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Aaron, Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Aaron, Kim.

6 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2022

Bearing Starting Torque Measurements Down to –100°C

Starting torque was measured for three different bearings from 0°C down to 90°C and 100°C. These are bearings of the type that will be used in the ice-penetrating radar instrument named Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON), which is part of the planned science instrument suite for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Europa Clipper mission. This space science mission to Jupiter’s moon, Europa, is being led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is administered for NASA by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). In addition to presenting the starting torque measurements at various temperatures, this paper will describe the small test chamber and attachments that allowed the measurements to be made using an existing bearing torque testing machine.

Tao, Frank↗
NASA NTRS2020

Motivations and Preliminary Design for Mid-Air Deployment of a Science Rotorcraft on Mars

Mid-Air Deployment (MAD) of a rotorcraft during Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) on Mars eliminates the need to carry a propulsion or airbag landing system. This reduces the total mass inside the aeroshell by more than 100 kg, aeroshell complexity, and likely the risk and cost associated to the mission. Moreover, the lighter entry mass enables landing in the Martian highlands, at elevations inaccessible to current EDL technologies. This paper proposes a novel MAD concept for a Mars helicopter. We suggest a minimum science payload package to perform relevant science in the highlands. A variant of the Ingenuity helicopter is proposed to provide increased deceleration during MAD, and enough lift to fly the science payload in the highlands. We show in simulation that the lighter aeroshell results in lower terminal velocity (30 m/s) at the end of the parachute phase of the EDL, and at higher altitudes than other approaches. After discussing the aerodynamics, controls, guidance and mechanical challenges associated to deploying at such speed, we propose a backshell architecture that addresses them to release the helicopter in the safest conditions. Finally, we implemented the helicopter model and aerodynamic descent perturbations in the JPL Dynamics and Real-Time Simulation (DARTS) framework. Preliminary performance evaluation indicate landing and helicopter operations can be achieved up to +5 km MOLA.

Rapin, William↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space science technology: In-situ science. Sample Acquisition, Analysis, and Preservation Project summary

The Sample Acquisition, Analysis, and Preservation Project is summarized in outline and graphic form. The objective of the project is to develop component and system level technology to enable the unmanned collection, analysis and preservation of physical, chemical and mineralogical data from the surface of planetary bodies. Technology needs and challenges are identified and specific objectives are described.

Aaron, Kim↗