Aerodynamic Analysis of a Manned Space Vehicle for Missions to Mars

Abstract

The paper deals with the aerodynamic analysis of a manned braking system entering the Mars atmosphere with the aim to support planetary entry system design studies. The exploration vehicle is an axisymmetric blunt body close to the Apollo capsule. Several fully three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analyses have been performed to address the capsule aerodynamic performance. To this end, a wide range of flow conditions including reacting and nonreacting flow, different angles of attack, and Mach numbers have been investigated and compared. Moreover, nonequilibrium effects on the flow field around the entry vehicle have also been investigated. Results show that real-gas effects, for all the angles of attack considered, increase both the aerodynamic drag and pitching moment whereas the lift is only slighted affected. Finally, results comparisons highlight that experimental and CFD aerodynamic findings available for the Apollo capsule in air adequately represent the static coefficients of the capsule in the Mars atmosphere.

Robust multi-fidelity design of a micro re-entry unmanned space vehicle

“…25 and Reynolds number, Re, < 9. [21]. No solutions are computed for 5.75 4 Ma 4 6.25 or 9.5 10 4 4 Re 4 1.05 10 5 , in order to have an aerodynamic database as smooth as possible: since there is no transition model between laminar and turbulent flow and there is discontinuity between the models for hypersonic and supersonic regimes, then computations into the transition regions could be misleading.…”

“…Real gases database is enhanced on the basis of reported air data for high temperatures [20]. Since non-equilibrium reactions and ionization are not taken into account, it should be expected to obtain underestimation of the drag at the highest altitudes, with a consequent underestimation of the deceleration during the first part of the re-entry, while this simplification should not affect the lift values [21].…”

Large-Eddy Simulations of a Hypersonic Re-Entry Capsule Coupled with the Supersonic Disk-Gap-Band Parachute

“…For a period of over 60 years, both experimental and computational studies have been conducted on the aerothermodynamics of re-entry vehicles [1,2]. The Mercury and Apollo programs forged a path for experimental studies on blunt-body hypersonics, while computational studies began with the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.…”