Leading-Edge Vortex Lift
(LEVL) Flight Dynamics
What is LEVL mono-wing flight, and how can it help your missions?
Since 2019, SpaceAM has been studying the flight characteristics of tree seeds for advanced flight capabilities without propulsion. In our peer-reviewed and published paper in the Aerospace Journal in 2022, titled ‘Leading-Edge Vortex Lift (LEVL) Sample Probe for Venusian Atmosphere’, the research demonstrated the potential for the LEVL flight in atmospheric probe designs.
SpaceAM now offers a flight characteristic model that helps customers identify uses for the LEVL flight system.
LEVL flight systems can support a payload mass from 5 g up to 200 g in most atmospheres, slowing the rate of descent dramatically and even landing safely without the use of propulsion or parachutes.
Why is a LEVL flight auto-rotating mono wing better than parachutes in lightweight, low-mass systems?
Small parachutes don’t work effectively because the mass of bridles, rigging and attachments become an increasingly significant proportion of the total mass, and because there is a lower limit to the thickness of suitable fabrics. Their manufacture, and especially packing, does not lend itself to mass production and can malfunction at release. The mass and surface area of parachutes cannot be used to perform additional mission functions.
The LEVL flight auto-rotating mono wing gives a simple design with no release or packaging issues which lends itself to mass-production. Our design model helps to predict the descent rate in any atmosphere, defining key parameters such as the centre of rotation and centre of mass, which are key to auto-rotation performance. This design approach also gives mission design engineers the added benefit of being able to use the wing’s surface area for other functions, from scientific sensors to comms relays.
Talk to us about the many uses of LEVL flight technology both in space exploration and earth applications.
We have hundreds of LEVL drop data points with
different mass.
