Mars Entry Bank Profile Design for Terminal State Optimization
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Author(s)
Lafleur, Jarret M.
Cerimele, Chris J.
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Abstract
One challenge examined in NASA's DRM 5.0 study is that of entry, descent, and landing
(EDL) on Mars for high-ballistic-coefficient, human-class payloads. To define best-case
entry scenarios for the evaluation of potential EDL system designs, a study is conducted to
optimize the entry-to-terminal-state portion of EDL for a variety of entry velocities, vehicle
ballistic coefficients (), and lift-to-drag ratios (L/D). The terminal state is envisioned as one
appropriate for the initiation of terminal descent via parachute or other means. A particle
swarm optimizer varies entry flight path angle and ten bank profile points to find
maximum-final-altitude trajectories. A baseline set of optimizations is performed, as are full lift-
up and relaxed-deceleration-constraint sets for comparison. In total, an estimated 9
million trajectories are analyzed to yield 1800 optimal trajectories. Parametric plots of
maximum achievable altitude are shown, as are examples of optimized trajectories.
Characteristic vehicle contours are overlaid on the parametric plots, and conclusions are
drawn on the feasibility of vehicles in the L/D vs. design space. It is shown that entry bank
angle control is highly deserving of consideration early in design, particularly for vehicles
with mid- or high-L/D values, high entry velocities, and deceleration-limited trajectories.
Key conclusions are also drawn regarding trends in optimal bank profiles and in the
constraints which impose particularly severe limits on the design of these trajectories.
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Date
2008-08
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