | FN-H-119 M | #0304 (FN-H-119 M) |
| UC-H-108 M | Habitable assets response to emergencies autonomously to enable crew survival on Mars surface | FN-H-119 M, FN-H-121 M | |
| UC-H-109 M | Crew living for short-duration (days to weeks) crew exploration mission(s) on the Martian surface | FN-X-105 M, FN-X-106 M, FN-X-113 M, FN-L-302 M | |
| UC-H-110 M | Habitation for short-duration (days to weeks) crew exploration missions on the Martian surface | FN-H-107 M, FN-H-108 M, FN-H-109 M, FN-H-110 M, FN-X-113 M, FN-L-202 M, FN-L-302 M, FN-M-202 M | #0306 (FN-H-109 M) |
| UC-H-201 M | On-demand, in-situ crew training in deep space for nominal and contingency procedures with consideration of Mars communication latency (non-real-time) | FN-X-201 M | |
| UC-H-202 M | Operation of exploration asset(s) when uncrewed before and/or between crew missions in Earth vicinity | FN-C-304 M | |
| UC-H-203 M | Operation of exploration asset(s) when uncrewed in Earth vicinity | FN-C-301 M, FN-C-305 M | |
| UC-H-204 M | Operation of exploration asset(s) when uncrewed in Mars vicinity | FN-C-302 M, FN-C-306 M | |
| UC-H-205 M | Operation of exploration asset(s) when uncrewed on Mars surface | FN-C-303 M, FN-C-307 M |
X: Human Systems (p. 130)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-X-101 M | Demonstration of integrated crew health and performance support assets and medical care for contingency events or emergency response in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-H-123 M, FN-H-125 M, FN-X-109 M, FN-X-111 M, FN-L-301 M | #0302 (All FN), #0401, #0402, #0403, #0404 (each FN-X-101 M †) |
| UC-X-102 M | Demonstration of integrated crew health and performance support assets and medical care for contingency events or emergency response on the Martian surface | FN-H-124 M, FN-H-126 M, FN-X-110 M, FN-X-112 M, FN-L-302 M | #0302 (All FN), #0401, #0402, #0403, #0404 (each FN-X-102 M †), #0406 (FN-H-124 M) |
| UC-X-103 M | Demonstration of operations and emergency response capabilities to enable crew survival in deep space and Mars vicinity | FN-H-111 M, FN-H-112 M, FN-H-113 M, FN-H-127 M | #0302 (All FN) |
| UC-X-104 M | Demonstration of operations and emergency response capabilities to enable crew survival on the Martian surface | FN-H-114 M, FN-H-115 M, FN-H-128 M, FN-H-129 M | #0302 (All FN) |
| UC-X-105 M | Operation of crew health and performance countermeasures assets (e.g., exercise, nutrition, sensorimotor, cardiovascular, immune, radiation) for extended duration (year+) in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-X-101 M, FN-X-103 M | #0305 (FN-X-101 M), #0308 (no function ‡), #0405 (FN-X-101 M) |
| UC-X-106 M | Operation of crew health and performance countermeasures assets (e.g., exercise, nutrition, sensorimotor, cardiovascular, immune, radiation) for crew mission(s) on the Martian surface | FN-X-102 M, FN-X-105 M | #0305 (FN-X-102 M), #0308 (no function ‡), #0405 (FN-X-102 M) |
| UC-X-107 M | Deployment and operation of crew health monitoring assets in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-X-101 M, FN-X-107 M | |
| UC-X-108 M | Deployment and operation of crew health monitoring assets on the Martian surface | FN-X-102 M, FN-X-107 M | |
| UC-X-109 M | Operation of crew health and performance countermeasures assets (e.g., exercise, nutrition, sensorimotor, cardiovascular, immune, radiation) for short-duration (less than one month) crew exploration mission(s) on the Martian surface | FN-X-105 M, FN-X-108 M | #0308 (no function ‡) |
