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# Suborbital Crewless Aerial Vehicles for Earth Surveillance and Mars Exploration

Preferred citation (DataCite format):

  Spurling, Reed; Shkarayev, Sergey; Bouskela, Adrien; Schiffler, Maddie (2021).
  Suborbital Crewless Aerial Vehicles for Earth Surveillance and Mars Exploration.
  University of Arizona Research Data Repository.
  Presentation. https://doi.org/10.25422/azu.data.14474421


Corresponding Author:
  Reed Spurling, University of Arizona, reedcspurling@email.arizona.edu


License:
  CC BY 4.0


DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.25422/azu.data.14474421



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## Summary

This talk was presented on 2021 April 17 at the AY2020-21 Arizona NASA Arizona
Space Grant Statewide Undergraduate Research Symposium. The event was
virtually available via Zoom.

Submitted abstract:
An autonomous sailplane capable of mimicking the dynamic soaring behavior of
albatrosses could enable mapping and climatology on Earth, and investigations
of otherwise inaccessible terrains on Mars. We have been working this year to
develop, assemble, and test a weather balloon-based system to support
experimental flights of a prototype sailplane at altitudes up to 100,000 feet
above Earth’s surface, where the atmosphere is similar to Mars’ atmosphere.
Thus far, we have launched this system twice, once without our sailplane—to
verify the accuracy of our calculations and the proper functioning of
electronics and telemetry systems—and once with the sailplane to test the
preparedness of our ground station and balloon release mechanism, both
designed and built by us. These launches verified the successful operation of
the modified sailplane prototype, balloon release mechanism, and ground
station, in preparation for future high-altitude flight tests.



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## Additional Notes

Links:
  - https://spacegrant.arizona.edu/

This presentation is part of 2021 NASA Arizona Space Grant Symposium
presentations collection, which is available here: 
https://doi.org/10.25422/azu.data.c.5299166