← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 6 (started at 5, targeting 7)
The project's primary objective is to significantly enhance the aerial exploration capabilities within Mars' atmospheric environment through advanced aircraft design and testing methodologies. Aerial exploration of Mars became a reality with the successful deployment of the Mars Ingenuity helicopter; however, endurance and range can be significantly improved through the implementation of wing-borne flight systems. The Mars Electric Reusable Flyer (MERF), featuring a flying wing, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configuration, enables more efficient flight with superior range capability per unit of battery energy consumed. The MERF is capable of transitioning from hover to faster, wing-borne flight modes, representing a significant advancement in Mars aerial vehicle technology. In addition, the design was improved during this effort to allow for a more robust “belly” landing where the vehicle lands on its tail and then lowers itself into a stable position. The “belly” lander reduces the complexity of heavy and high drag landing gear.
The challenging Martian atmospheric environment, characterized by extremely low density (approximately 1% of Earth's atmospheric density) and unique Reynolds number flight conditions, necessitates specialized aircraft designs that differ substantially from terrestrial counterparts. These environmental constraints demand innovative approaches to aerodynamic design, propulsion systems, and structural configurations to achieve viable flight performance.
Building upon a comprehensive three-year NASA Langley Internal Research and Development (IRAD) project that concluded in 2018, which successfully converged on and developed the baseline vehicle design through extensive theoretical analysis and preliminary testing, our additional FY25 work focuses on refining and optimizing the vehicle concept. Specifically, two distinct structural configurations with extremely low wing loading were developed and analyzed, accompanied by comprehensive aerodynamic and performance analyses utilizing both computational and experimental methodologies. Furthermore, 50%-scale versions of the MERF concepts were constructed and tested at Earth sea-level conditions to benchmark lightweight construction techniques, validate design methodologies, and gather critical performance data for future full-scale development. Flight testing of these prototype vehicles is currently ongoing, providing valuable empirical data for design validation and refinement.
Background and Technical Approach
A previous research and development effort conducted between 2016 and 2018 produced multiple proof-of-concept vehicles and a sophisticated flight control system for a simple yet high-performance transitioning VTOL Mars aircraft, establishing the foundational technology for the MERF platform. The current work includes comprehensive refinement of the vehicle subsystem design to minimize overall weight while maximizing performance characteristics for a 5 kg uncrewed vehicle configuration, representing an optimal balance between capability and mass constraints for Mars deployment scenarios.
Extensive parametric performance analysis was performed to determine the sensitivity of critical flight parameters, including flight speed and power requirements, for vehicles with varying wing loadings, lift coefficients, and drag coefficients. This analysis provides crucial design guidance for optimizing vehicle performance across the expected operational envelope. Additional design focus was directed toward substantial improvements in vehicle aerodynamics specifically tailored for the low Reynolds number flight conditions encountered in the Martian atmosphere, including detailed design and comprehensive wind tunnel testing of a specialized propeller system that meets the dual requirements for both vehicle hovering and forward flight operations.
A preliminary vortex lattice aerodynamic analysis of the MERF wing configuration, examined both with and without propeller slipstream effects, was performed using advanced computational methods. Initial results indicate that significant improvement in the effective lift coefficient can be achieved through the strategically designed induced flow of the propellers over the wing surface, representing a synergistic design approach.
Flight testing will be conducted at Earth sea-level conditions to determine precise lift and drag coefficients that will inform, validate, and refine the parametric analyses. Earth sea-level testing, while necessarily performed at Reynolds numbers significantly higher than those experienced on Mars, remains highly relevant due to the relative insensitivity of lift and drag coefficients to Reynolds number variations for flat plate geometries. The MERF wing designs in this study closely approximate cambered flat plate configurations, ensuring applicability of Earth-based test results.
Development of the specialized VTOL propeller design for MERF was performed in collaboration with Old Dominion University, leveraging their expertise in low-speed aerodynamics. A novel experimental technique for very low Reynolds number wind tunnel testing conducted at Earth sea-level conditions was developed and validated to acquire comprehensive performance data for the innovative propeller design.
Immediate Technical Benefits:
Mars Exploration Capabilities:
Scientific Research Advancement:
Technology Development Benefits:
Future Mission Applications:
Operational Advantages:
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.