Study on Effect of Aerodynamic Configuration on Aerodynamic Performance of Mars Ascent Vehicles

The Mars surface take-off and ascent technology is one of the key technologies for realizing the Mars sample return mission. Different from that on the moon, the gravity acceleration on the surface of Mars is 3.71 m/s², so that the gravity loss is larger than that on the moon; a rarefied atmosphere is found on the surface of Mars, and although it is only about 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere, its effect on aerodynamic drag in the process of ascent shall also be considered. In this paper, the aerodynamic performance demand of ascent vehicles is analyzed in light of the mission requirements for take-off and ascent from the surface of Mars. Based on the results of literature research and supersonic CFD static simulation, the influence of forebody and afterbody shapes of ascent vehicles on aerodynamic drag and static stability is studied, respectively. The forebody shape of ascent vehicles with better aerodynamic performance is proposed, and the subsequent improvement direction of aerodynamic configuration is clarified, providing necessary theoretical and data support for the aerodynamic selection of Mars ascent vehicles.