Proposed missions such as a mars sample return mission and a human mission to mars require landed payload masses more than any previous mars mission. Whether human or robotic, these missions present…

This is a $189,673.71 research grant awarded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shared Services Center to the Georgia Tech Research Corporation to study the use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interaction with the high-temperature entry plasma for energy generation and lift-drag modulation during planetary entry, descent, and landing (EDL) operations. The objective is to advance the state-of-the-art analysis capabilities for MHD-equipped planetary entry systems, identify promising MHD power generation configurations, design relevant experiments, and assess the utility of MHD flow interaction for vehicle control. This effort is not associated with a larger contract vehicle and does not have a set-aside designation.

Proposed missions such as a mars sample return mission and a human mission to mars require landed payload masses more than any previous mars mission. Whether human or robotic, these missions present numerous engineering challenges in entry, descent, and landing (EDL) operations due to their increased mass and complexity. To overcome these challenges, new technologies must be developed, and existing technologies advanced. Resource utilization technologies are particularly critical in this effort. The objective of this investigation is to study the reclamation and harnessing of vehicle kinetic energy through magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interaction with the high-temperature entry plasma for purposes of energy generation and lift-drag modulation. Potential mission designs, power generation and power storage configurations will be explored, as well as uses for the reclaimed energy. Furthermore, the impact and utility of MHD flow interaction for vehicle control will be assessed. The state-of-the-art for analysis of MHD equipped planetary entry systems will be advanced, with the specific goals including: development of performance analysis capabilities for potential MHD equipped systems, identification of systems or configurations that show promise as effective uses of MHD power generation, experimental designs for developing technologies applicable to MHD power generation systems, assessment of MHD flow interaction and beneficial use for entry vehicle control through lift-drag modulation, and increasing the technology readiness level of MHD power generation architectures for entry, descent and landing. These objectives will be advanced through completion of the following aims: i.) MHD energy generation and lorentz force lift-drag augmentation performance characterization, II.) experimental demonstration of MHD energy generation in conditions and configurations relevant to planetary entry, and III.) impact of MHD energy generation and lorentz force lift-drag augmentation on planetary entry.