| UC-X-201 M | On-demand, in-situ crew training on the Martian surface for nominal and contingency procedures with consideration of Mars communication latency (non-real-time) | FN-X-202 M |
P: Power (p. 130)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-P-101 M | Operation of power generation and energy storage assets on the Martian surface | FN-P-101 M, FN-P-201 M | #0902 (All FN) |
| UC-P-102 M | Operation of power systems at multiple distributed locations around exploration sites on the Martian surface | FN-P-102 M, FN-P-202 M | #0902 (All FN) |
| UC-P-103 M | Continuous operation of power generation and energy storage assets during crew safety critical mission operations on the Martian surface | None | #0902 (no function) |
| UC-P-301 M | Power distribution around power generation and energy storage assets on the Martian surface | FN-P-303 M | #0903 (FN-P-303 M) |
| UC-P-302 M | Power distribution around power generation and energy storage assets at multiple distributed locations on the Martian surface | FN-P-303 M | #0903 (FN-P-303 M) |
| UC-P-501 M | Continuous operation of power generation and energy storage assets to support contingency operations on the Martian surface | None | #0902 (no function) |
Unlike the lunar pairs (FN-P-101 L with FN-P-202 L), the Mars storage IDs run the same way as the generation IDs: FN-P-101 M with FN-P-201 M, FN-P-102 M with FN-P-202 M (the wiki's comparison; gaps index).
M: Mobility (pp. 130–131)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-M-101 M | Crew use of mobility assets and tools to conduct exploration and utilization activities on the Martian surface | FN-U-107 M, FN-U-301 M, FN-U-701 M | #0803 (All FN) |
| UC-M-201 M | Transfer of crew between habitat and external environment in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-M-201 M | |
| UC-M-202 M | Transfer of crew between habitat and external environment on the Martian surface | FN-G-501 M, FN-M-202 M | #1202 (FN-G-501 M) |
| UC-M-301 M | Transfer of crew between landing site(s) and/or an exploration/utilization site on the Martian surface | FN-M-301 M, FN-C-201 M | |
| UC-M-401 M | Deployment of assets on the Martian surface | FN-P-303 M, FN-M-402 M, FN-M-403 M, FN-C-303 M | |
| UC-M-402 M | Deployment of robotic assets to assist crew in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-T-201 M, FN-T-208 M, FN-P-302 M, FN-C-302 M, FN-A-116 M | |
| UC-M-403 M | Deployment of robotic assets to assist crew on the Martian surface | FN-P-303 M, FN-M-401 M, FN-M-403 M, FN-A-117 M, FN-A-201 M | |
| UC-M-404 M | Deployment of exploration asset(s) for ISRU demonstration on the Martian surface | FN-P-303 M, FN-M-403 M, FN-M-404 M, FN-M-501 M, FN-C-303 M, FN-I-106 M | |
| UC-M-601 M | Transfer of assets between landing site(s) and/or exploration/utilization site(s) on Martian surface | FN-M-501 M, FN-C-201 M | |
| UC-M-602 M | Demonstration of the identification of and transfer to a site where an asset from a previous mission is located on the Martian surface | FN-M-501 M, FN-C-201 M, FN-U-104 M |
UC-M-101 M, the crew surface-exploration use case, has no EVA function under it. Its three functions are utilization ones (identify locations, recover and package special-region samples, conduct science). The Mars function list has no M 100 "EVA" functions at all (Mars functions). The observation is the wiki's.
