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Reconstruction of the mars science laboratory parachute performance and comparison to the descent simulation
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Shidner, Jeremy D. Davis, Jody L. Adams, Douglas S. Way, David W. Cruz, Juan R. Kipp, Devin M. |
| Copyright Year | 2013 |
| Description | The Mars Science Laboratory used a single mortar-deployed disk-gap-band parachute of 21.35 m nominal diameter to assist in the landing of the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars. The parachute system s performance on Mars has been reconstructed using data from the on-board inertial measurement unit, atmospheric models, and terrestrial measurements of the parachute system. In addition, the parachute performance results were compared against the end-to-end entry, descent, and landing (EDL) simulation created to design, develop, and operate the EDL system. Mortar performance was nominal. The time from mortar fire to suspension lines stretch (deployment) was 1.135 s, and the time from suspension lines stretch to first peak force (inflation) was 0.635 s. These times were slightly shorter than those used in the simulation. The reconstructed aerodynamic portion of the first peak force was 153.8 kN; the median value for this parameter from an 8,000-trial Monte Carlo simulation yielded a value of 175.4 kN - 14% higher than the reconstructed value. Aeroshell dynamics during the parachute phase of EDL were evaluated by examining the aeroshell rotation rate and rotational acceleration. The peak values of these parameters were 69.4 deg/s and 625 deg/sq s, respectively, which were well within the acceptable range. The EDL simulation was successful in predicting the aeroshell dynamics within reasonable bounds. The average total parachute force coefficient for Mach numbers below 0.6 was 0.624, which is close to the pre-flight model nominal drag coefficient of 0.615. |
| File Size | 4629143 |
| Page Count | 20 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20130012763 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t8cg4q84z |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2013-03-25 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance Aerodynamic Drag Landing Simulation Parachutes Predictions Mars Science Laboratory Aerodynamic Coefficients Mars Surface Landing Aids Monte Carlo Method Descent Curiosity Rover Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
