Create a flying saucer on Mars: NASA test low density supersonic speed reducer
Beijing time on June 3, according to foreign media reports, NASA engineers have been making various efforts to land on Mars. On Tuesday, they prepared a new technology, the Low Density Supersonic Reducer (LDSD) tester, in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadeka, California. This aircraft can help the heavy-duty aircraft to land safely on the Mars design, which is said to be inspired by a UFO in a science fiction movie from the 1950s. Low density refers to the low-density atmosphere of Mars.
The main purpose of making this device is to detect the body shake of the aircraft due to load imbalance. Once it is found to be shaking, the device automatically injects something into the appropriate part of the edge of the aircraft to restore balance and assist the aircraft to land safely.
“It's like giving the car tires a weight while rotating it to make sure it spins perfectly,†LDSD lead engineer Rob Manning interprets and reports to NASA live TV while testing in the lab.
The UFO-like device developed by the LDSD project is called the supersonic inflatable aerodynamic reducer, referred to as the "SIADs", also known as the supersonic descent device. It is the largest and the widest in the world. Up to 31 meters. The landing gear used by Curiosity is only half the width of the SIADs.
In addition, the design of the SIADs coincides with the edge of the entry vehicle. When the aircraft rushes into the atmosphere of the target planet, the SIADs automatically inflate, increasing the surface area and drag of the aircraft in contact with the atmosphere, slowing down the landing speed.
In addition to slowing down, NASA hopes to use SIADs to transport more things at once. After all, the last time Mars is not easy. In August 2012, the “sky crane†system that helped Curiosity to land on Mars could only get 1 metric ton of load, which was not enough. Be aware that the Human Mars Exploration Program needs to ship 11 to 22 metric tons of cargo to Mars.
According to James Reuther, deputy assistant director of space technology at NASA, the inflatable accelerator and ultra-large dropper may have a surge in load capacity of 3 to 5 metric tons.
The LDSD aircraft is currently in the final stages of preparation. In June, it will be transported to Kauai, where the US military's Pacific missile range is located in the Hawaiian Islands, for the second test flight, weather conditions permit.
In fact, a similar balloon-assisted test was conducted on Kwaa Island in June last year. As a result of the test, it was found that even if the speed reducer was running without any problem, the lowering device was almost torn into pieces at the moment of detachment. As a result, NASA engineers modified the design to enhance parts of the site.
Wuxi Winsun Automation Instrument Co., Ltd , https://www.winsunwx.com