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Mars Aerial And Ground Global Intelligent Explorer (MAGGIE)
Mars Aerial and Ground Global Intelligent Explorer or MAGGIE is a proposed compact, autonomous, fixed wing, vertical take-off/landing (VTOL), electric aircraft powered by solar energy. It is designed to operate on Mars. Range with a fully charged battery would be at an altitude of 1,000 meters. The aircraft features solar cells on its wings and fuselage. The total range per Martian year would be – more than twice the circumference of Mars. Mars' atmosphere density is 6.35 mbar, 160x thinner than Earth's atmosphere at 1013.2 mbar. During the southern winter, the global atmospheric pressure on Mars is 25% lower than during summer, because some atmospheric freezes on the Martian polar ice caps. MAGGIE has a cruise lift coefficient CL of 3.5, nearly an order of magnitude higher than conventional subsonic aircraft, to overcome the low density of the Martian atmosphere. MAGGIE's cruise Mach number is 0.25. Mach speed on Mars is at "sea level", so cruising speed would be around a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mars Aircraft
A Mars aircraft is a vehicle capable of sustaining powered flight in the atmosphere of Mars. So far, the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity, Mars helicopter ''Ingenuity'' is the only aircraft ever to fly on Mars, completing 72 successful flights covering in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 48 seconds of flight time. ''Ingenuity'' operated on Mars for Sol (day on Mars), sols ( days, total days; '), until it was retired following rotor blade damage. It made the first powered flight on 19 April 2021, taking off from the surface. Previously, the experimental aircraft, NASA Mini-Sniffer, was considered for possible missions to fly in and study Mars' atmosphere, but that idea was abandoned. Aircraft may provide on site measurements of the atmosphere of Mars, as well as additional observations over extended areas. A long-term goal is to develop piloted Mars aircraft. Compared to Earth, the air on Mars is much thinner at the surface, with pressure less than 1% of Earth's at sea level, requiring a more e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
