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The next few years promise a unique convergence of NASA aeronautics and
space programs. NASA planetary science missions are becoming
increasingly more sophisticated and this will ultimately culminate, in
part, in the development of planetary aerial vehicles (PAVs). Early
work in this area has principally focused on conceptual design of
fixed-wing aircraft configurations for Martian exploration. However,
autonomous vertical-lift vehicles - and rotary-wing technologies in
general - hold considerable potential for supporting planetary science
and exploration missions. For planetary science missions to Venus,
Mars, and Titan, vertical-lift vehicles (using rotors as the means of
propulsion) could potentially be developed and flown to support robotic
science missions to these two planets and Saturn's moon (figure 1). For
missions to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, vertical-lift
capability is not required for PAVs supporting scientific
investigations of the gas-giant planets. However, rotary-wing
technologies, such as aeromechanics for PAV propeller design, could
still be applicable for vehicles developed for these planets.
Autonomous vertical-lift PAVs would have the following advantages and
capabilities when used for planetary exploration:
- Their hover and low-speed flight capability would enable detailed and panoramic surveys of remote sites.
- They would enable remote-site sample return to lander platforms or precision placement of scientific probes or both.
- Soft landing capability would enable vehicle reuse (that is, lander refueling and multiple sorties) or remotesite monitoring and exploration.
- Hover and soft landing provide good fail-safe "hold" modes for autonomous operation of PAVs.
- They would provide greater range, speed, and access to hazardous terrain than a surface rover.
- They would provide greater resolution of surface details or observation of atmospheric phenomena than an orbiter.
The objective of the work being performed is to assess the feasibility
of developing vertical-lift planetary aerial vehicles. Work to date has
focussed on a conceptual design study of a Martian Autonomous
Rotorcraft for Science (MARS). Given the thin, carbon-dioxide-based
Martian atmosphere, develop-ing a rotorcraft that can fly in that
planetary environment will be very challenging. A university grant has
been initiated to develop a conceptual design of a mission and
flight-control computer architecture.
Point of Contact: L. Young
(650) 604-4022
layoung@mail.arc.nasa.gov
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Fig. 1. Comparison of rotors sized for hover (for
equivalent values of tip Mach number, solidity, and
mean lift coefficient).
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