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arXiv · 2106.09411

Optimisation of a Hydrodynamic SPH-FEM Model for a Bioinspired Aerial-aquatic Spacecraft on Titan

James McKevitt
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Abstract

Titan, Saturn's largest moon, supports a dense atmosphere, numerous bodies of liquid on its surface, and as a richly organic world is a primary focus for understanding the processes that support the development of life. In-situ exploration to follow that of the Huygens probe is intended in the form of the coming NASA Dragonfly mission, acting as a demonstrator for powered flight on the moon and aiming to answer some key questions about the atmosphere, surface, and potential for habitability. While a quadcopter presents one of the most ambitious outer Solar System mission profiles to date, this paper aims to present the case for an aerial vehicle also capable of in-situ liquid sampling and show some of the attempts currently being made to model the behaviour of this spacecraft.

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James McKevitt. 2021-06-17. Optimisation of a Hydrodynamic SPH-FEM Model for a Bioinspired Aerial-aquatic Spacecraft on Titan. https://arxiv.org/abs/2106.09411

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