All Questions
5 questions
6
votes
0
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189
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Why was the ExoMars Rover to use such as complex parachute system?
American Mars landers use a single, supersonic main parachute. The European/ Russian ExoMars rover was to use a much more complex 4 parachute system consisting of a drogue, a main and a pilot for each ...
- 920
11
votes
5
answers
7k
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Why do you need a heat shield on Mars entry if the atmosphere is so thin?
Mars' atmosphere is only .088 psi. Is that enough to cause heat at high altitude? Shouldn't you be able to fly close to the surface at orbital speeds like on the moon? How does a parachute work with ...
- 129
5
votes
1
answer
182
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Are there any studies or technology envisioned for Mars entry and landing without a parachute?
Are any space agencies examining the possibility of a Mars landing without a parachute?
It wasn't clear to me if the use of the HIAD (Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator) would eliminate ...
- 7,029
15
votes
3
answers
2k
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What happens to Insight's parachute on Mars?
All of the animations I see show the heat shield detaching and falling to the ground, then Insight detaching and landing. There is no information about what happens with the upper part of the heat ...
- 153
17
votes
2
answers
3k
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What are the disadvantages of parachute+airbag for atmospheric landing, versus rocket-based?
After Sojourner success, repeated by Spirit and Opportunity, it seemed like we had developed a fail-proof system for atmospheric landing for our probes: there's very little that can go wrong with the ...
- 56k