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Numerical simulations have been performed to study radiative and ablative processes experienced by a space vehicle entering a planetary atmosphere. The simulations are compared with spectroscopic measurements of a model tested at hypersonic entry conditions in the X2 expansion tube at the University of Queensland. The tests used a hemicylindrical graphite model to reproduce the ejection of carbon-based species into the flow due to surface reactions of an ablative material. Measurements were performed for flow over a cold (room temperature) model, and over an electrically pre-heated model, to study the influence of the model temperature on the recorded spectra. The experiments were rebuilt using numerical and physical analysis, the hot wall case. The flow configuration is fully three-dimensional, hence simulations are performed accordingly.

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