On 20th December, Charbel Farhat, a researcher at Stanford University, gave the lecture “Computational Mechanics for Landing on Mars”, at the Abreu Faro Amphitheatre. The session was moderated by the Técnico professor Pedro Coelho, Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEM).

Farhat talked about his work on computational modelling applied to parachutes that he has been developing in collaboration with the America’s space agency (NASA).

Landing is a centrepiece of missions, and the parachute’s correct functioning is critical because vehicles can only be ejected from their carrier after the parachute has been opened.

Since 1997, NASA has sent several rovers to the surface of Mars to find out more about the red planet. Four generations of rovers later, the increasing size of these robots has become a challenge: “The next (rover) will be the size of a minibus,” said the US researcher.

The culmination of the journey from the Earth to Mars, which takes eight-and-a-half months, occurs with the “seven minutes of terror” – the time interval between the opening of the parachute and landing.

Computational modelling has emerged as a resource for sizing the parachutes to be used on these missions. The research team led by Charbel Farhat has already achieved a numerical simulation very close to the flight test, as shown in the video that the speaker shared during his speech.

This lecture took place under the partnership between Técnico and the US Embassy regarding the “American Corners Portugal” program.