Motivations and Preliminary Design for Mid-Air Deployment of a Science Rotorcraft on Mars

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel Mid-Air Deployment method for Mars rotorcraft that reduces mass and cost, enabling highland landings and in-flight science operations, supported by simulation results showing promising descent and landing performance.

Contribution

It proposes a new MAD concept for Mars helicopters, including a lightweight aeroshell, a modified Ingenuity-like rotorcraft, and a deployment architecture, validated through simulation.

Findings

Lower terminal velocity (30 m/s) at parachute phase.

Potential to land and operate up to 5 km MOLA.

Simplified aeroshell reduces mass and complexity.

Abstract

Mid-Air Deployment (MAD) of a rotorcraft during Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) on Mars eliminates the need to carry a propulsion or airbag landing system. This reduces the total mass inside the aeroshell by more than 100 kg and simplifies the aeroshell architecture. MAD's lighter and simpler design is likely to bring the risk and cost associated with the mission down. Moreover, the lighter entry mass enables landing in the Martian highlands, at elevations inaccessible to current EDL technologies. This paper proposes a novel MAD concept for a Mars helicopter. We suggest a minimum science payload package to perform relevant science in the highlands. A variant of the Ingenuity helicopter is proposed to provide increased deceleration during MAD, and enough lift to fly the science payload in the highlands. We show in simulation that the lighter aeroshell results in a lower terminal velocity (30 m/s) at the end of the parachute phase of the EDL, and at higher altitudes than other approaches. After discussing the aerodynamics, controls, guidance, and mechanical challenges associated with deploying at such speed, we propose a backshell architecture that addresses them to release the helicopter in the safest conditions. Finally, we implemented the helicopter model and aerodynamic descent perturbations in the JPL Dynamics and Real-Time Simulation (DARTS)framework. Preliminary performance evaluation indicates landing and helicopter operation scan be achieved up to 5 km MOLA (Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter reference).