Abstract
The Tianwen-1 Mars entry vehicle successfully landed on the surface of Mars in southern Utopia Planitia on May 15, 2021, at 7:18 (UTC+8). To acquire valuable Martian flight data, a scientific instrumentation package consisting of a flush air data system and a multilayer temperature-sensing system was installed aboard the entry vehicle. A combined approach was applied in the entry, descent, and landing trajectory reconstruction using all available data obtained by the inertial measurement unit and the flush air data system. An aerodynamic database covering the entire flight regime was generated using computational fluid dynamics methods to assist in the reconstruction process. A preliminary analysis of the trajectory reconstruction result, along with the atmosphere reconstruction and aerodynamic performance, was conducted. The results show that the trajectory agrees closely with the nominal trajectory and the wind-relative attitude. Suspected wind occurred at the end of the trajectory.
Highlights
The Tianwen-1 Mars entry vehicle successfully landed on the surface of Mars in the southern Utopia Planitia on May 15, 2021, at 7:18 (UTC+8)
This study focused on trajectory and atmosphere reconstruction using inertial measurement unit (IMU) and flush air data system (FADS) data
The FADS is assisted by an aerodynamic database (ADB) covering the entire flight regime generated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods
Summary
The Tianwen-1 Mars entry vehicle successfully landed on the surface of Mars in the southern Utopia Planitia on May 15, 2021, at 7:18 (UTC+8). The Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission consists of three major parts: orbiting, landing, and roving. The Tianwen-1 spacecraft, launched aboard CZ-5B from Wenchang on July 23, 2020, was injected into the Mars orbit in February 2021, and it stayed in the orbit for two and a half months. The entry vehicle went through “nine minutes of terror” using a trim angle of attack at approximately −10◦ to gain lift for banking maneuvers in most of the flight, and it reached peak heating at an altitude of approximately 60 km.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
