Descent System Design
Institution: Analyticon
Contact: Helen Ratay, Tel: [+44] (0) 1438 749886, helen.ratay@analyticon.co.uk
Analyticon was sub-contracted by Deimos Space S.L. to support the design of the descent system for the mission. The descent system will activate after entry to the Martian atmosphere, and will include a heat shield, a one- or two-stage parachute system, retro-rockets and a final airbag to cushion the impact.
Analyticon’s responsibilities include complex trade-off calculations to assess the lightest design for the descent system, as well as highly accurate simulations of the performance of the descent system in different atmospheric conditions. Several different designs are possible, using various types of parachute and airbag. Dave Dungate, Technical Director of Analyticon, said: “Our integrated design tools allow the optimal descent system solutions to be determinedvery quickly”.
Dave Northey, technical consultant at Analyticon, explained the difficulty of identifying the best solution: “With any lander mission, mass is at a premium. Finding the lightest solution for the descent system is complicated by the fact that the mass of each part affects all the others. For example, if the airbags get heavier, you then need a larger parachute to slow down the descent module carrying those airbags.” Analyticon has previous experience of Entry, Descent and Landing Systems (EDLS), which includes earlier investigations into airbag design, and participation in phase A work for ExoMars.
A lternative Descent and Landing Technologies
Institution: Vorticity Ltd. InSys
Contact: Steve Lingard steve.lingard@vorticity-systems.com Tel 01865 893 212 Mobile 07710 546654
For any planetary exploration mission to Mars, one of the most challenging phases is landing on the planetary surface.
Successful solutions to the problem of landing to date have included soft-propulsive landing (as for Viking), and harder, bouncing airbag assisted landing (as for Pathfinder and the Mars Exploration Rovers).
Conventional airbag concepts to date have consisted of a ‘billiard-ball' type of arrangement with a payload capsule entirely surrounded by airbags. When released from the descent parachute, the payload and airbags bounce many times on the surface before coming to rest. This setup also requires the payload to have some form of self righting mechanism.
The alternative investigated in this activity consists of a hexagonal platform surrounded by airbags containing vent valves. On landing, sensors send a signal to open the vents which causes a rapid but predictable deflation. In this concept there should be no bouncing and the payload should come to rest in a predictable, upright orientation.
This project will model the entire descent and landing phase, from the end of the entry phase, through the deployment of parachutes, the activation of propulsive velocity control systems and finally the landing with a vented airbag system. In addition to theoretical modelling, this project is developing and testing a prototype vented airbag to prove the feasibility of the concept.
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