Landing on Mars: Operational Engineering

Preliminary Research AerodyNamic Design To Land on Mars (PRANDTL-M) is a glider with a two-foot wingspan, weighing less than twelve ounces. This lightweight efficient design gives a higher glide range, and makes it significantly less expensive to launch than conventional aircraft. The PRANDTL-M glider is being tested, redesigned, and is having scientific testing equipment installed. The added weight of the instruments compared to the original design of the vehicle led to a change in its moment of inertia, which caused instability. Several flight tests, in which the glider or its components were launched and analyzed, were conducted with variations on the dihedral and sweep angles to determine the best combination for a stable flight, as well as to ensure the functionality of the scientific equipment installed. The operations engineering position for this project focused on managing flight tests, being responsible for configuration control, and overseeing safety protocols while conducting tests. The success of this aircraft and its mission would greatly improve current knowledge about the Martian environment