Artist's Conception of Nanocardboard Flyers as Atmospheric Probes (IMAGE)

University of Pennsylvania

Artist's Conception of Nanocardboard Flyers as Atmospheric Probes

Caption

Despite weighing about a third of a milligram, Penn Engineers are now testing their "nanocardboard" flyers ability to lift payloads. In this artist's conception, fleets of flyers could be launched from ground-based rovers and steered with lasers to collect samples. Planets and moons with thin atmospheres and low gravities would enhance these flyers' ability to levitate by shooting air through their corrugated channels.

Credit

Bargatin Group, Penn Engineering

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