Nonequilibrium computational flowfield analysis for the design of mars manned entry vehicles

Abstract

This paper deals with the aerodynamic exploration analysis of innovative unusual vehicle concepts, suitable for a manned Mars entry, aiming to support design studies of planetary entry systems. In this framework, two lifting body (LB) con¦gurations have been analyzed so far. Several fully three-dimensional (3D) computational §uid dynamics (CFD) analyses, both for a perfect gas model and for a nonequilibrium reacting gas mixture model, have been performed. The §ow¦eld environment past the exploration vehicle for an assigned Mars entry scenario has been addressed. To this end, a wide range of §ow conditions, including di¨erent angles of attack (AoA), various Mach numbers, and Reynolds numbers, have been investigated. Results reported in the paper are useful for providing numerical data for further understanding the §uid dynamics processes, as those of high enthalpy §ow and vehicle shape e¨ects, involved in the design analysis of LB vehicles for the exploration of Mars.