Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators for Use On Future Robotic Missions to Mars

The potential advantages of using a supersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator were analyzed for a notional 2016 Mars robotic mission. Two inflatable decelerator configurations, the attached isotensoid decelerator and the tension cone, were sized and traded against their system-level performance impact. The analyses included preliminary aerodynamic drag estimates for the different configurations, insight into the entry trajectory advantages provided, and preliminary geometric and mass estimates for the decelerator systems. The attached isotensoid configuration was calculated to have a lower drag but a slightly lighter mass solution vs the tension cone. Both devices showed an excellent capability of decelerating entry vehicles at significantly higher altitudes than is currently possible with the traditional supersonic parachute. The configurations analyzed demonstrated a relative insensitivity to a 25% increase in entry mass. Large increases in payload mass capability were calculated as a function of the conditions at which the inflatable decelerator staged to a propulsive terminal descent system.