Date of Award

Summer 2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Program/Concentration

Aerospace Engineering

Committee Director

Robert L. Ash

Committee Member

Drew Landman

Committee Member

Kareem A. Ahmed

Call Number for Print

Special Collections; LD4331.E56 H47 2013

Abstract

This study assumes that the launch vehicles and precision Mars entry descent and landing systems, required for eventual crewed missions to the surface, have been developed, motivating the rapid build-up of a fixed surface base to enable extended human stays. During the time interval between the first successful placement of a heavy (between 20 and 80 metric ton) payload and completion of the baseline human-rated Mars outpost, it will be possible to utilize this large payload delivery capability to accelerate robotic exploration of the surface from the fixed base location.

One element of such an expanded robotic exploration program will be the availability of a reusable multi-purpose aircraft utilizing locally-produced propellant on Mars. While a simple reconnaissance flight profile was certainly achievable, this study has focused on exploiting the precision delivery and recovery capabilities that can be enabled by this type of aircraft. As a consequence, delivery and recovery capabilities have been examined ranging from a non-recoverable rover deployment, with limited airborne sample collection and return capability, through autonomous landing and delivery of a recoverable rover at a remote location with subsequent recovery and return.

Aircraft mass is not a limiting constraint as payload delivery capability will exceed 20 metric tons. Aircraft size will be constrained by the dimensions of the cargo delivery container. The resulting aircraft wing span limitations affect overall range and flight payload delivery capabilities. Therefore this thesis has developed conceptual designs for a range of reusable Mars airplanes based on the available delivery method to Mars. Achievable aircraft sizes and range capabilities were estimated using a detailed component-by-component mass assessment that is formulated based on a combination of physics based models and widely-used terrestrial aircraft design projections.

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DOI

10.25777/6398-z756

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