Image of the Day: This could be the first airplane on Mars

Sometime in the future an aircraft will make its first flight on Mars, and scientists believe this can be possible by the 2020s. The proposed aircraft, called Prandtl-m, is a relatively dainty flying-wing-style plane, much like a glider that’s already in use here on Earth.

Based off the existing Prandtl-d, a radio-controlled glider designed and built by aerospace engineering students during a NASA internship in 2012 and 2013, the prototype is scheduled to launch from a high-altitude balloon later this year. Sending it into the sky at about 100,000 feet will approximate the conditions found in Mars’ atmosphere.

The Prandtl-m could be the first airplane on Mars. Image via CNET.

The ultimate goal is to modify the aircraft’s design to include foldable wings that allow it to fit into a compact CubeSat, which is a type of mini satellite. A CubeSat, along with a Prandtl-m, can be placed on board a Mars rover to safely glide and snap high-res photographs as it flies. The flying wing is to be made from a strong, lightweight material like carbon fiber or fiberglass, giving it a weight of about 2.6 pounds.

If all goes according to plan and testing is proven successful, the aircraft could be put through a series of missions designed to mimic conditions for a deployment from a CubeSat on Mars.

According to the Prandtl-m’s development team, the aircraft is scheduled to hitch a ride to the Red Planet between 2022 and 2024.

Source: NASA