Aerodynamic Computation and Structural-Power Scheme Development of the Wing for Mars Exploration Aircraft

Aeronautical and Space-Rocket Engineering


Аuthors

Gueraiche D. *, Kombaev T. S.**, Rymanova A. N.***

Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia

*e-mail: d.gueraiche@mai.ru
**e-mail: kombaew@ya.ru
***e-mail: rymanovaan@mai.ru

Abstract

The object of study is a UAV for the flight under conditions of the Martian atmosphere. The subject of the study is its layout, aerodynamics and structural design. This work seems to be up-to-date, since small foldable UAVs represent a promising tool for studying the planets of the solar system. The purpose of the work consists in evaluating the UAV performance under conditions simulating the Martian atmosphere. The article presents the results of a computational study on aerodynamics of Mars exploration aircraft and its wing structural design. The results of gas flow dynamics simulations under conditions similar to the Mars atmosphere are applied to computing the stress-strain state of the wing hypothetical structure, safety margins determining and further optimization. A fixed wing aircraft would be one of the most optimal carriers of scientific equipment for Mars exploration. A separate spacecraft equipped with a touchdown module with the UAV inside may serve as a possible means of delivering the UAV into the Martian atmosphere. The wing consoles should be of a foldable design to fit inside a payload compartment, which poses a limitation on the maximum possible wing area. The design embodiment of the UAV main lifting surface is represented by a low-aspect-ratio cantilever wing. The authors consider a concept of the UAV, which can be equipped with either rocket or electric propulsion system. As the result of the work, the aerodynamic characteristics of the selected layout were computed with the flow-around visualization, the stress-strain state of the developed carbon fiber wing structural scheme was analyzed, and two iterations were carried out to optimize it according to a minimum mass criterion. At the first iteration, the structural layout was replaced with a monoblock one, and a cross pattern of ribs was employed instead of the classical scheme with ribs installed in parallel to the flow. While the second iteration, the least loaded areas of the structure were identified and lightening cutouts were elaborated accordingly in these areas. The cross-rib scheme application allowed completely eliminate the reinforced ribs, including the wing-folding plane. As well, hard points were formed at the intersection points between the ribs for attaching external modules and a braking parachute.

Keywords:

aircraft for Mars, low-density atmosphere, low Reynolds number, folding wing design, gas flow- with-structure interaction, latticework wing structure

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