Mars Intelligent Reconnaissance Aerial and Ground Explorer (MIRAGE)

The MIRAGE is a vehicle designed to explore the Martian atmosphere and surface by synergizing the advantages of satellites and ground explorers. Its mission includes scouting sites of scientific interest for future manned exploration. While cruising at an average altitude of 1000 meters above Martian sea level at Mach 0.45, its instrumentation collects atmospheric samples and obtains high resolution measurements and images. MIRAGE will employ the Co-Flow Jet (CFJ) Airfoil, which can achieve extraordinarily high lift, low drag, and high stall margin to deal with the low density and Laminar regime of the Martian atmosphere. Thrust is generated by a propeller which is in turn powered by Hydrogen fuel cells. With a landing gear with wheels derived from the Mars Exploration Rovers, the MIRAGE has the ability to roam on the ground and collect soil samples with a robotic arm equipped with a rock abrasion tool. These samples are further examined by a state-of-the-art instrumentation, including a novel microbe detector that can help establish whether life exists or has existed on Mars. The mission also aims at scouting the Martian surface for sites of interest for future manned exploration.