{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":88497,"title":"E-Glider: Active Electrostatic Flight for Airless Body Exploration","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10775,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10770,"level":3,"code":"TX09.4.5","title":"Modeling and Simulation for EDL","definition":"Modeling and simulation for EDL refers to the computer codes, underlying physical models, and processes that enable configuration definition and design verification and validation for systems that—short of a full scale flight test—cannot be tested exactly in the configuration and environment for which it is intended to operate. The models cover both the environmental response to the presence of the system in operation, and the operational performance of the system in the environment. A key concern is understanding and modeling of interactions between rocket plumes and the ground.","exampleTechnologies":"Multi-disciplinary coupled analysis tools, aerothermodynamics modeling, ablative material response models, non-ablative material response models, TPS quantification models and processes, numerical methodologies and techniques, autonomous aerobraking, orbital debris entry and breakup modeling, meteor entry and breakup modeling, Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) tools, SRP modeling tools, aerodynamic modeling tools, plume-surface interaction, multi-scale simulation tools","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":1,"currentTrl":2,"endTrl":2,"benefits":"
This Electrostatic Glider (E-Glider) will enable the global scale exploration of airless bodies by circumnavigating the small body, and it lands, wherever it is most convenient, by retracting the appendages or by thruster/anchor.
","description":"The environment near the surface of airless bodies (asteroids, comets, Moon) is electrically charged due to Sun's photoelectric bombardment. Charged dust is ever present, even at high altitudes (dust fountains), following the Sun's illumination. We envisage the global scale exploration of airless bodies by a gliding vehicle that experiences its own electrostatic lift and drag by its interaction with the naturally charged particle environment near the surface. This Electrostatic Glider (E-Glider) lifts off by extending thin, charged, appendages, which are also articulated to direct the levitation force in the most convenient direction for propulsion and maneuvering. It thus carries out its science mission by circumnavigating the small body, and it lands, wherever it is most convenient, by retracting the appendages or by thruster/anchor.
","destinations":[{"lkuCodeId":1544,"code":"MOON_AND_CISLUNAR","description":"Moon and Cislunar","lkuCodeTypeId":526,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"DESTINATION_TYPE","description":"Destination Type"}},{"lkuCodeId":1546,"code":"INSIDE_SOLAR_SYSTEM","description":"Others Inside the Solar System","lkuCodeTypeId":526,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"DESTINATION_TYPE","description":"Destination Type"}}],"startYear":2016,"startMonth":7,"endYear":2017,"endMonth":6,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":505669,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Bruno","lastName":"Quadrelli","fullName":"Bruno M Quadrelli","fullNameInverted":"Quadrelli, Bruno M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"marco.b.quadrelli@jpl.nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":205653,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Derleth","fullName":"Jason E Derleth","fullNameInverted":"Derleth, Jason E","middleInitial":"E","primaryEmail":"jason.e.derleth@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":205653,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Derleth","fullName":"Jason E Derleth","fullNameInverted":"Derleth, Jason E","middleInitial":"E","primaryEmail":"jason.e.derleth@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":142364,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Eric","lastName":"Eberly","fullName":"Eric A Eberly","fullNameInverted":"Eberly, Eric A","middleInitial":"A","primaryEmail":"eric.eberly@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[{"files":[],"id":168152,"title":"Hovering Moon Rover Concept Uses An Electric Field To Float","description":"","libraryItemTypeId":762,"projectId":88497,"primary":false,"publishedBy":"","publishedDateString":"","url":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethhowell1/2022/01/03/hovering-moon-rover-concept-uses-an-electric-field-to-float/?sh=5fd0a4440923","contentType":{"lkuCodeId":762,"code":"LINK","description":"Link","lkuCodeTypeId":341,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"LIBRARY_ITEM_TYPE","description":"Library Item Type"}}},{"files":[],"id":168067,"title":"NASA.gov Feature Article","libraryItemTypeId":762,"projectId":88497,"primary":false,"publishedDateString":"","url":"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/e-glider-active-electrostatic-flight-for-airless-body-exploration","contentType":{"lkuCodeId":762,"code":"LINK","description":"Link","lkuCodeTypeId":341,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"LIBRARY_ITEM_TYPE","description":"Library Item Type"}}},{"caption":"The E-Glider (electrostatic Glider) is a small vehicle that levitates above the surface of an asteroid after extending strands of metallic film, forming the wings, so that it becomes “airborne”, but in the electrostatic vacuum lofting around the asteroid. By articulating the wings, the E-Glider can now hover, and maneuver around, without touching the surface. It is the first circumnavigation of an airless body by electrostatic forces, opening new avenues for low-cost, persistent, reconnaissance of airless bodies, leading to effective global scale prospecting of mineral-rich