Flight reentry experiments

Herbert A Wilson, Jr; Robert L Wright

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NASA NTRS · 19650024008

Flight reentry experiments

Herbert A Wilson, Jr·Robert L Wright

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Abstract

The foregoing discussion has show the way in which flight testing supplements, extends, and reinforces the usefulness of data from ground test facilities. Flight tests can provide an anchor point in evaluating ground test data. Although flight tests can avoid some of the inherent problems of ground facilities, they are expensive, putting a premium on each test to provide the most data that can be acquired. The portions of the reentry flight spectrum which can be simulated by "hot" and "cold" ground facilities are reviewed and some of the current flight programs for obtaining data in the Apollo Reentry Envelope are discussed. The programs are categorized as to (1) environment (heating), (2) materials response, (3) communication problems, and (4) observables. A discussion of the launch vehicles, unknown parameters, and methods of data acquisition for each program is presented.

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Herbert A Wilson, Jr, Robert L Wright. 1965-07-01. Flight reentry experiments. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19650024008

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