1. Mars Lander Design Workshop NASA Langley 23 March 2004

2. Designing Things Start by defining what the thing will do –Carry people, bake cookies, study Mars,… Next understand any limits –No loud noise, chocolate chips only, low cost,… Then find the “wiggle” room –In air or on ground, any size cookies, orbiter or lander Design the item by balancing the things above (not a simple task!!)

3. Mars Lander Design Project scientist defines science objectives (what lander will study) –Study soil and under surface for water Project leaders determine mission constraints or limits –Total cost amount and vehicle mass Design engineers adjust the lander to best do the job within the limits –Use rockets or airbags to land –Arrange instruments and necessary equipment to fit inside lander

5. Design Team NASA Langley Planetary Team helps design Mars landers Team leader get requirements from Project leaders and directs team activities She/He works with team members and Project leaders to achieve the best design within the limits provided

6. Today’s Activity Models are used frequently in design process Your team (led by a NASA Langley Planetary Team Engineer) will develop a Mars Lander model –Your team will decide what pieces to put on the lander and where to put them –These pieces represent different parts of the lander Limits exist as in actual Mars Lander design –Your lander can cost no more than $ 300 M must have less than 500 kg total mass must provide 60 W Power must have a rover ($80 M, 120 kg)

7. Today’s Activity (cont.) Required components of Lander –Lander will have 2 science packages 1 communication unit 1 power source 1 computer Other elements (total $130M, 260 kg) are considered fixed Your team selects specific components that meet the total cost, mass, power limits while fitting inside the entry aeroshell

8. Summary Requirements Overall Lander Requirements –$ 300 M total cost –500 kg total entry mass –60 W power Current Onboard Systems –Rover (120 kg, $80 M) –Other Support Systems ( 260 kg, $130 M) Required Packages ( 120 kg mass, $ 90 M remaining) –2 Science –1 Communication –1 Power –1 Computer

9. Science Package Choices Camera/Imager –5 kg mass, Hi CPU, Hi COM, $ 30 M Meteorology –15 kg, $ 20 M Thermal Emission Spectrometer –10 kg, Hi CPU, $ 10 M Drill/Core Sampler –20 kg, $ 15 M Surface Soil Analyzer –15 kg, $ 5 M

10. Communication –High Gain Com - 20 kg, $ 10 M –Low Gain Com - 25 kg, $ 5 M Computer –High CPU - 5 kg, $ 15 M –Low CPU - 5 kg, $ 5 M Communication / Computer Package Choices

11. Power Packages Low Technology Battery –15 W, 10 kg, $ 3 M (per battery, 4 required) –Requires 2 stowed solar panels (10 kg, $2.5 M each) High Technology Battery –30 W, 10 kg, $10 M (per battery, 2 required) –Requires 2 stowed solar panels (10 kg, $2.5 M each) Nuclear Power Source (RTG) –75 W, 5 kg, $ 80 M

12. Activity Start Using base provided, add components of Lander Different items represent instruments or systems (on sheets at tables) –Nuudles, finger tip, toothpick, spiral binder, push pin, closepin, brass fasteners, popsicle stick, straw, Q-tip Damp Nuudles attach to base Toothpick attach items that don’t attach easily by themselves The heatshield (plate) and backshell (bowl) will be hole punched and connected using a brass fastener

13. Activity Wrap-up Requirements change, re-designs occur Today’s activity balanced total mass, cost, and volume, actual Lander design has many more issues –Component placement for mass balance –Heat Shield (plate) and Backshell (bowl) shape adjustment for best flight conditions –Engine size for successful touchdown –And many others

15. Science Packages MET 1/2 Q-tip Camera 1/2 Popsicle stick TES Binder piece (2 rings) Surface Soil Analyzer Binder piece (4 rings) Drill/Core Sampler clothes pin NOTE: Rover is Purple Nuudle

16. Computer & Communication High Tech Computer Blue or Green push pin Low Tech Computer Red or Yellow push pin Low Gain Communication 1/2 toothpick High Gain Communication 1/2 Straw

17. Power Battery High tech (1 Nuudle = 2 batteries) Red Nuudle Battery Low tech (1 Nuudle = 2 batteries) yellow Nuudle Each Battery Requires 2 solar arrays (stowed) Orange/white nuudle RTG Brass Fastener