InSight Cruise Phase, Events during Mars transit prior to EDL Options

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Hey again, everyone. This thread will be for discussion of anything that happens between now & landing day, currently 26 Nov US Pacific time (UTC-8 hrs during that part of the year).

[Guest_mcmcmc_*]

Added manometers for deceleration and attack angle.
http://win98.altervista.org/space/explorat...-simulator.html

It's cool to see even parachute oscillations and legs deployment in the "amplified" accelerometer! (first gauge)
Paper says attack angle is unreliable after chute deployment, I don't know why.

[Guest_mcmcmc_*]

Paper says attack angle is unreliable after chute deployment, I don't know why.

from official papers it results that even NASA does not why attack angle data are totally unreliable after parachute deployment, but i can't find any further update after 2010.

There are 3 different issues on attack angle reconstruction:
1) discrepancies between predicted and re-constructed angles of attack addressed by Desai et al.(2008).
2) discrepancies (+/- 2° , which could be "explained" by a 300 m/s wind) between results from direct reconstruction from gyros and indirect reconstruction from accelerometers - "Results from the Phoenix Atmospheric Structure Experiment" Paul Withers and David Catling - 2010
3) nonsense values of angle attack at parachute deployment (46°) and after (up to 132°) - "Production of Reduced Data Records for the Phoenix Atmospheric Structure Experiment" - Paul Withers, D. C. Catlingb -

From data it also appears that Phoenix touched ground... 1.2 km above ground ("Results from the Phoenix Atmospheric Structure Experiment" Paul Withers and David Catling - 2010). I'm not sure if they are talking about "above MOLA level" or "above ground level".


MSL EDL data just stop at 12 km above surface.
I've yet to examine EDL data for MPF, MER, and Schiaparelli, anyway last part of EDLs looks quite "mysterious" yet. Still a lot of work to do till safe manned capsule landing on Mars!

Now I am very curious about what Insight EDL data will show.

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I also found another interesting paper about an unexpected issue on Phoenix mission: descent radar locking on jettisoned heatshield and thus providing false values for altitude!
"Phoenix Landing Radar Heatshield Anomaly" - J. Eric Belz, Curtis Chen, and Ben Cichy

Together with high possibility of Phoenix cruise stage recontact with Phoenix lander during EDL, it's an issue I was totally unaware of till a week ago.