Small quadcopter can collect stones for sample return mission in China

Space exploration is constantly changing. Until February 2021, no man-made aircraft had ever flown through the atmosphere of another world (with the exception of rocket-powered landers taking off and landing). The Mars Perseverance rover changes that, carrying what can only be described as a drone named Ingenuity. This has revolutionized planetary exploration, and China is now joining the effort with a proposed quadcopter for Mars sample return missions.

Our exploration of Mars has typically been limited to orbiters, landers, and rovers. Orbiters are better at acquiring data for entire planets and covering large tracts of land, while landers are better at acquiring surface details and analyzing surface material. Although the spacecraft added an extra dimension by being able to explore the landing area, spacecraft were generally slow and unable to travel significant distances. They were also unable to navigate very uneven terrain, limiting their capabilities.

When Perseverance landed, it was classified as an Ingenuity drone, more accurately a helicopter. It had a wingspan of 1.2 meters from rotor blade tip to tip and weighed 4 pounds (compared to 1.5 pounds on Mars). Although the range was only 300 m, it proved possible, completing 66 flights since deployment, covering a total of 14.9 km.

recent papers published in acta astronautica Harbin Institute of Technology and the China Academy of Space Technology have proposed a quadcopter for use on Mars that, unlike Ingenuity, can collect up to 100g of sample and return it to the lander. A key challenge to achieving this is the tenuous nature of Mars’ atmosphere. This is less than 1% of the lift on Earth, and as a result the lift generated by the rotor blades is significantly reduced. The blades are made larger than earth standards to allow for sufficient lift.

Alternative solutions for drones were considered from earlier designs such as the airplane-based Astroplane with a wingspan of 21 meters and the MAP Mars Flyer with a wingspan of 1.73 meters. Both styles were discounted because they allow for the construction of take-off and landing areas. The research team concluded that a rotorcraft was the correct configuration and began designing one that could retrieve and transport samples for a return mission to Earth.

This paper provides detailed blueprints for both flight (including autonomous flight) systems, rotor configurations, mechanical arms, imaging technology, and avionics systems. MarsBird V11, as described, is mostly in the consideration stage at this point, with no missions scheduled yet, but it’s exciting to think that the future of Mars exploration will take place from the Martian air.