C: Communications and PNT (pp. 131–132)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-C-101 M | Communications and data exchange between assets at multiple distributed locations on the Martian surface and Earth | FN-C-102 M | #0102 (FN-C-102 M) |
| UC-C-102 M | Communications and data exchange between assets at multiple distributed locations on the Martian surface | FN-C-101 M | #0103 (FN-C-101 M) |
| UC-C-103 M | Communications and data exchange between assets in deep space and/or Mars vicinity and the Martian surface | FN-C-103 M | #0102 (FN-C-103 M) |
| UC-C-104 M | Communications and data exchange between assets in deep space and/or Mars vicinity and Earth | FN-C-104 M | #0102 (FN-C-104 M) |
| UC-C-105 M | Communications and data exchange between assets in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-C-107 M | #0102 (FN-C-107 M) |
| UC-C-106 M | Utilization of common interface(s) for data transfer and distribution between Mars exploration assets | None | |
| UC-C-107 M | Aggregation and storage of data on the Martian surface until it is able to be transmitted and confirmed received | FN-D-101 M | #0201 (All FN) |
| UC-C-108 M | Aggregation and storage of data in deep space and/or Mars vicinity until it is able to be transmitted and confirmed received | FN-D-102 M | #0102 (FN-D-102 M) |
| UC-C-109 M | Crew provides inspirational and educational communications (e.g., interviews, speeches, recordings, etc.) from deep space, Mars vicinity, and/or Mars surface to inspire and inform the general public, students, and teachers | None | |
| UC-C-110 M | Asset(s) and/or payload(s) provide communications to inspire and inform the general public, students, and teachers | None | |
| UC-C-111 M | Communications and data exchange between assets on the Martian surface and Earth with sufficient bandwidth and availability to achieve associated science objectives | FN-C-109 M | |
| UC-C-201 M | Identification, tracking, and documentation of the location(s) of collected Mars surface samples | FN-U-305 M, FN-U-307 M | |
| UC-C-202 M | Determination of positioning, navigation, and timing for crew and assets at exploration sites on the Martian surface | FN-C-201 M | #0104 (FN-C-201 M), #0805 (FN-C-201 M) |
| UC-C-203 M | Determination of positioning, navigation, and timing for crew and assets in deep space and Mars vicinity | FN-C-202 M | #0104 (FN-C-202 M) |
| UC-C-204 M | Demonstration of landing within a defined radius around an intended location on the Martian surface | FN-C-207 M | #1102 (FN-C-207 M) |
| UC-C-301 M | Remote command and control of assets on Mars surface from assets on Earth, Mars vicinity, and/or other Mars surface locations | FN-C-105 M, FN-C-303 M | |
| UC-C-302 M | Demonstration of remote command and control of robotic assets on Mars surface from assets on Earth, Mars vicinity, and/or other Mars surface locations | FN-A-201 M | |
| UC-C-303 M | Demonstration of remote command and control of robotic assets in-space from assets on Earth, Mars vicinity, and/or Mars surface locations | FN-C-302 M |
D: Data Systems and Management (p. 132)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-D-201 M | Storage and local processing of space weather data in deep space and Mars vicinity | FN-D-104 M, FN-D-202 M | #0201 (All FN) |
A: Autonomous Systems and Robotics (pp. 132–133)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-A-101 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in external utilization activities on the Martian surface | FN-A-127 M, FN-U-105 M, FN-U-304 M | #0805 (All FN), #1001 (All FN) |
| UC-A-102 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist crew conducting EVA activities on the Martian surface | FN-A-101 M, FN-A-102 M, FN-A-103 M | #1001 (All FN) |
| UC-A-103 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in utilization activities internal to crewed assets on the Martian surface | FN-A-104 M | #1001 (All FN) |
| UC-A-104 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in commissioning, servicing, maintenance, and/or upgrades of assets to maintain and restore appropriate performance on the Martian surface | FN-L-203 M, FN-A-106 M, FN-A-121 M, FN-A-122 M, FN-A-123 M | #0501 (FN-A-106 M), #1001 (All FN) |
