Space Shuttle heating analysis with variation in angle of attack and surface condition

Abstract

The effects of variations in the angle of attack and surface catalycity condition on the Space Shuttle surface heating along the windward centerline are evaluated. Further, the time history of the nonequilibrium-to-equilibrium surface heating ratio and the boundary edge quantities are analyzed. Results show that a + or - 5% change in the angle of attack does not appreciably influence either the nonequilibrium heating or the nonequilibrium-to-equilibrium heat transfer ratio at higher (75 km) or lower (48 km) altitudes. The variation in the recombination rate parameter is found to affect the surface heating most at an altitude of about 75 km for the STS-2 flight. A maximum reduction of 49% in heating due to nonequilibrium chemistry is obtained at about a 75 km altitude in the nose region of the Orbiter for the STS-2 flight data. In addition, the nonequilibrium effects at the boundary layer edge are found to become less significant for altitudes less than 65 km even though the boundary layer flow may still be in nonquilibrium.