Optimization of rotor blades for Martian Helicopters
By Prof. Peter Vincent (Imperial College London) on December 6, 2023
The NASA Mars helicopter, Ingenuity, successfully carried out the first ever powered flight on another planet. However, the unique conditions on Mars, including its very thin atmosphere (less than 1% of the density of Earth’s), create challenges for the design of new aerial vehicles for further exploration of the planet. Researchers at Imperial College London have used Cirrus for aerodynamics simulations to help design new airfoils for such vehicles.
