Active Electrostatic flight for airless bodies

The environment near the surface of asteroids,
comets, and the Moon is electrically charged due to the Sun’s
photoelectric bombardment and lofting dust, which follows the
Sun illumination as the body spins. Charged dust is ever
present, in the form of dusty plasma, even at high altitudes,
following the solar illumination. If a body with high surface
resistivity is exposed to the solar wind and solar radiation, sunexposed
areas and shadowed areas become differentially
charged. The E-Glider (Electrostatic Glider) is an enabling
capability for operation at airless bodies, a solution applicable
to many types of in-situ missions, which leverages the natural
environment. This platform directly addresses the "All Access
Mobility" Challenge, one of the NASA’s Space Technology
Grand Challenges. Exploration of comets, asteroids, moons
and planetary bodies is limited by mobility on those bodies.
The lack of an atmosphere, the low gravity levels, and the
unknown surface soil properties pose a very difficult challenge
for all forms of know locomotion at airless bodies. This EGlider
levitates by extending thin, charged, appendages, which
are also articulated to direct the levitation force in the most
convenient direction for propulsion and maneuvering. The
charging is maintained through continuous charge emission. It
lands, wherever it is most convenient, by retracting the
appendages or by firing a cold-gas thruster, or by deploying an
anchor. Preliminary calculations indicate that a 1 kg mass can
be electrostatically levitated in a microgravity field with a 2 m
diameter electrostatically inflated ribbon structure at 19kV,
hence the need for a “balloon-like” system. The wings could be
made of very thin Au-coated Mylar film, which are
electrostatically inflated, and would provide the lift due to
electrostatic repulsion with the naturally charged asteroid
surface. Since the E-glider would follow the Sun’s illumination,
the solar panels on the vehicle would constantly charge a
battery. Further articulation at the root of the lateral strands
or inflated membrane wings, would generate a component of
lift depending on the articulation angle, hence a selective
maneuvering capability which, to all effects, would lead to
electrostatic (rather than aerodynamic) flight.