Preliminary Assessment of Feasibility of a Wind Energy Conversion System for a Martian Probe or Surface Rover
Nuclear energy sources have been widely used in the
past decades in order to power spacecraft subsystems. Nevertheless,
their use has attracted controversy because of the risk of harmful
material released into the atmosphere if an accident were to occur
during the launch phase of the mission, leading to the general
adoption of photovoltaic systems.
As compared to solar cells, wind turbines have a great advantage
on Mars, as they can continuously produce power both during dust
storms and at night-time: this paper focuses on the potential of a wind
energy conversion system (WECS) considering the atmospheric
conditions on Mars. Wind potential on Martian surface has been
estimated, as well as the average energy requirements of a Martian
probe or surface rover. Finally, the expected daily energy output of
the WECS has been computed on the basis of both the swept area of
the rotor and the equivalent wind speed at the landing site.
[1] http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040123a.html
[2] V. Kumar, M. Paraschivoiu and I. Paraschivoiu, "Low Reynolds number
vertical axis wind turbine for Mars", Journal of Wind Engineering,
volume 34 number 4, pp. 461 - 476, June 2010.
[3] G. James, G. Chamitoff and D. Barker, "Design and resource
requirements for successful wind energy production on Mars", The Mars
Society, 1999.
[4] http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/
[5] http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/
[6] S. Michaud, A. Schneider, R. Bertrand, P. Lamon, R. Siegwart, M. Van
Winnendael and A. Schiele, "Solero: Solar-powered Exploration
Rover", 7th ESA Workshop on Advanced Space Technologies for
Robotics and Automation "ASTRA 2002", ESTC, Noordwijk, The
Netherlands, November 19-21, 2002.
[7] G. A. Landis, T. W. Kerslake, P. P. Jenkins and D. A. Scheiman, "Mars
Solar Power", NASA/TM-2004-213367, AIAA-2004-5555, November
2004.
[8] G. Landis and P. Jenkins, "Measurement of the settling rate of
atmospheric dust on Mars by the MAE instrument on Mars Pathfinder",
J. Geophysical Research, Vol. 105, No. E1, pp. 1855-1857, January 25,
2000.
[9] R. E. Arvidson, R. C. Anderson, P. Bartlett, J. F. Bell III, D. Blaney, P.
R. Christensen, P. Chu, L. Crumpler, K. Davis, B. L. Ehlmann, R.
Fergason, M. P. Golombek, S. Gorevan, J. A. Grant, R. Greeley, E. A.
Guinness, A. F. C. Haldemann, K. Herkenhoff, J. Johnson, G. Landis, R.
Li, R. Lindemann, H. Mc Sween, D. W. Ming, T. Myrick, L. Richter, F.
P. Seelos IV, S. W. Squyres, R. J. Sullivan, A. Wang and J. Wilson,
"Initial Localization and Physical Properties Experiments Conducted
with the Mars Exploration Rover Mission at Gusev Crater", Science,
Vol. 305, No. 5685, 793, August 6, 2004.
[10] http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sojourner-spirit.jpg
[11] N. Atkinson, "The Mars Landing Approach: Getting Large Payloads to
the Surface of the Red Planet", Universe Today, July 17, 2008.
[12] Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, January 2008,
http://www.ne.doe.gov/pdfFiles/MMRTG_Jan2008.pdf
[13] T. Watson, "Troubles parallel ambitions in NASA Mars project", USA
Today, May 27, 2009.
[14] A. K. Misra, Overview of NASA Program on Development of
Radioisotope Power Systems with High Specific Power, NASA/JPL,
May 12, 2009.
[15] http://www.softpedia.com/
[16] J. T. Schofield, J. R. Barnes, D. Crisp, R. M. Haberle, S. Larsen, J. A.
Magalhães, J. R. Murphy, A. Seiff and G. Wilson, "The Mars Pathfinder
Atmospheric Structure Investigation/Meteorology (ASI/MET)
Experiment", Journal of Science, Vol. 278 no. 5344 pp. 1752-1758,
December 5, 1997.
[17] P. W. Tracadas, M. Zuber, D. E. Smith and F. G. Lemoine, "Density
structure of the upper thermosphere of Mars from measurements of air
drag on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft", Journal of Geophysical
Research, vol. 106, no. 10, pp. 23349 - 23357, October 25, 2001.
[18] J. Jerolmack, D. Mohrig, J. P. Grotzinger, D. A. Fike and W. W.
Watters, "Spatial grain size sorting in eolian ripples and estimation of
wind conditions on planetary surfaces: Application to Meridiani Planum,
Mars", J. Geophys. Res., 111, E12S02, doi:10.1029/2005JE002544.
[19] http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/atmosmrm.html
[20] http://www.nasa.gov
[21] R. Greeley, J. D. Iversen, J. B. Pollack, N. Udovich and B. White,
"Wind tunnel studies of Martian aeolian processes", Proceedings of the
Royal Society of London, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 1974.
