Earth to Mars

A simulated flight from Earth to Mars, as realistic as possible using a minimum-energy transfer orbit during a launch window.

This project took me over half a year longer than I originally planned due to technical difficulties and constant lack of time. The result should be worth the wait.

The in-flight HUD was copied from Orbiter, where I simulated the entire flight for source information.

Planet textures from celestiamotherlode.com
Music: "Final Count", "Noble Race" by Kevin MacLeod, "Ma ei sure" by Pärt Uusberg
Programs used: Blender 2.5, Adobe After Effects

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• earth
• mars
• interplanetary
• flight
• space
• simulation
• future
• blender
• after
• effects
• orbiter
• animation

[ygvb1]

Amazing animation, I really like how you handled the lighting and flares.

[kiml42]

@Ylts92

P.S. I also think it would be difficult to fit in motors to extend and retract the array in the small space left behind, the collapsed telescope.

[kiml42]

@Ylts92 Even in microgravity I would think an 80cm by 0.4cm rod is too thin to be of reliable strength. I expect on model aeroplanes it can be stronger from being a broad surface that curves in multiple axis, causing compressive and tensional forces through the skin, not just a simple bending force. Also, they aren't 80cm long. And there will be quite a large force from accelerating the PV sheet.

I've asked my girlfriend about it, and she says you're probably right, and she knows far more than I

[Ylts92]

@kiml42

The numbers seem correct. Considering the rods have no structural load on them when extended I see no problem with it. The aluminium skin on modern airplanes for example is also of similar thickness.

There isn't anything wrong with the zigzag option, though. Actually I even tried using zigzag folding with the radiator panels on the rear of the ship but I couldn't get them fold up nicely enough.

[kiml42]

@Ylts92

I was thinking of zigzag because it wouldn't take less space. it could stick out to each side a little when fully folded. The sections could clip into each other, or maybe onto supportive rods to cope with the acceleration.

I tried making a telescoping structure to your specifications. I ended up with each section's wall being just 2mm thick, and the end section is just 4mm across (I could send you the .blend if you'd like to check I've worked it out right.)

[Ylts92]

@kiml42

50 sections actually (40m panel / 80cm folding space). I can't really imagine zig-zagging taking less space. The rods themselves are 20cm wide so in order to fit the same space length-wise there could be only 4 folds, 10m sections each.

Total packed volume in this case is 80cm x 10m x 8.6m (width of the panel) = 68.8m3.

Using for example, 10 folds, you'd have (10 x 0.2)m x (40/10)m x 8.6m = 68.8m3 so nothing changes.

Telescoping, however, fits the panels into 80cm x 80cm x 8.6m = 5.5m3.

[kiml42]

@Ylts92 Wouldn't it be better to have them fold in a zig-zaggy way. as you have it at the moment you'd need hundreds of sections, as there isn't much space to collapse into.

[Ylts92]

@kiml42

Telescoping is the idea but I didn't animate it :) So, yes, they're just getting shorter.

[kiml42]

@Ylts92

I thought the surfaces look like they were folding up like cloth, but the rods don't look like they're telescoping to me, more like they're just getting shorter. I had a similar issue with the Vanguard, but I chose to have the sails fold back and trail behind the ship so they're essentially hanging while accelerating.

[Ylts92]

@kiml42

Thanks.

The solar panels would be made of a very thin material that can fold up into the base. The spikes extending and retracting them are telescopic. The reason for retracting them is that such flimsy structures would simply break away while the ship is under thrust.