| UC-A-105 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in logistics operations on the Martian surface | FN-A-107 M, FN-A-108 M, FN-A-109 M, FN-A-128 M, FN-A-129 M, FN-A-130 M | #0806 (All FN) |
| UC-A-106 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in utilization activities internal to crewed assets in space | FN-A-105 M, FN-A-110 M, FN-A-124 M | |
| UC-A-107 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in commissioning, servicing, maintenance, and/or upgrades of assets to maintain and restore appropriate performance in space | FN-A-111 M, FN-A-112 M, FN-A-125 M, FN-A-126 M | #0501 (All FN) |
| UC-A-108 M | Demonstration of robotic systems to perform and/or assist in logistics operations in space | FN-A-113 M, FN-A-114 M, FN-A-115 M, FN-A-118 M, FN-A-119 M, FN-A-120 M | |
| UC-A-109 M | Robotic surveillance of Martian surface near potential crewed landing and exploration sites to identify locations of interest | FN-D-103 M, FN-A-131 M, FN-U-106 M | |
| UC-A-201 M | Demonstration of safe in-situ crew command and control of robotic asset(s) on the Martian surface | FN-G-401 M, FN-C-106 M, FN-A-202 M, FN-A-301 M | |
| UC-A-202 M | Demonstration of safe in-situ crew command and control of robotic asset(s) in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-G-407 M, FN-C-107 M, FN-A-203 M, FN-A-301 M | |
| UC-A-301 M | Safe and effective interaction between crew and autonomous asset(s) | FN-A-301 M | #1005 (FN-A-301 M) |
| UC-A-401 M | Planning and execution of crew tasks on Mars surface with autonomy and reduced reliance on Earth based systems | None | |
| UC-A-402 M | Planning and execution of crew tasks in deep space and/or Mars vicinity with autonomy and reduced reliance on Earth based systems | None | |
| UC-A-403 M | Demonstration of autonomous operation of assets on Mars surface with reduced commands from crew or Earth-based systems | FN-G-401 M, FN-G-407 M, FN-A-401 M | #0201 (FN-G-401 M; FN-G-407 M), #0202 (FN-A-402 M †), #0805 (FN-A-401 M), #1002 (FN-G-401 M), #1004 (FN-A-401 M) |
| UC-A-404 M | Demonstration of autonomous operation of assets in deep space and/or Mars vicinity with reduced commands from crew or Earth-based systems | FN-G-407 M, FN-A-402 M | #0201 (FN-G-407 M), #0202 (FN-A-402 M), #1002 (All FN), #1004 (FN-A-402 M) |
| UC-A-405 M | Flight control and mission integration in nominal and off-nominal scenarios on Mars surface with Mars communication latency | FN-G-401 M, FN-C-303 M | |
| UC-A-406 M | Flight control and mission integration in nominal and off-nominal scenarios in deep space and/or Mars vicinity with Mars communication latency | FN-G-407 M, FN-C-302 M |
I: ISRU (p. 133)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-I-101 M | Operation of exploration assets for resource utilization on the Martian Surface | FN-C-101 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-201 M | #0606 (All FN) |
| UC-I-102 M | Demonstration of scalable ISRU production, storage, and/or transfer on the Martian surface | FN-I-101 M, FN-I-102 M, FN-I-103 M, FN-I-104 M, FN-I-105 M, FN-I-107 M | #0606 (All FN), #1106 (FN-I-104 M), #1107 (FN-I-105 M) |
| UC-I-201 M | Demonstration of construction and/or manufacturing using surface-born resources on the Martian surface | FN-I-101 M, FN-I-201 M, FN-I-202 M, FN-I-203 M | #0502 (All FN), #0606 (All FN) |
U: Utilization (pp. 133–134)¶
| ID | Mars use case | Functions (Mars sheet) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC-U-102 M | Demonstration of surveying the Martian surface to identify and locate potential site(s) for resource utilization | FN-D-103 M, FN-U-103 M, FN-U-202 M | |
| UC-U-103 M | Identification of surface samples in non-special regions on the Martian surface | FN-C-109 M, FN-C-201 M, FN-U-109 M, FN-U-110 M | |
| UC-U-104 M | Identification of surface samples in special regions on the Martian surface | FN-C-109 M, FN-C-201 M, FN-U-109 M, FN-U-111 M | |
| UC-U-105 M | Monitoring of deep space, Martian orbit, and Martian surface natural environments, including incoming and albedo radiation using systems in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-T-213 M, FN-P-304 M, FN-C-104 M, FN-U-112 M, FN-U-203 M | |
