After more than ten years of careful planning and preparation, NASA's "Perseverance" rover was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA on July 30, 2020.
In addition to searching for ancient microorganisms on Mars, the mission of Perseverance also includes collecting rock and soil samples, which will be brought back to Earth in the future. In addition, it also carries a drone named "Witty", which will be the first drone to fly above the surface of another planet. In this special space exploration mission, Teijin Aramid’s Technora® played its part. Airborne Systems, the designer and manufacturer of the Mars rover parachute, is a senior partner of Teijin Aramid, and this high-quality para-aramid material has become its core structure.
Based on excellence, the pursuit of transcendence
The mission of the "Perseverance" rover is very difficult. Not only must it overcome the extremely harsh ground conditions on the "Red Planet" (including an average temperature of -63°C, frequent sandstorms and lightning), it must also break through difficulties and descend and land safely. For this reason, the parachute of the rover must be able to withstand the heaviest load of the Mars mission and withstand extreme air pressure and storms. In order to deal with these deadly risks, the project adopted a series of mature and reliable technological innovations-especially in entry, descent and landing, including parachute ropes made of Teijin Aramid Technora®.
Many of these technologies have been tested in the previous four Mars exploration missions ("Sojna", "Courage", "Opportunity" and "Curiosity"). In particular, Technora® technology was used to suspend the Curiosity rover to its parachute. After testing, Curiosity’s parachute can withstand nearly 37,000 kg (81,000 lb), but in fact, the total breaking strength of the 80 Technora® suspension cables is almost twice that, reaching 72,500 kg (160,000 lb).
Special purpose
The excellent performance of Technora® will now be tested again, helping the "Perseverance" rover land on this red planet. In order to prepare for landing, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) conducted a series of parachute tests called ASPIRE to determine the reliability of the rover parachute. In these tests, the parachute was able to withstand an inflated load of nearly 31,751 kg (approximately 70,000 pounds).
Of course, the above work is an important preparation for the next work: because the rover carries its heaviest load, the parachute is crucial in its successful landing.
Work closely, join forces
In addition to a series of design, development, testing and practical work, parachutes based on Technora® technology are also inseparable from our strong and close cooperation with our partners. In this project, Teijin Aramid delivered Technora® to C.S.R. Braids, which specializes in weaving yarns into high-performance ropes, and Bally Ribbon Mills, which specializes in developing parachute slings. These projects are at the core of the parachutes designed by leading parachute design and production company Airborne Systems. The company cooperates with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (the leading solar system robot exploration center) for research and development.
Charles Lowry, chief project engineer for the 2020 Mars Parachute System of Airborne Systems, said: "Every party in this value chain has contributed their own unique expertise and services to the Perseverance Mars rover mission. Together, we have created an excellent performance Parachute, it is one of the most reliable, strongest and most flexible parachute ever. Faced with such a harsh environment, the use of standard specifications will increase the overall weight of the parachute system by 50%, which will not work at all. If it is Without the quality cooperation of CSR, Bally Ribbon Mills and Teijin Aramid, we would not have been able to achieve this."
Extraordinary performance, all in one
So, what makes Technora® the material of choice for the parachute rope of the Mars rover? The most worth mentioning is the outstanding mechanical and chemical properties of Technora®. It is far superior to various high-strength synthetic fibers in all aspects, which makes it an ideal choice for demanding space exploration missions. In terms of chemical properties, Technora® is similar to Twaron®, but the difference is that it is derived from copolymers, so it has superior performance.
Frank Bradley Jr., President of CSR Braids, said: "The excellent performance of Technora® makes it the fiber of choice for many parachute suspension wire applications. In particular, Technora® has a high strength-to-weight ratio, thermal stability, and dimensional stability. Performance and wear resistance, so it is very suitable for many aerodynamic deceleration systems for ground and interplanetary landings."
Many suspension cables have longer service life after integrating Technora®, and can lift heavier loads and withstand harsh conditions. Technora® can even be used for a long time at 200°C, so it can adapt to the harsh conditions in its manufacturing process.
Accompanying the "Perseverance" rover
The "Perseverance" rover is expected to land at the Jezero crater (Jezero) on Mars in February 2021, and its mission will last approximately one Martian year (equivalent to 687 Earth days). By exploring the surface of this red planet and obtaining soil samples, Perseverance will help collect climate and geographic data on Mars, and test the oxygen content in its atmosphere, so as to prepare for future human exploration on Mars. Therefore, the rover will help to broaden the horizons of scientific understanding and pave the way for a better future on Earth and other regions.