RedHopper
Have you ever wanted a rocket pack to soar amongst the sky? Now you can … on Mars… Gravity is less, atmospheric density is less, and the vistas are breathtaking. So come to Mars...
Buck Rogers aside, Mars is an interesting environment for out-of-this-world mobility options for an explorer. This challenge asks for the definition of a conceptual mobility solution to allow an astronaut to easily and rapidly explore Mars including overcoming obstacles such as cliffs, ravines and other difficult terrain. The solution should be person-portable and any means or source of propulsion be locally produced.
This challenge can be answered by:
- producing an app to simulate your adventures in building your jet pack and flying around Mars;
- produce an app that provides the local gravity, atmospheric conditions (density, weather, anything-else-of-interest) to help decide what is needed for your jet pack design;
- perform a feasibility/conceptual study of an actual jet pack design that could use potential Mars fuel sources; or Design and Demonstrate a model scale jet pack using hardware.
By using the Sabatier Reaction, we were able to react CO2 with H2. This produces CH4. We burned CH4 in our jet pack to give us 55.2 MJ of heat per kg of CH4 burned.
We calculated, using the general thrust equation and mass flow rate, that we would get 7018 N of force through this process. By estimating our astronaut to be 150 kg, he could easily hop across Mars's surface.
The best part about this model -- we are not influencing the martian environment in any way! The only unnatural product produced is water, which will be broken apart by UV light (due to the lack of a stratosphere/ozone layer in Mars's atmosphere). The hydrogen does not feel a strong gravitational pull due to its light mass, so it is essentially blown away by solar wind. The oxygen will simply undergo further reactions, possibly oxidizing with iron and further rusting Mars's surface.
Hence, our astronaut will be able to leap across Mars's surface facing no complications regarding tectonic surface features and (most importantly), leaving Mars's environment untouched by man. Man kind will be able to push our research regarding our red neighbor to achieve what was never thought possible.
