Developing a Landing System – Design and Breadboard Tests Overview

Paper number

IAC-14,D3,3,3,x25442

Author

Mr. Federico Massobrio, Thales Alenia Space, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Pasquale Pellegrino, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Stefano Destefanis, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Robert Buchwald, Airbus DS GmbH, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Marc Dielissen, QinetiQ Space nv, Belgium

Coauthor

Mr. Silvio Schröder, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Richard Fisackerly, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Daniele Teti, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands

Year

2014

Abstract

Several mission studies have been performed focusing on a soft and precision landing using landing legs. Examples for such missions are Mars Sample Return scenarios (MSR), Lunar landing scenarios (MoonNEXT, Lunar Lander) and small body sample return studies (Marco Polo, MMSR, Phootprint). Such missions foresee a soft landing on the planet surface for delivering payload in a controlled manner and limiting the landing loads.

To ensure a successful final landing phase, a landing system is needed, capable of absorbing the residual velocities (vertical, horizontal and angular) at touch-down, and insuring a controlled attitude after landing. Such requirements can be fulfilled by using landing legs with adequate damping.

The Landing System Development (LSD) study, currently in its phase 2, foresees the design, analysis, verification, manufacturing and testing of a representative landing leg breadboard based on the Phase B design of the ESA Lunar Lander. Drop tests of a single leg will be performed both on rigid and soft ground, at several impact angles. The activity is covered under ESA contract with TAS-I as Prime Contractor, responsible for analysis and verification, Astrium GmbH for design and test and QinetiQ Space for manufacturing. Drop tests will be performed at the Institute of Space Systems of the German Aerospace Center (DLR-RY) in Bremen.

This paper presents an overview of design aspects and analytical simulations, comparing expected dynamic behavior with preliminary tests results, as available.

Abstract document

IAC-14,D3,3,3,x25442.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-14,D3,3,3,x25442.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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