Key technology Research and High-altitude demonstration to realize the world first Mars exploration using Airplane

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24246136
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: NAGAI Hiroki 東北大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (70360724)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OYAMA Akira 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所科, 准教授 (10373440) ; TOKUTAKE Hiroshi 金沢大学, 理工研究域, 准教授 (80295716) ; TAKEUCHI Shinsuke 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所科, 助教 (20353419) ; TOYOTA Hiroyuki 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所科, 助教 (00415895) ; OTSUKI Masatsugu 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所科, 助教 (50348827) ; NONOMURA Taku 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所科, 助教 (60547967) ; ANYOJI Masayuki 九州大学, 総合理工学研究科, 助教 (70611680) ; YONEMOTO Koichi 九州工業大学, 大学院工学研究院, 教授 (80404101)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): FUJII Kozo 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所科, 教授 (50209003) ; ASAI Keisuke 東北大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (40358669)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: Mars Airplane / Low Reynolds / High-Altitude / Aerodynamics / Mars Exploration

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed for the realization of a Mars airplane which flying the Mars atmosphere. The fundamental key technology (Aerodynamic, Structure, Control, Propulsion, Power, Thermal, etc.) to realize the Mars airplane were researched and developed. As a result, about the developed individual technique, a high-performance wing and an ultra-lightweight airframe structure, etc., were able to get enough performance to let a system of the Mars airplane satisfy.
In the future, we will conduct a flight demonstration test of an integrated airplane system at a high-altitude in the vicinity of 35 km on earth, where the Mars environment can be simulated; air density and temperature is almost same, and demonstrate the feasibility of the realization of the Mars airplane.

Free Research Field

航空宇宙流体工学および熱流体工学