We should do this.

[Kerbal01]

NASA recently posted a Challenge: the MAV challenge. I think this community could do a concept for this mission, if not submit a proposal. Full details:http://www.nasa.gov/mavprize/#.VCR9fX73arV.

[Skyler4856]

The lander could possess the engine for both the landing, and transfer stages. This engine should probably be a NTR, and use liquid hydrogen for the MTI and later use water for ETI

[Camacha]

This confused me for a short while. My main go to aircraft in KSP is called MAV and I was wondering what NASA wanted with it

[Ralathon]

The lander could possess the engine for both the landing, and transfer stages. This engine should probably be a NTR, and use liquid hydrogen for the MTI and later use water for ETI

How about not reinventing whole new branches of propulsion that where never designed for martian ascent?

NTR's have been developed for upper stages and maybe orbital operations of heavy vehicles. All this needs to do is put a can with a few rocks into orbit. You only need about 5k dV, so either make a big SSTE or a simplistic 2 stage vehicle. Anyway, the challenge is about the delivery system for the rocks. Not the actual orbital ascent vehicle. All you need for the challenge is to hit 3k feet.

[Skyler4856]

How about not reinventing whole new branches of propulsion that where never designed for martian ascent?

NTR's have been developed for upper stages and maybe orbital operations of heavy vehicles. All this needs to do is put a can with a few rocks into orbit. You only need about 5k dV, so either make a big SSTE or a simplistic 2 stage vehicle. Anyway, the challenge is about the delivery system for the rocks. Not the actual orbital ascent vehicle. All you need for the challenge is to hit 3k feet.

Sorry, thought this program was conceptual, as opposed to practical