Photo credit: www.nasa.gov
Advancements in Martian Helicopter Technology: ROAMX Project Testing
In 2024-2025, NASA’s Ames Research Center undertook significant testing of helicopter blades specially designed for Mars as part of the Rotor Optimization for the Advancement of Mars eXploration (ROAMX) initiative. This research was conducted in the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory (PAL), where conditions can be meticulously controlled to replicate the atmospheric pressures found on different planetary bodies, including the thin atmosphere of Mars.
Within the PAL’s sophisticated testing environment, the full-scale blades developed under the ROAMX program were subjected to extensive evaluations. The blades were spun in a hover configuration, reaching operational speeds of up to 4000 RPM while exposed to a simulated Martian atmospheric density of approximately 0.015 kilograms per cubic meter. This environment provides a unique platform for assessing the aerodynamic performance of the blades.
As part of the evaluation process, blades from the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter — renowned for its successful flights on the Martian surface — were also tested in the same facility. The primary objective was to directly compare the performance of the new optimized blades with those of the Ingenuity helicopter. This comparative analysis is crucial for validating the computational models that predict the enhanced effectiveness of the ROAMX blades.
Preliminary findings from the simulations indicate a substantial improvement in performance with the ROAMX blades. These advancements suggest that future helicopters deployed on Mars could achieve greater distances, enhanced speed, and improved payload capacities for scientific missions.
Looking ahead, the next phase of testing is set to push the boundaries further, exploring higher RPMs and varying collective angles. Such developments hold promise for significant leaps in Martian exploration and the potential to conduct more in-depth research on the Red Planet’s surface.
Source
www.nasa.gov