Mastcam-Z

Javier Baranano

Ingenuity is ready to fly.

This is a much more important event than it seems.

Any aircraft anywhere in the universe, before performing an aerodynamic takeoff, needs to know the “pressure altitude”, and the “density altitude” to make the aerodynamic adjustments for takeoff. It is also necessary to know the wind direction and intensity. On Mars there is no control tower to inform us of these data, but we have the MEDA. A weather station manufactured in Spain, crucial for this takeoff.

The speed of sound.

Aerodynamics behave differently at subsonic speeds than at supersonic speeds. A clear example is that the airfoil of supersonic aircraft is delta-shaped.

In a rotating wing system, in this case two counter-rotating wings, such as those used on the Kamov helicopter, the angular velocity of the wing tips cannot exceed the speed of sound. If it does, that part of the wing will cease to generate lift. But what is the speed of sound on Mars? I don’t know, I know by logic that it is lower, but I don’t have that data.

But it’s not all disadvantages, lift is a directly proportional relationship between weight and thrust. And the gravity on Mars is lower.

The moment of takeoff is going to be critical, you need a Black Jack to adjust the spin of the blades. God bless the pilot, and as we firefighting pilots say, “Sight, Luck, and to the Bull!”

April 6, 2021

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