Session: 06-01-02: General Aerospace-2

Paper Number: 167986

Conceptual Design and Aerodynamic Analysis of Blended Wing Body Aircraft With Distributed Propulsion for Mars 

The present paper describes the design and development of three different Blended Wing Body (BWB) Aircrafts with Distributed Propulsion with the purpose of being used on Mars. This set of aircraft are the Martian Aerial Reconnaissance Vehicle for Intraplanetary Navigation (MARVIN) models. These design concepts are tailored for payload flight with instruments with the purpose of environment surveying. The three different aircrafts are for three different weight classes: less than 500 lbs, 500 to 5000 lbs, and 5000 to 50,000 lbs. The aircrafts must follow a set of requirements to be able to conduct environmental surveys and for survivability on Mars. These requirements include considerations for the unique atmospheric conditions on Mars, such as the lower density of the Martian atmosphere, the reduced gravity, and the extreme temperature fluctuations. Details of this paper include mission profiles for each aircraft model, conceptual sketch iterations, empty weight and fuel fraction estimations, takeoff weight calculations, as well as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models of the aircraft, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, and wind tunnel testing. The concept sketch iterations explore various design possibilities before settling on the final configurations. Empty weight and fuel fraction estimations are conducted to determine the structural efficiency and endurance of the aircraft. Takeoff weight calculations consider factors such as payload capacity, fuel requirements, and structural limitations to optimize performance. CFD analysis determines the lift and drag values for each aircraft, generates velocity and pressure plots, tests various dimensions, and compares BWB to traditional aircraft. The CFD simulations provide valuable insights into the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft, helping to refine the designs and improve their efficiency. Combinations of varying winglet height and wing chord length are tested with varying wingspan, creating two different groups for CFD analysis. This assists in optimizing each MARVIN model's dimensions in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. Additionally, comparisons between BWB and traditional aircraft configurations highlight the advantages of the BWB design, including improved lift-to-drag ratios and increased payload capacity. Wind tunnel testing is conducted to validate CFD results and assess real-world aerodynamic performance. Scaled models are 3D printed and tested under controlled conditions, providing crucial data on lift, drag, and stability to refine the aircraft design before potential deployment. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of aerial vehicle design for extraterrestrial exploration, paving the way for future advancements in Martian aviation technology. This study is successful in providing a high-level framework that can be utilized for consideration in future designs of Martian aircraft.

Presenting Author: Sohini Gupta Wheeler High School

Presenting Author Biography: Sohini Gupta is a high school senior at Wheeler High School based in Marietta, GA who has a passion for space and space exploration. She participates in her robotics team, her school’s chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the club she founded, Students in Space. She is a part of the AIAA High School Subcommittee and was a High School Intern at Georgia Tech Research Institute in 2024.

Authors:

Sohini Gupta Wheeler High School
Adeel Khalid Kennesaw State University