Engineering topics
Cutts, J.
Publications and source records attributed to Cutts, J..
Mars Magnetometer Balloon Mission
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Venus Aerobot Multisonde Mission: Atmospheric Relay for Imaging the Surface of Venus
Robotic exploration of surface of Venus presents many challenges because of thick atmosphere, high surface pressure and temperature.
Venus Sample Return - A Hot Topic
Within th Solar System, Venus presents a set of unique challenges to obtaining samples and returning them to Earth.
Aerobots in Planetary Exploration
Traditionally, planetary exploration uses traditional landers and rovers for in-situ measurements and orbiters for remote sensing.
Exploring Europa's Ocean: A Challenge for Marine Technology of this Century
The Galileo spacecraft has sent back tantalizing image data hinting at a vast ocean beneath a thick ice crust on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons which is about the size of our moon.
Venus Surface Sample Return: A Weighty High-Pressure Challenge
A mission to return a sample to Earth from the surface of Venus faces a multitude of challenges.
Versatile Modeling and Simulation Techniques for Earth and Planetary Balloon Systems
Modeling and simulation of balloons and aerobots (robotic balloons) is an essential part of scientific balloon mission development and planning.
Evaluation of Materials for Venus Aerobot Applications
During the last five years JPL has examined a number of concepts for robotically controlled balloons or aerobots.
Venus Aerobot Multisonde Mission
Robotic exploration of Venus presents many challenges because of the thick atmosphere and the high surface temperatures.
MASA's Ultra-Long Duration Balloon Project - Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks
The leviathan silently slides through the upper atmosphere of the blue planet, its eye steadily staring into the cold, dark recesses of deep space. Periodically the eye looks at different points in the blackness while processing the information it sees.
Technology Validation Program for Mars Aerobot Micromission
The Mars Aerobot Validation Program (MABVAP) was initiated in August 1997 to develop and validate key technologies needed for aerobot missions on Mars. The major elements of the program are the development of balloons for flight on Mars, robust techniques for deployment and inflation and modeling and simulation of balloon flight paths, selection, development and tests of available balloon materials, design and fabrication of balloons (both superpressure and solar-heated), design and fabrication of deployment and inflation systems for aerial deployment, design and fabrication of avionics to control deployment/inflation process and to get telemetry and video data. The program includes laboratory, wind tunnel, vacuum chamber tests of the system components and a number of tropospheric and stratospheric flight tests of deployment and inflation of light-film balloons in a simulated Martian environment Key issues in the design include: the use of proven materials or their combinations; the availability of adequate balloon fabrication technologies and processes; evacuation of gas from the balloon prior to packaging and the design of a balloon container capable of storing the balloon over a wide range of ambient pressures. Tests that have been made at JPL and at the Vertical Wind Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center clarified many of the first order issues discussed above and lead to the baseline configuration with inflation from the bottom without a reefing mechanism.
Venus Sample Return Architectures: Surface Atmosphere Segment
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