| UC-U-106 M | Monitoring of deep space, Martian orbit, and Martian surface natural environments, including incoming and albedo radiation using systems on the Martian surface | FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-113 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-201 M | Intravehicular science and utilization activities on the Martian surface | FN-H-109 M, FN-P-303 M, FN-C-109 M, FN-U-206 M | |
| UC-U-202 M | Intravehicular science and utilization activities in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-H-105 M, FN-P-304 M, FN-C-110 M, FN-U-207 M | |
| UC-U-301 M | Collection, documentation, and packaging of surface and/or shallow sub-surface samples, maintaining scientific integrity of the samples, from special regions on the Martian surface | FN-U-301 M, FN-U-302 M, FN-U-307 M | |
| UC-U-302 M | Collection, documentation, and packaging of surface and/or shallow sub-surface samples, maintaining scientific integrity of the samples, from non-special regions on the Martian surface | FN-U-302 M, FN-U-303 M, FN-U-307 M | |
| UC-U-303 M | Collection, recovery, documentation, and packaging of deep sub-surface samples, maintaining scientific integrity of the samples, from non-special regions on the Martian surface | FN-U-302 M, FN-U-306 M, FN-U-307 M | |
| UC-U-305 M | Collection, recovery, documentation, and packaging of deep sub-surface samples, maintaining scientific integrity of the samples, from special regions on the Martian surface | FN-U-302 M, FN-U-307 M, FN-U-309 M | |
| UC-U-501 M | Demonstration of recovery of excess propellant from tanks of previous asset(s) on the Martian surface | FN-U-501 M, FN-U-502 M, FN-U-503 M, FN-U-504 M | #0503 (All FN), #1106 (FN-U-504 M), #1107 (FN-U-502 M; the ADD prints FN-U-501 M, open question 37) |
| UC-U-701 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payloads and/or equipment related to Impact Chronology on the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-702 M | Conduct sample science, including preliminary analysis for geochemistry, mineralogy, and organic content, and solution chemistry of the soluble component of solid samples as well as ice and/or liquid samples on the Martian surface. | FN-P-303 M, FN-D-101 M, FN-U-703 M | |
| UC-U-703 M | Conduct borehole measurements at varying depths on the Martian Surface, including ionizing radiation and heat flow. | FN-U-704 M | |
| UC-U-704 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payloads and/or equipment related to geologic processes on the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-705 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payloads and/or equipment related to Solar System Volatiles on the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-706 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payloads and/or equipment related to in-space weather on the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-708 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payloads and/or equipment related to fundamental plasma processes on the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-709 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payload(s) and/or equipment related to the solar wind at assets in Mars vicinity | FN-T-213 M, FN-P-304 M, FN-C-104 M, FN-U-203 M | |
| UC-U-710 M | Conduct of biological science and human research activities on the Martian surface | FN-H-109 M, FN-M-502 M, FN-M-503 M, FN-M-505 M, FN-U-206 M, FN-U-208 M, FN-U-402 M, FN-U-403 M, FN-U-413 M | |
| UC-U-711 M | Conduct of biological science and human research activities in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-T-218 M, FN-H-105 M, FN-U-203 M, FN-U-207 M | |
| UC-U-713 M | Deployment and operation of external utilization payload(s) and/or equipment related to biological science analysis and human research in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-T-213 M, FN-P-304 M, FN-C-104 M, FN-U-203 M | |
