This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. More information in our Privacy Policy
ARES
Atmospheric entry for Mars explorations missions
Principal Investigator: Frederic Monteverde
Starting date: 1/2/2025
Duration: 24 months
Full budget: 194.394 €
Action: PRIN: PROGETTI DI RICERCA DI RILEVANTE INTERESSE NAZIONALE – Bando 2022
CNR-ISSMC Role: co-partner
Coordinator: Giuseppe Pascazio (Politecnico di Bari)
Consortium: Politecnico di Bari; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ISSMC di Faenza e ISTP sez. Bari); Università di Napoli “Federico II”
The exploration of Mars has recently become a matter of absolute interest for future space missions. Previous missions have improved knowledge of the planet and mission technology. However, the entry and descent phases through the thin Martian atmosphere are very challenging from a technological point of view. It is known, in fact, that Mars’ atmosphere is very rich in CO2, with pressures of less than 600 Pa at ground level. This makes capsule design difficult and expensive to achieve experimentally. The development of accurate predictive models and effective numerical methods can help keep costs down. This project aims to develop numerical tools with greater predictive capability in the simulation of vehicles entering the Mars atmosphere.
ISSMC will focus on the design of reliable thermal protection, which will ensure the integrity of the vehicle during the descent to Mars. Accurate prediction of the aero-thermodynamics during entry is mandatory for the correct evaluation of wall heat flow, pressure and shear stresses. For this purpose, ISTP and POLIBA will develop an accurate thermochemical model, taking into account thermal and chemical non-equilibrium, using the state-to-state (StS) approach.
The University of Naples “Federico II” will study the behavior of materials designed for entry into the Mars’ atmosphere in a relevant aero-thermo-chemical environment. The materials will be experimentally studied in a plasma wind tunnel for the characterisation of hypersonic flow, providing key values for the validation of numerical models such as pressure, heat flux, total enthalpy, chemical composition, and catalytic wall property.