Aerodynamic forces and moments are significant perturbations on low-Earth-orbiting objects, second in magnitude to the nonspherical gravity field. Traditionally, the aerodynamic perturbations are calculated using a direct ...

The dynamic stability and equilibrium conditions of a parachute are studied using a six degree of freedom dynamic model that includes apparent inertia effects. Existing parachute dynamic models are discussed and the selection ...

Significant technology advances have enabled planetary aircraft to be considered as viable science platforms. Such systems fill a unique planetary science measurement gap, that of regional-scale, near-surface observation, ...

Earth entry system options for human return missions from the Moon and Mars were analyzed and compared to identify trends among the configurations and trajectory options and to facilitate informed decision making at the ...

The United States has successfully landed five robotic systems on the surface of Mars. These systems all had landed mass below 0.6 metric tons (t), had landed footprints on the order of hundreds of km and landed at ...

The product of a study sponsored by the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Daedalon is a spacecraft design baselined for Mars which utilizes morphing wing technology to achieve the design objective of a standard, ...

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 ...

The Cadmus mission responds to the need for a Europa surface exploration mission in the 2021 time frame that complements and extends the science performed by the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) and Galileo spacecraft. ...