| UC-U-712 M | Deployment and operation of external utilization payloads and/or equipment related to biological science analysis and human research on the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-714 M | Conduct of fundamental physics experiments on the Martian surface | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-C-109 M, FN-U-206 M, FN-U-208 M | |
| UC-U-715 M | Conduct of fundamental physics experiments in deep space and/or Mars vicinity | FN-T-213 M, FN-C-110 M, FN-A-132 M, FN-U-203 M, FN-U-207 M | |
| UC-U-716 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payload(s) and/or equipment related to physical systems and fundamental physics in deep space and/or Mars vicinity with long-term remote operation | FN-T-213 M, FN-P-304 M, FN-C-104 M, FN-A-132 M, FN-U-203 M | |
| UC-U-717 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payload(s) and/or equipment related to physical systems and fundamental physics on the Martian surface with long term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M | |
| UC-U-801 M | Enable reduction of long-term environmental impact of waste and housekeeping | None | |
| UC-U-802 M | Enable planetary stewardship through sustainable resource utilization, maintaining scientific integrity, and reduction of environmental impact | None | |
| UC-U-803 M | Demonstration of reuse of assets on the Martian surface | FN-C-308 M, FN-C-309 M | |
| UC-U-804 M | Demonstration of the reuse of hardware and materials brought to the surface during subsequent missions on the Martian surface | FN-U-801 M | |
| UC-U-805 M | Disposal of assets in a manner that ensures future viable usage of exploration sites on the Martian surface | FN-T-214 M, FN-C-201 M, FN-C-310 M, FN-U-802 M, FN-U-803 M | |
| UC-U-806 M | Control bioburden release by assets on the Martian surface | FN-U-804 M | |
| UC-U-807 M | Control transfer of Mars environmental contamination into crewed assets | FN-G-501 M | |
| UC-U-808 M | Deployment and operation of utilization payloads and/or equipment related to presence of Earth life on at various distances from landing sites the Martian surface with long-term remote operation | FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M, FN-P-401 M, FN-C-102 M, FN-U-702 M |
The payload use cases share a pattern:
- Eight surface payload use cases (UC-U-701 M, -704, -705, -706, -708, -712, -717 and -808) have the same five functions: cargo delivery to the surface and between Earth and Mars vicinity (FN-T-202 M, FN-T-213 M), long-duration payload power (FN-P-401 M), Mars–Earth communications (FN-C-102 M) and "Deploy and operate external surface utilization payloads" (FN-U-702 M). UC-U-106 M has the last three, plus its own monitoring function.
- In-space payload use cases: UC-U-709 M and UC-U-713 M have FN-T-213 M, FN-P-304 M, FN-C-104 M and FN-U-203 M; UC-U-105 M and UC-U-716 M add one function each.
This fits B.1's "support functions" note (Use cases and functions). The grouping is the wiki's reading.
Only one Utilization use case is cited by a gap: UC-U-501 M, propellant recovery. No gap cites the sample, payload, planetary protection or reuse use cases. Planetary protection has its own gap, #1202, which traces to UC-M-202 M (crew ingress and egress) instead.
Use cases with no function¶
The spreadsheet gives 11 Mars use cases no function ("BLANK"):
| Use case | Short title (wiki's) | Tech gaps |
|---|---|---|
| UC-G-201 M | delivery of unconditioned samples to curation | |
| UC-G-202 M | delivery of conditioned samples to curation | |
| UC-P-103 M | continuous power during crew safety-critical operations | #0902 (no function) |
| UC-P-501 M | continuous power for contingency operations | #0902 (no function) |
| UC-C-106 M | common data interfaces | |
| UC-C-109 M | crew inspirational and educational communications | |
| UC-C-110 M | asset and payload inspirational communications | |
| UC-A-401 M | crew task planning with autonomy, surface | |
| UC-A-402 M | crew task planning with autonomy, in space | |
| UC-U-801 M | reducing the environmental impact of waste | |
| UC-U-802 M | planetary stewardship |
Every one of them still serves at least one objective (Mars objectives). The lunar workbook has 17 such use cases (Lunar objectives).
