Analysis of STS-2 experimental heating rates and transition data
Experimental laminar and 'fully' turbulent windward-ray heating rates obtained from the second Space Shuttle flight are compared with predicted rates based on equilibrium-air approximate and detailed analyses. A comparison of the results of the prediction techniques yield discrepancies of approximately 10 percent. The experimental laminar heating rates for altitudes greater than 67 km are as much as 35 percent lower than the results of the approximate code over the first 40 percent of the shuttle length. The approximate equilibrium predictions are in good agreement with these laminar data beyond the 40-percent station and over the entire shuttle at altitudes lower than 67 km. However, recent results of a detailed viscous-shock-layer nonequilibrium code indicate significant departures, especially at high altitudes, from the equilibrium state. Since the comparison of these predicted values and the data result in some currently unresolved questions, an engineering correlation of the predictions for use in the approximate code is not feasible at this time. Factors which may affect the comparisons of data and the nonequilibrium predictions are considered. The turbulent heating comparisons are good and boundary-layer transition data are compared with a current boundary-layer transition criterion.