All Questions
49
questions
2
votes
2
answers
343
views
Can the Space Shuttle land on Mars assuming there is a paved surface for landing?
Can the Space Shuttle land on Mars if it had a paved runway?
Can the Space Shuttle use aerobraking and will its control surfaces provide attitude control?
Can the parachute and braking systems stop ...
- 2,888
7
votes
1
answer
110
views
Is there possible engine damage without launch platform on Mars return flight?
When a Starship has landed on Mars, there is not going to be any kind of prepared platform initially. (That may be a task for early crews to resolve).
Is there the possibility that Starship, sitting ...
- 71
5
votes
0
answers
100
views
Engine configuration for lander
Which is a more stable lander design:
1.Single central engine.
2.Multiple engines located near the corners
Following is the design for Tianwen-1, the Chinese Mars lander:
And following is the design ...
2
votes
1
answer
95
views
At what altitude(s) were the Viking BLDT rockets fired?
I'm trying to understand the details of the 1972 Viking BLDT test missions (in earth's atmosphere). I found this diagram in a book and the general description that the (four) BLDT (balloon drop) tests ...
5
votes
1
answer
90
views
What was the radius of Insight's disruption of Martian regolith?
A NASA animation depicts the Martian regolith being disturbed by the retrorockets of the Insight spacecraft while landing.
Did NASA estimate the radius of the disruption, or was there any indication ...
- 6,999
2
votes
1
answer
104
views
Curiosity landing system versus Spirit/Opportunity's [duplicate]
Spirit/Opportunity used airbags to land while Curiosity had a "carrier" with thrusters and chords - which to me sounds heavier and much more complex, therefore also riskier.
It seems that it would ...
- 123
0
votes
2
answers
263
views
Why a rover bounces after landing on Mars?
Sometime ago I was watching a video which showed that when a rover lands on mars surface it will keep bouncing on Mars' surface like a ball until it gets rid of energy and then it becomes static.
But ...
- 237
0
votes
1
answer
344
views
Could a Rotary Rocket charge a super capacitor while descending on Mars?
Could a rotary rocket entering the atmosphere collect enough energy in a super capacitor through the rotors (along with auto rotation) while descending to have a controlled landing in the last few ...
- 1
1
vote
0
answers
151
views
Why the big difference between NASA and ESA/Roscosmos in evaluating the Oxia Planum landing site?
In november 2018 ESA announced that the Oxia Planum region is favoured for the ExoMars surface mission.
The figure above from this answer about the 21 potential landing sites for the Mars 2020 ...
- 7,535
10
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Won't the heat sensor probe interfere with the seismometer?
I've read that the Mars InSight Seismometer will be deployed before the HP3 probe. Won't the digging interfere with the seismometer? Or the shock produced will be small enough to be dissipated by the ...
- 203
35
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why was it necessary to program InSight with an ability to land in dust storms?
If the entire event of EDL (Entry - Descent - Landing) is going to take only 7 minutes and if the command to begin could be signalled based on ground weather conditions, why was it necessary to take ...
- 4,479
4
votes
1
answer
216
views
How do Mars spacecraft control attitude on final descent and landing?
When I watch videos of probes landing on Mars after cutting the parachutes off, they show the lander doing final orientation adjustments before touching down.
The engines don't seem to have a ...
1
vote
1
answer
371
views
Could an inflatable heat shield be used on the SpaceX Mars Lander?
Could light weight inflatable heat shields be used like parachutes from NASA to increase surface area for the SpaceX Mars lander further decreasing velocity? Where would be the best placement of them? ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
289
views
Could a reentry powered monorail and flywheel make a kinetic engine for lift?
On reentry could a flywheel spin on a magnetic bearing creating a centrifugal force to keep the ship level whilst creating a plasma air pocket from the pits in the rotating heat shield? This would ...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
146
views
Transportation on the Mars I Air
Due to the thin atmosphere generating lift on Mars is difficult at a lower speed, Flying is hard until aircraft go supersonic and then it becomes difficult to control(Ref.). The landing would not be ...
