Modeling Approach for Analysis and Optimization of a Long-Duration Mars Airplane
Author(s)
Rohrschneider, Reuben R.
Olds, John R.
Braun, Robert D.
Hutchinson, Virgil L., Jr.
Kuhl, Christopher A.
Steffes, Stephen R.
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Abstract
The goal of this study was to determine the best system level modeling tool for the design of a long endurance Mars airplane mission, and to use this tool to determine the best configuration for the aircraft. The mission model was built in the design framework ModelCenter. User-driven fixed point iteration (FPI), optimizer based decomposition (OBD) and a hybrid method were implemented. Convergence difficulties were discovered in the OBD and hybrid methods. The user-driven FPI method produced the most reliable results, but required the most time. A combination of the hybrid and user-driven FPI methods were used to perform a technology study in which five different propulsion systems were examined: a bipropellant rocket, a battery powered propeller, a direct methanol fuel cell powered propeller, and beamed solar and microwave powered propeller systems. The direct methanol fuel cell proved to be the best onboard power system for a long endurance airplane and the solar beamed power system showed potential for indefinite flight.
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Date
2004-05
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761541 bytes
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