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Entry, Descent, and Landing Technology Concept Trade Study for Increasing Payload Mass to the Surface of MarsA trade study was conducted that compared various entry, descent, and landing technologies and concepts for placing an 1,800 kg payload on the surface of Mars. The purpose of this trade study was to provide data, and make recommendations, that could be used in making decisions regarding which new technologies and concepts should be pursued. Five concepts were investigated, each using a different combination of new technologies: 1) a Baseline concept using the least new technologies, 2) Aerocapture and Entry from Orbit, 3) Inflatable Aeroshell, 4) Mid L/D Aeroshell-A (high ballistic coefficient), and 5) Mid L/D Aeroshell-B (low ballistic coefficient). All concepts were optimized to minimize entry mass subject to a common set of key requirements. These key requirements were: A) landing a payload mass of 1,800 kg, B) landing at an altitude 2.5 km above the MOLA areoid, C) landing with a descent rate of 2.5 m/s, and D) using a single launch vehicle available within the NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Contract without resorting to in-space assembly. Additional constraints were implemented, some common to all concepts and others specific to the new technologies used. Among the findings of this study are the following observations. Concepts using blunt-body aeroshells (1, 2, and 3 above) had entry masses between 4,028 kg and 4,123 kg. Concepts using mid L/D aeroshells (4 and 5 above) were significantly heavier with entry masses of 5,292 kg (concept 4) and 4,812 kg (concept 5). This increased weight was mainly due to the aeroshell. Based on a comparison of the concepts it was recommended that: 1) re-qualified and/or improved TPS materials be developed, 2) large subsonic parachutes be qualified. Aerocapture was identified as a promising concept, but system issues beyond the scope of this study need to be investigated. Inflatable aeroshells were identified as a promising new technology, but they require additional technology maturation work. For the class of missions investigated in this trade study, mid L/D aeroshells were not competitive on an entry mass basis as compared to blunt-body aeroshells.
Document ID
20050158774
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Cruz, Juan R.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Cianciolo, Alicia D.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Powell, Richard W.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Simonsen, Lisa C.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Tolson, Robert H.
(North Carolina State Univ. Raleigh, NC, United States)
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2005
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations
Meeting Information
Meeting: 4th International Symposium on Atmospheric Reentry Vehicles and Systems
Location: Arcachon
Country: France
Start Date: March 21, 2005
End Date: March 23, 2005
Funding Number(s)
OTHER: 23-896-93-00
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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