AASC Composite Shroud Houses Phoenix Mars Lander Weather Station
05/29/2008
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Applied Aerospace Structures Corp. of Stockton, CA supported the Phoenix Mars Lander program by fabricating a composite shroud to house the spacecraft’s weather station.
The shroud consists of composite materials with rib stiffeners, a titanium laser tube and adaptor ring, along with a reflective Kapton® cover. The complete meteorological station will provide continuous and comprehensive weather reports from Mars. Temperature, air pressure, cloud height, humidity and wind speeds of Mars will be tracked, and images of the sky will be taken to analyze the clouds. The analysis of these reports will lead to a better understanding of Martian climate, weather systems, and water vapor origination.
The Phoenix Mars Lander completed its 10 month, 422 million mile journey on May 25, 2008, and successfully landed on Mars’ North Pole (Vastitas Borealis). The 772-pound spacecraft was traveling at approximately 12,300 miles per hour throughout the duration of the trip, slowing down to only 5 miles per hour upon landing. The spacecraft touched down on Mars at a location determined to be safe by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). This controlled descent was a tricky process that required real-time thinking for the entry, descent, and landing. Onboard thrusters enabled the controlled descent process, and the hydrazine-fed engines on Phoenix were turned off when sensors located on the footpads detected touchdown.
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Applied Aerospace Structures Corporation (AASC) is a full service provider of complex composite and metal bonded structures and assemblies for both military and commercial applications. Based in Stockton, California, AASC is classified as a small business with approximately 270 employees. AASC designs and fabricates critical, lightweight, high-performance, engineered structural assemblies for the aerospace industry. The company is ISO 9001:2000 and AS9100, third party certified and has been in business since 1956. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.aascworld.com.