Numbering and groups¶
The wiki's check of the IDs against the spreadsheet's key, which is the same as the lunar key (source page):
- Numbers skipped within a group: UC-T-305 M, UC-U-101 M, UC-U-304 M and UC-U-707 M.
- Printed out of order: UC-U-713 M before UC-U-712 M, in the ADD and the spreadsheet alike.
- Groups the key doesn't name: G 400 (UC-G-401 M, UC-G-402 M, servicing and maintenance), G 500 (UC-G-501 M, UC-G-502 M, off-nominal response) and C 300 (UC-C-301 M to UC-C-303 M, remote command and control). The 2024 Mars key names them "Asset Health Management", "Contingency (Miscellaneous)" and "Command & Control" (below).
- Titles that don't match the group's name: UC-H-201 M, crew training in deep space, sits in H 200 "Uncrewed"; its surface twin UC-X-201 M is in X 200 "Training". The use cases in M 400 "Cargo Unloading" are all "Deployment of …".
- "Deep space and/or Mars vicinity". 28 of the 148 titles use the phrase (47 of the 263 functions). ADD B.1 says "'Mars vicinity' is the highest appropriate level of specificity" for now (p. 109; Use cases and functions).
- "Special regions". Six use cases separate "special regions" from "non-special regions" on the Martian surface (UC-U-103 M, UC-U-104 M, UC-U-301 M to UC-U-305 M). Neither the ADD nor the spreadsheet defines the term (open question 61).
In the 2024 Mars table¶
NASA's 2024 Mars Objective Mapping Tables list 113 Mars use cases, against 148 here (the wiki's comparison, ID by ID; 2024 Mars table).
- 109 IDs are in both lists. All but three have the same titles. The exceptions are UC-U-301 M to UC-U-303 M, which in 2024 read "Identification, collection, and documentation of …" samples "from site(s)". The special and non-special split of the sample use cases is new in 2025.
- 39 are new in 2025: UC-T-301 M to UC-T-304 M, UC-T-306 M to UC-T-309 M, UC-G-201 M, UC-G-202 M, UC-H-109 M, UC-H-110 M, UC-C-111 M, UC-D-201 M, UC-A-109 M, UC-U-103 M to UC-U-106 M, UC-U-201 M, UC-U-202 M, UC-U-305 M, UC-U-701 M to UC-U-706 M, UC-U-708 M to UC-U-717 M and UC-U-808 M. Most are science and sample-return use cases, which fits Rev C's "Added Mars use cases and functions for" the science goals (ADD Rev C, p. 4).
- Four 2024 use cases are gone: UC-T-210 M, UC-T-211 M and UC-T-212 M (sample and cargo transport to Earth vicinity and curation) and UC-U-101 M ("Surveying of potential exploration sites to identify locations of interest on the Martian surface"). So the skipped UC-U-101 M (above) is a 2024 use case that was dropped.
- Characteristics and needs. In 2024 every Mars use case sits under at least one characteristic or need; the list is on Mars characteristics and needs.
- The nine 2024 use cases with no function are all still without one here. The other two here, UC-G-201 M and UC-G-202 M, are new.
Related pages¶
Mars functions · Mars objectives · Mars characteristics and needs · Use cases and functions · Lunar use cases · Humans to Mars · Gaps index · Planetary protection · Mars decomposition source page · ADD Rev C source page
Sources¶
ADD Rev C, pp. 17, 40, 109, 127–134 (PDF checked on
pp. 130–134) ·
Mars objective decomposition spreadsheet,
"Use Cases" and "Functions to Use Cases" sheets, and the key ·
Tech gaps spreadsheet,
"Architecture Traceability: Use Cases & Functions" column ·
2024 Mars table, use-cases.csv, key.csv