Herholz_2008abstr
Copyright
© 2008 by JŸrgen Herholz.
Published by the Mars Society with permission.
DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS OF THE MARS BALLOON PROBE ARCHIMEDES
Hannes Griebel
and JŸrgen Herholz
Mars Society Deutschland
(MSD) Mars Society Germany
Abstract
The development of the Mars
Balloon Probe ARCHIMEDES of the Mars Society Germany (MSD) has significantly
progressed since the last report given at the 9th Mars
Society Convention in 2006. The upcoming MIRIAM-REXUS 4 sounding rocket flight
test in June 2008, with a fully functional 1:2.5 downscaled model of ARCHIMEDES
with a 4 m balloon, shall pave the way for the ARCHIMEDES launch onboard the
AMSAT P5-A Mars Probe on an Ariane 5, planned for
2011.
The ARCHIMEDES mission objectives, design and project planning are recalled. It is shown that the results of the aerothermodynamic research programme, now essentially complete, confirm the feasibility of a balloon entry into the Mars atmosphere and down to the Mars surface using available balloon material. The novelty balloon storage, inflation, release and deployment approach and the associated technologies and techniques will be described. Finally the test programme will be highlighted, with tests of the mechanisms under simulated environment on the ground and during short-duration zero-g flights on an Airbus A-300 as well as during longer-duration zero-g test flights onboard sounding rockets with real-life simulation of the function of the complete ARCHIMEDES system under atmospheric environmental test conditions similar to the conditions expected on Mars (REXUS-REGINA and REXUS-MIRIAM missions).