NASA is designing a Mars-lander that will enter the Martian atmosphere at high speed. To land safely it must slow to a constant vertical speed of 20 m/s after deploying a parachute with an area of 200 m^2. The drag coefficient of the parachute is 1.855. The acceleration due to gravity on Mars is 3.71 m/s2, and the density of the atmosphere near the surface is 0.01 kg/m^3. a. Calculate the maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely?
b. The mission designers consider a larger lander with a mass of 480 kg. Show that the parachute required would be larger than 400 m².
c. To test the lander before launching it to Mars, it is tested on Earth where g = 9.8 m/s^2 and the atmospheric density is 1.0 kg m-3. How big should the parachute be for the terminal speed to be 20 m/s, if the mass of the lander is 480 kg?

a) maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely is 200 kg

b) area of the parachute required is 480 m² which is larger than 400 m²

c) area of the parachute should be 12.68 m²

Explanation:

Given the data in the question;

V = 20 m/s

A = 200 m²

drag co-efficient CD = 1.855

g = 3.71 m/s²

density of the atmospheric pressure β = 0.01 kg/m³

a. Calculate the maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely?

Drag force FD = 1/2 × CD × β × A × V²

we substitute

FD = 1/2 × 1.855 × 0.01 kg/m × 200 m² × ( 20 m/s )²

FD = 742 N

we know that;

FD = Fg

Fg = gravity force

Fg = mg

so

FD = mg

m = FD/g

we substitute

m = 742 N / 3.71 m/s²

m = 200 kg

Therefore, the maximum mass of the Mars lander to ensure it can land safely is 200 kg

b. The mission designers consider a larger lander with a mass of 480 kg. Show that the parachute required would be larger than 400 m²;

Given that;

M = 480 kg

Show that the parachute required would be larger than 400 m²

we know that;

FD = Fg = Mg = 480 kg × 3.71 m/s²

FD = 1780.8 N

Now, FD = 1/2 × CD × β × A × V², we solve for A

A = FD / 0.5 × CD × β × V²

we substitute

A = 1780.8  / 0.5 × 1.855 × 0.1 × (20)²

A = 1780.8 / 3.71

A = 480 m²

Therefore, area of the parachute required 480 m² which is larger than 400 m²

c. To test the lander before launching it to Mars, it is tested on Earth where g = 9.8 m/s^2 and the atmospheric density is 1.0 kg m-3. How big should the parachute be for the terminal speed to be 20 m/s, if the mass of the lander is 480 kg?

Given that;

g = 9.8 m/s²,

β" = 1 kg/m³

v" = 20 m/s

M" = 480 kg

we know that;

FD = Fg = M"g

FD = 480 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 4704 N

from the expression; FD = 1/2 × CD × β × A × V²

A = FD / 0.5 × CD × β" × V"²

we substitute

A = 4704 / 0.5 × 1.855 × 1 × (20)²

A = 4704 / 371

A = 12.68 m²

Therefore area of the parachute should be 12.68 m²

v 154.9= 0.9 length length s little over 154.9cm