The proposed manned Mars mission will need to be as weight efficient as possible. A way of lowering the weight of the vehicle by using aeroassist braking instead of retro-rockets to slow a craft once it reaches its destination is discussed. The two vehicles studied are a small vehicle similar in size to the Mars Rover Sample Return (MRSR) vehicle and a larger vehicle similar in size to a six-person Manned Mars Mission (MMM) vehicle. Simulated entries were made using various coefficients of lift (C sub L), coefficients of drag (C sub D), and lift-to-drag ratios (L/D). A range of acceptable flight path angles with their corresponding bank angle profiles was found for each case studied. These ranges were then compared, and the results are reported here. The sensitivity of velocity and acceleration to changes in flight path angle and bank angle is also included to indicate potential problem areas for guidance and navigation system design.


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    Title :

    Preliminary Investigation of Parameter Sensitivities for Atmospheric Entry and Aerobraking at Mars


    Contributors:
    M. C. Lee (author) / W. T. Suit (author)

    Publication date :

    1989


    Size :

    30 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English






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