Effects of Solidity, Number of Blades, and Chord Distribution on Rotor Performance in a Martian Environment

Rotor performance in a Martian environment was analyzed with an objective of increasing thrust with minimal impact on efficiency. The Sample Recovery Helicopter (SRH) and Rotorcraft Optimization for the Advancement of Mars Exploration (ROAMX) rotors were studied by varying solidity, blade count, and chord distribution to determine which configuration delivered the most desirable performance. For all configurations, the ROAMX rotor displayed better performance than the SRH rotor. It was observed that increasing solidity reduced the blade loading required to achieve the peak figure of merit, and beyond a solidity ratio of 0.3 the figure of merit was negatively impacted. For both rotors a 6-bladed configuration with a solidity ratio of 0.3 delivered the optimal figure of merit.