MARSPLANE- FLYING ON MARS WITH EXISTING AIRCRAFT

NASA’s ERAST program is developing unmanned aerial vehicles to fly high altitude, long endurance missions. This paper studies the performances of these aircraft in low Martian atmosphere, an environment very similar to Earth’s stratosphere. Since no oxygen is available in the Martian atmosphere, a solar powered aircraft is analyzed. Such an aircraft could help to deploy planet-wide weather station and microrover networks, greatly enhancing their flexibility. Results show that with current technology it is possible to develop an UAV capable of continuous flight in low Martian atmosphere. Pathfinder and Centurion aircraft, developed by AeroVironment Inc., could meet that goal. Pathfinder was found to be the best suited to the Martian environment, being able to fly continuously at latitudes between 30°N and 50°N with a 20 Kg payload for up to 160 sols. Both Pathfinder and Centurion are able to fly all year long during daylight hours with a 100 Kg payload near the equator, and in spring and summer months in the ± 50 ° latitude range. Flight latitude and time of year play significant roles in determining payload mass for both aircraft. Improvements in fuel cell and solar cell efficiency could greatly enhance the performances of this kind of aircraft. 1