Question

NASA is designing a Mars-lander that will enter the Martian atmosphere at high speed. To land safely it must slow to a constant vertical speed of 20 m/s after deploying a parachute with an area of 200 m^2. The drag coefficient of the parachute is 1.855. The acceleration due to gravity on Mars is 3.71 m/s2, and the density of the atmosphere near the surface is 0.01 kg/m^3.

a. Calculate the maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely?
b. The mission designers consider a larger lander with a mass of 480 kg. Show that the parachute required would be larger than 400 m².
c. To test the lander before launching it to Mars, it is tested on Earth where g = 9.8 m/s^2 and the atmospheric density is 1.0 kg m-3. How big should the parachute be for the terminal speed to be 20 m/s, if the mass of the lander is 480 kg?

Answer 1

a) maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely is 200 kg

b) area of the parachute required is 480 m² which is larger than 400 m²

c) area of the parachute should be 12.68 m²

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the data in the question;

V = 20 m/s

A = 200 m²

drag co-efficient CD = 1.855

g = 3.71 m/s²

density of the atmospheric pressure β = 0.01 kg/m³

a. Calculate the maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely?

Drag force FD = 1/2 × CD × β × A × V²

we substitute

FD = 1/2 × 1.855 × 0.01 kg/m × 200 m² × ( 20 m/s )²

FD = 742 N

we know that;

FD = Fg

Fg = gravity force

Fg = mg

so

FD = mg

m = FD/g

we substitute

m = 742 N / 3.71 m/s²

m = 200 kg

Therefore, the maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely is 200 kg

b. The mission designers consider a larger lander with a mass of 480 kg. Show that the parachute required would be larger than 400 m²;

Given that;

M = 480 kg

Show that the parachute required would be larger than 400 m²

we know that;

FD = Fg = Mg = 480 kg × 3.71 m/s²

FD = 1780.8 N

Now, FD = 1/2 × CD × β × A × V², we solve for A

A = FD / 0.5 × CD × β × V²

we substitute

A = 1780.8 / 0.5 × 1.855 × 0.1 × (20)²

A = 1780.8 / 3.71

A = 480 m²

Therefore, area of the parachute required 480 m² which is larger than 400 m²

c. To test the lander before launching it to Mars, it is tested on Earth where g = 9.8 m/s^2 and the atmospheric density is 1.0 kg m-3. How big should the parachute be for the terminal speed to be 20 m/s, if the mass of the lander is 480 kg?

Given that;

g = 9.8 m/s²,

β" = 1 kg/m³

v" = 20 m/s

M" = 480 kg

we know that;

FD = Fg = M"g

FD = 480 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 4704 N

from the expression; FD = 1/2 × CD × β × A × V²

A = FD / 0.5 × CD × β" × V"²

we substitute

A = 4704 / 0.5 × 1.855 × 1 × (20)²

A = 4704 / 371

A = 12.68 m²

Therefore area of the parachute should be 12.68 m²