[1] http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040123a.html
[2] V. Kumar, M. Paraschivoiu and I. Paraschivoiu, "Low Reynolds number
vertical axis wind turbine for Mars", Journal of Wind Engineering,
volume 34 number 4, pp. 461 - 476, June 2010.
[3] G. James, G. Chamitoff and D. Barker, "Design and resource
requirements for successful wind energy production on Mars", The Mars
Society, 1999.
[4] http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/
[5] http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/
[6] S. Michaud, A. Schneider, R. Bertrand, P. Lamon, R. Siegwart, M. Van
Winnendael and A. Schiele, "Solero: Solar-powered Exploration
Rover", 7th ESA Workshop on Advanced Space Technologies for
Robotics and Automation "ASTRA 2002", ESTC, Noordwijk, The
Netherlands, November 19-21, 2002.
[7] G. A. Landis, T. W. Kerslake, P. P. Jenkins and D. A. Scheiman, "Mars
Solar Power", NASA/TM-2004-213367, AIAA-2004-5555, November
2004.
[8] G. Landis and P. Jenkins, "Measurement of the settling rate of
atmospheric dust on Mars by the MAE instrument on Mars Pathfinder",
J. Geophysical Research, Vol. 105, No. E1, pp. 1855-1857, January 25,
2000.
[9] R. E. Arvidson, R. C. Anderson, P. Bartlett, J. F. Bell III, D. Blaney, P.
R. Christensen, P. Chu, L. Crumpler, K. Davis, B. L. Ehlmann, R.
Fergason, M. P. Golombek, S. Gorevan, J. A. Grant, R. Greeley, E. A.
Guinness, A. F. C. Haldemann, K. Herkenhoff, J. Johnson, G. Landis, R.
Li, R. Lindemann, H. Mc Sween, D. W. Ming, T. Myrick, L. Richter, F.
P. Seelos IV, S. W. Squyres, R. J. Sullivan, A. Wang and J. Wilson,
"Initial Localization and Physical Properties Experiments Conducted
with the Mars Exploration Rover Mission at Gusev Crater", Science,
Vol. 305, No. 5685, 793, August 6, 2004.
[10] http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sojourner-spirit.jpg
[11] N. Atkinson, "The Mars Landing Approach: Getting Large Payloads to
the Surface of the Red Planet", Universe Today, July 17, 2008.
[12] Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, January 2008,
http://www.ne.doe.gov/pdfFiles/MMRTG_Jan2008.pdf
[13] T. Watson, "Troubles parallel ambitions in NASA Mars project", USA
Today, May 27, 2009.
[14] A. K. Misra, Overview of NASA Program on Development of
Radioisotope Power Systems with High Specific Power, NASA/JPL,
May 12, 2009.
[15] http://www.softpedia.com/
[16] J. T. Schofield, J. R. Barnes, D. Crisp, R. M. Haberle, S. Larsen, J. A.
Magalhães, J. R. Murphy, A. Seiff and G. Wilson, "The Mars Pathfinder
Atmospheric Structure Investigation/Meteorology (ASI/MET)
Experiment", Journal of Science, Vol. 278 no. 5344 pp. 1752-1758,
December 5, 1997.
[17] P. W. Tracadas, M. Zuber, D. E. Smith and F. G. Lemoine, "Density
structure of the upper thermosphere of Mars from measurements of air
drag on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft", Journal of Geophysical
Research, vol. 106, no. 10, pp. 23349 - 23357, October 25, 2001.
[18] J. Jerolmack, D. Mohrig, J. P. Grotzinger, D. A. Fike and W. W.
Watters, "Spatial grain size sorting in eolian ripples and estimation of
wind conditions on planetary surfaces: Application to Meridiani Planum,
Mars", J. Geophys. Res., 111, E12S02, doi:10.1029/2005JE002544.
[19] http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/atmosmrm.html
[20] http://www.nasa.gov
[21] R. Greeley, J. D. Iversen, J. B. Pollack, N. Udovich and B. White,
"Wind tunnel studies of Martian aeolian processes", Proceedings of the
Royal Society of London, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 1974.
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:55565", author = "M. Raciti Castelli and M. Cescon and E. Benini", title = "Preliminary Assessment of Feasibility of a Wind Energy Conversion System for a Martian Probe or Surface Rover", abstract = "Nuclear energy sources have been widely used in the
past decades in order to power spacecraft subsystems. Nevertheless,
their use has attracted controversy because of the risk of harmful
material released into the atmosphere if an accident were to occur
during the launch phase of the mission, leading to the general
adoption of photovoltaic systems.
As compared to solar cells, wind turbines have a great advantage
on Mars, as they can continuously produce power both during dust
storms and at night-time: this paper focuses on the potential of a wind
energy conversion system (WECS) considering the atmospheric
conditions on Mars. Wind potential on Martian surface has been
estimated, as well as the average energy requirements of a Martian
probe or surface rover. Finally, the expected daily energy output of
the WECS has been computed on the basis of both the swept area of
the rotor and the equivalent wind speed at the landing site.", keywords = "Wind turbine, wind potential, Mars, probe, surface
rover.", volume = "6", number = "9", pages = "1914-9", }