asteroids.","file":{"fileExtension":"jpg","fileId":144668,"fileName":"E-Glider- Active Electrostatic Flight for Airless Body Exploration_Image","fileSize":83459,"objectId":168309,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":889,"code":"LIBRARY_ITEMS","description":"Library Items","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"objectTypeId":889,"fileSizeString":"81.5 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"jpg","fileId":144668,"fileName":"E-Glider- Active Electrostatic Flight for Airless Body Exploration_Image","fileSize":83459,"objectId":168309,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":889,"code":"LIBRARY_ITEMS","description":"Library Items","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"objectTypeId":889,"fileSizeString":"81.5 KB"}],"id":168309,"title":"Project Image","description":"The E-Glider (electrostatic Glider) is a small vehicle that levitates above the surface of an asteroid after extending strands of metallic film, forming the wings, so that it becomes “airborne”, but in the electrostatic vacuum lofting around the asteroid. By articulating the wings, the E-Glider can now hover, and maneuver around, without touching the surface. It is the first circumnavigation of an airless body by electrostatic forces, opening new avenues for low-cost, persistent, reconnaissance of airless bodies, leading to effective global scale prospecting of mineral-rich asteroids.","libraryItemTypeId":1095,"projectId":88497,"primary":true,"publishedDateString":"","contentType":{"lkuCodeId":1095,"code":"IMAGE","description":"Image","lkuCodeTypeId":341,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"LIBRARY_ITEM_TYPE","description":"Library Item Type"}}}],"transitions":[{"transitionId":18912,"projectId":88497,"transitionDate":"2017-06-01","path":"Closed Out","url":"https://www.nasa.gov/feature/e-glider-active-electrostatic-flight-for-airless-body-exploration","details":"The environment near the surface of asteroids, comets, and the Moon is electrically charged due to the Sun's photoelectric bombardment and lofting dust, which follows the Sun illumination as the body spins. Charged dust is ever present, in the form of dusty plasma, even at high altitudes, following the solar illumination. If a body with high surface resistivity is exposed to the solar wind and solar radiation, sun-exposed areas and shadowed areas become differentially charged. The E-Glider (Electrostatic Glider) is an enabling capability for operation at airless bodies, a solution applicable to many types of in-situ mission concepts, which leverages the natural environment. With the E-Glider, we transform a problem (spacecraft charging) into an enabling technology, i.e. a new form of mobility in microgravity environments using new mechanisms and maneuvering based on the interaction of the vehicle with the environment. Consequently, the vision of the E-Glider is to enable global scale airless body exploration with a vehicle that uses, instead of avoids, the local electrically charged environment. This platform directly addresses the \"All Access Mobility\" Challenge, one of the NASA's Space Technology Grand Challenges. Exploration of comets, asteroids, moons and planetary bodies is limited by mobility on those bodies. The lack of an atmosphere, the low gravity levels, and the unknown surface soil properties pose a very difficult challenge for all forms of know locomotion at airless bodies. This E-Glider levitates by extending thin, charged, appendages, which are also articulated to direct the levitation force in the most convenient direction for propulsion and maneuvering. The charging is maintained through continuous charge emission. It lands, wherever it is most convenient, by retracting the appendages or by firing a cold-gas thruster, or by deploying an anchor. The wings could be made of very thin Au-coated Mylar film, which are electrostatically inflated, and would provide the lift due to electrostatic repulsion with the naturally charged asteroid surface. Since the E-glider would follow the Sun's illumination, the solar panels on the vehicle would constantly charge a battery. Further articulation at the root of the lateral strands or inflated membrane wings, would generate a component of lift depending on the articulation angle, hence a selective maneuvering capability which, to all effects, would lead to electrostatic (rather than aerodynamic) flight. Preliminary calculations indicate that a 1 kg mass can be electrostatically levitated in a microgravity field with a 2 m diameter electrostatically inflated ribbon structure at 19kV, hence the need for a balloon-like system. Due to the high density and the photo-electron sheath and associate small Debye length, significant power is required to levitate even a few kilograms. The power required is in the kilo-Watt range to maintain a constant charge level.","closeoutDocuments":[{"title":"Final Report PDF\\Final Report URL","file":{"fileExtension":"pdf","fileId":144788,"fileName":"niac_2016_phasei_quadrelli_eglider_tagged","fileSize":8389343,"objectId":18912,"objectType":{"lkuCodeId":1841,"code":"TRANSITION_FILES","description":"Transition Files","lkuCodeTypeId":182,"lkuCodeType":{"codeType":"OBJECT_TYPE","description":"Object Type"}},"fileSizeString":"8.0 MB"},"transitionId":18912,"fileId":144788}],"infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"June 2017"}],"primaryImage":{"file":{"fileExtension":"jpg","fileId":144668,"fileSizeString":"0 Byte"},"id":168309,"description":"The E-Glider (electrostatic Glider) is a small vehicle that levitates above the surface of an asteroid after extending strands of metallic film, forming the wings, so that it becomes “airborne”, but in the electrostatic vacuum lofting around the asteroid. 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