Scientists have sentroversto truckle bed across Martian commonwealth , and they have launchedsatellitesto orbit the Martian standard atmosphere . But what about the skies in the heart ? to contemplate this in - between kingdom , NASA has create a image aircraft to soar through the Martian sky . NASA ’s ambition is to have the airplane launch from a high - height balloon over the Red Planet in the 2020s .
This prototype plane is form like a backfire , but there ’s no chance of it coming back to Earth . This is purely a one - way trip .
The plane will be tested later this year , launch into the skies from a balloon roughly30 kilometers(18.5 miles ) up . The standard pressure is less thick at this height and mimics the tightness of Mars ' atmosphere where the aeroplane , called Prandtl - m , will need to take off .
This intrepid planer could be crucial for future missionary work to Mars as it ’s perfect for scout out optimum slyness - land spots . " The aircraft would be part of the barretter that would be ejected from the aeroshell that takes the Mars roamer to the planet,“Al Bowers , Prandtl - m programme manager , said . " It would be able to deploy and fly in the Martian atmosphere and glide down and land . The Prandtl - m could pass over some of the nominate landing internet site for a future astronaut mission and send back to Earth very detailed high - answer photographic function images that could tell scientists about the suitability of those landing internet site . "
The proposed Prandtl - m coming into acres . NASA / Ken Ulbrich
The tiny plane is designed to be so light that it could blithely piggyback on a Mars wanderer , signify they could travel from Earth to Mars together . The weight of the airplane is so small – just one pound sterling – that it would n’t add to the cost of a rover missionary work . This makes it a valuable and versatile attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - on for many mission to Mars , and perhaps even other planets . for help Prandtl - m survive riddance from the rover backpack as it enters Mars ' atmosphere , the last aircraft will be made from racy but light materials : fiberglass or carbon fiber .
The projected flying plan would be for Prandtl - m to glide over the surface of Mars after it ’s been ejected , detain airborne for about 10 minutes . The plane would have a flight range of roughly 32 klick ( 20 miles ) .
[ ViaNASA ]
