| Mars Sample Recovery Helicopter[1] | |
|---|---|
| Part ofNASA-ESA Mars Sample Return | |
 | |
| Type | ExtraterrestrialautonomousUAVhelicopter |
| Owner | NASA |
| Manufacturer | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| Specifications | |
| Dimensions | 131 cm × 49 cm × 52 cm (52 in × 19 in × 20 in)[2] |
| Dry mass | 2.26 kg (5.0 lb) |
| Power | 6Solar-charged Sony VTC-4Li ion batteries; typical engine input power: 350 watt[3] |
| History | |
| Deployed |
|
| NASA Mars helicopters | |
TheMars Sample Recovery Helicopters are a pair ofroboticunmannedhelicopters being developed by the engineers of the American companyAeroVironment Inc. and proposed in March 2022 as a means of delivering Martiansoil samples from the sample depots made by thePerseverance rover to the location of the Sample Retrieval Lander (SRL) that will load these samples onto the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV), which, in accordance with theNASA-ESA Mars Sample Return program, will deliver them to low Martian orbit for future return to Earth.[5]
In January 2024, a related proposed NASA plan had been challenged due to budget and scheduling considerations, and a newer overhaul plan undertaken.[6]
While thePerseverance rover collects and caches samples on Mars, scientists and technicians at JPL are developing helicopters that will retrieve them. The plan flashed in June 2022, when MSR campaign needed a helicopter to recover sample tubes this brought the sample recovery helicopters into play.
The Martian Sample recovery helicopters are being developed by AeroVironment, Inc. based on technology they previously demonstrated on theIngenuitycoaxial helicopter as a part of NASA'sPerseverance rover. Unlike theIngenuity "technology demonstrator", the Sample Return Helicopters will have ~10 centimetres (3.9 in) longer rotors with 3500 rpm,[7] will have a payload capacity of 280 g (9.9 oz), a small manipulator arm with a two-fingered gripper, and self-propelled, wheeled landing gear (each being ~2 cm (0.79 in) wide, with an outer diameter of ~10 cm (3.9 in)), enabling them to roll up, grab a sample, and fly to the return vehicle.[8]
Key components were modified based on lessons learned fromIngenuity. Flight aspects, including speed, flight time, range are the same as it is on Ingenuity. Thepower-to-weight ratio of the device will increase, for which the area of the solar panel and the capacity of the batteries will be increased. The control system of the upper screw will be somewhat simplified, and the engine power will increase. The overall dimensions of the helicopter will be slightly larger. In total, it is planned to send two such machines to Mars.[9] Along with this, high performance processors enabling autonomy, unprecedented mobility through both flying and driving, and a true manipulation capability with arobot hand, can enable much more than sample tube retrieval.[10]
The helicopters will have a range of 700 m (2,300 ft), but plans call for the lander to be within 50 m (160 ft) of the "depot" where the samples will be deposited. Each sample tube is about 150 grams.[11][12]
The intermediate transportation of the collected samples on the surface of Mars was initially undertaken by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA), which included this project in itsExoMars program. TheMars 2020 mission landed thePerseverance rover, which is storing samples to be returned to Earth later. However, due to repeated postponements, already in November 2021, NASA came to the need to postpone the delivery of samples and assess the risks inherent in the delivery scheme itself in July 2022. The decision was based on the success ofIngenuity.
TheNASA-ESA Mars Sample Return mission will not include the ESA Sample Fetch Rover and its associated second lander, but instead use a single lander carrying the helicopters and the ascent rocket that will take the samples to an orbiter, from where they will be launched back to Earth. Mission planners intend thatPerseverance itself will retrieve samples that it previously cached on the surface and drive them to the ascent rocket, given its expected longevity. The helicopters, which will be slightly heavier thanIngenuity, would be used as a backup ifPerseverance would be unable to perform the task.[13]
Recovering a sample will span over four sols (Martian day). On the first sol, it will fly from the vicinity of SRL to a landing site a few meters away from a sample tube. On the next sol, the helicopter will drive to that tube and grab it using its tiny robotic arm. On the third sol, it will return to SRL, and on the last of the four sols its drives into position and releases the sample tube so that the lander's ESA-built sample transfer arm can place the tube onto the sample return canister on board the Mars Ascent Vehicle placed on its deck.[14]
The Sample Recovery Helicopters would take off and land at predetermined sites, or helipads, that have been found suitable and safe, and would use in-flight, map-based navigation to reach the known locations of sample tubes left on the surface.[1]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Mars Helicopter".Mars.nasa.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. RetrievedMay 2, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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