Mars Science Helicopter Conceptual Design

Abstract

Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to the advancement of aeronautics and space science. The NASA scientific and technical information (STI) program plays a key part in helping NASA maintain this important role.The NASA STI program operates under the auspices of the Agency Chief Information Officer. It collects, organizes, provides for archiving, and disseminates NASA's STI. The NASA STI program provides access to the NTRS Registered and its public interface, the NASA Technical Reports Server, thus providing one of the largest collections of aeronautical and space science STI in the world. Results are published in both non-NASA channels and by NASA in the NASA STI Report Series, which includes the following report types:• TECHNICAL PUBLICATION. Reports of completed research or a major significant phase of research that present the results of NASA Programs and include extensive data or theoretical analysis. Includes compilations of significant scientific and technical data and information deemed to be of continuing reference value. NASA counter-part of peer-reviewed formal professional papers but has less stringent limitations on manuscript length and extent of graphic presentations.• TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM. Scientific and technical findings that are preliminary or of specialized interest, e.g., quick release reports, working papers, and bibliographies that contain minimal annotation. Does not contain extensive analysis.

Evaluation of aerial vehicle configurations for high-range Mars missions

“…This aspect may partially compensate for the neglected blade root inserts and dynamic tuning weights. Published MHS010 blade weights range from 33 g [9] to 43 g [28]. The final MHS010 rotor blade modeled in SONATA has a weight of 39.5 g , which is found to be sufficiently accurate.…”

“…The design value is dependent on the airfoil performance and should be chosen so that there is a thrust margin between required hover thrust and the point of blade stall. Since the rotor blades are modeled after those of the MH C T ∕ des is also taken from the MH design [28]. The MH has a thrust margin in hover of C T,stall ∕C T,des ≈ 1.5 [23].…”

“…Since the helicopter configuration is modeled after the MH the fuselage drag is modeled accordingly [28]. For the tailsitter an aerodynamic fuselage with a lower drag coefficient C D,fuselage is modeled [34] because of the higher cruise speed.…”

“…For the tailsitter f w,LG represents the structural reinforcement of the stabilizers that the aircraft stands on and is assumed to be 50 % of the value used for the helicopter. Weight models for the fuselage, motors and flight controls are derived from the MH [28]. To ensure control authority the motors are sized so that maximum power is 150% of hover power.…”

“…The studies show a possible increase in design blade loading of at least 10% [37]. However, these thin airfoils introduce structural challenges regarding the necessary stiffness to achieve the required control bandwidth which is why further investigations would be needed to consider them in such a design [28].…”