autoevolution
 

Mars Sample Return Lander Aerohell to Be Able to Withstand 5,000 Degrees Heat

Not long ago, the Perseverance rover landed on Mars. It was carried there by spacecraft, and brought down to the surface with the help of a lander. While descending through the otherwise thin Martian atmosphere, it had to survive 2,550 degrees Fahrenheit (1,400 degrees Celsius) temperatures.
Lockheed Martin working on aeroshell for the next Mars mission 6 photos
Photo: Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin working on aeroshell for the next Mars missionLockheed Martin working on aeroshell for the next Mars missionLockheed Martin working on aeroshell for the next Mars missionLockheed Martin working on aeroshell for the next Mars missionLockheed Martin working on aeroshell for the next Mars mission
That’s how hot the lander’s heat shield got on the outside, while inside, the readings showed 1,830 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). That’s extreme, but something NASA is used to dealing with.

Every single spacecraft descending into the atmosphere of a planet needs to survive such heat. So will the Mars Sample Return lander, scheduled for launch at a yet undetermined time.

The survival of the technology sent to Mars is critical, as this mission will be the first one to make the trip back to Earth, carrying with it samples of the Red Planet for our scientists to study.

Although the mission is still in the proposed state, NASA is moving ahead with the project. This week, it awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for the development of the so-called aeroshell, the piece of hardware that will protect the lander during Martian atmospheric entry.

Lockheed is not at its first such project, as the company helped NASA with all other aeroshells for its Mars missions, including Perseverance.

For the Sample Return mission, the aeroshell will comprise a cone-shaped backshell and a disc-like heat shield placed around the spacecraft. The heat shield material is called Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) and can protect the ship against double the temperatures experienced by Perseverance.

On the other hand, the backshell will be made of a material called SLA-561v, a silicone and cork-derived ablator also designed to mitigate heat.

There is no estimate on when the aeroshell will be ready, but it will play a pivotal role in the success of a mission to another world like no other in the history of the world.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Daniel Patrascu
Daniel Patrascu profile photo

Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories