Phase II Final Report - NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts

Planetary Exploration Using Biomimetics
An Entomopter for Flight on Mars
tion to about 10 Hz when using a simple hydrogen peroxide-fueled gas generator without optimized
fuel injection.
Figure 3-136: First-generation
Reciprocating Chemical Muscle
Figure 3-137: Second-generation
Reciprocating Chemical Muscle
The second generation was approximately a quarter the volume of
generation one, but was able to demonstrate up to 20 Hz reciprocation
rates while exhibiting pounds of force. (See Figure 3-137)
The terrestrial Entomopter application called for a 50 gram vehicle
with a wing flapping frequency of between 25 and 30 Hz, thus the
third generation RCM was developed and demonstrated in coordination
with the DARPA/DSO Mesomachines study to investigate
the viability of the Entomopter concept for indoor military applications.
This third generation RCM was constructed at a scale that Stereolithographic Scale
Figure 3-138:
was about 2.5 times larger than the flyable version (see Figure 3- Model of the Terrestrial
138) required for the 50 gram Entomopter, but used internal porting Flight-sized
that was at the 1:1 flyable scale. Not only did this generation perform
with force necessary for wing actuation of the Entomopter, it
Muscle
Reciprocating Chemical
was demonstrated to reciprocate at 70 Hz, more than twice the
required speed, while producing a mechanical throw of 12.7 mm (0.5 inches).
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Phase II Final Report