Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “atmospheric drag modeling”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Axisymmetric modeling of cometary mass loading on an adaptively refined grid: MHD results

The first results of an axisymmetric magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of the interaction of an expanding cometary atmosphere with the solar wind are presented. The model assumes that far upstream the plasma flow lines are parallel to the magnetic field vector. The effects of mass loading and ion-neutral friction are taken into account by the governing equations, whcih are solved on an adaptively refined unstructured grid using a Monotone Upstream Centered Schemes for Conservative Laws (MUSCL)-type numerical technique. The combination of the adaptive refinement with the MUSCL-scheme allows the entire cometary atmosphere to be modeled, while still resolving both the shock and the near nucleus of the comet. The main findingsare the following: (1) A shock is formed approximately = 0.45 Mkm upstream of the comet (its location is controlled by the sonic and Alfvenic Mach numbers of the ambient solar wind flow and by the cometary mass addition rate). (2) A contact surface is formed approximately = 5,600 km upstream of the nucleus separating an outward expanding cometary ionosphere from the nearly stagnating solar wind flow. The location of the contact surface is controlled by the upstream flow conditions, the mass loading rate and the ion-neutral drag. The contact surface is also the boundary of the diamagnetic cavity. (3) A closed inner shock terminates the supersonic expansion of the cometary ionosphere. This inner shock is closer to the nucleus on dayside than on the nightside.

Gombosi, Tamas I.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Jupiter Thermospheric General Circulation Model (JTGCM): Global Structure and Dynamics Driven by Auroral and Joule Heating

A growing multispectral database plus recent Galileo descent measurements are being used to construct a self-consistent picture of the Jupiter thermosphere/ionosphere system. The proper characterization of Jupiter s upper atmosphere, embedded ionosphere, and auroral features requires the examination of underlying processes, including the feedbacks of energetics, neutral-ion dynamics, composition, and magnetospheric coupling. A fully 3-D Jupiter Thermospheric General Circulation Model (JTGCM) has been developed and exercised to address global temperatures, three-component neutral winds, and neutral-ion species distributions. The domain of this JTGCM extends from 20-microbar (capturing hydrocarbon cooling) to 1.0 x 10(exp -4) nbar (including aurora/Joule heating processes). The resulting JTGCM has been fully spun-up and integrated for greater than or equal to40 Jupiter rotations. Results from three JTGCM cases incorporating moderate auroral heating, ion drag, and moderate to strong Joule heating processes are presented. The neutral horizontal winds at ionospheric heights vary from 0.5 km/s to 1.2 km/s, atomic hydrogen is transported equatorward, and auroral exospheric temperatures range from approx.1200-1300 K to above 3000 K, depending on the magnitude of Joule heating. The equatorial temperature profiles from the JTGCM are compared with the measured temperature structure from the Galileo AS1 data set. The best fit to the Galileo data implies that the major energy source for maintaining the equatorial temperatures is due to dynamical heating induced by the low-latitude convergence of the high-latitude-driven thermospheric circulation. Overall, the Jupiter thermosphere/ionosphere system is highly variable and is shown to be strongly dependent on magnetospheric coupling which regulates Joule heating.

Bougher, S. W.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Comparison of Arctic and Antarctic Stratospheric Climates in Chemistry Versus No‐Chemistry Climate Models

Using nine chemistry-climate and eight associated no-chemistry models, we investigate the persistence and timing of cold episodes occurring in the Arctic and Antarctic stratosphere during the period 1980–2014. We find systematic differences in behavior between members of these model pairs. In a first group of chemistry models whose dynamical configurations mirror their no-chemistry counterparts, we find an increased persistence of such cold polar vortices, such that these cold episodes often start earlier and last longer, relative to the times of occurrence of the lowest temperatures. Also the date of occurrence of the lowest temperatures, both in the Arctic and the Antarctic, is often delayed by 1–3 weeks in chemistry models, versus their no-chemistry counterparts. This behavior exacerbates a widespread problem occurring in most or all models, a delayed occurrence, in the median, of the most anomalously cold day during such cold winters. In a second group of model pairs there are differences beyond just ozone chemistry. In particular, here the chemistry models feature more levels in the stratosphere, a raised model top, and differences in non-orographic gravity wave drag versus their no-chemistry counterparts. Such additional dynamical differences can completely mask the above influence of ozone chemistry. The results point toward a need to retune chemistry-climate models versus their no-chemistry counterparts.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2014

Development of the GEOS-5 Atmospheric General Circulation Model: Evolution from MERRA to MERRA2.

The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications-2 (MERRA2) version of the GEOS-5 (Goddard Earth Observing System Model - 5) Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) is currently in use in the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at a wide range of resolutions for a variety of applications. Details of the changes in parameterizations subsequent to the version in the original MERRA reanalysis are presented here. Results of a series of atmosphere-only sensitivity studies are shown to demonstrate changes in simulated climate associated with specific changes in physical parameterizations, and the impact of the newly implemented resolution-aware behavior on simulations at different resolutions is demonstrated. The GEOS-5 AGCM presented here is the model used as part of the GMAO's MERRA2 reanalysis, the global mesoscale "nature run", the real-time numerical weather prediction system, and for atmosphere-only, coupled ocean-atmosphere and coupled atmosphere-chemistry simulations. The seasonal mean climate of the MERRA2 version of the GEOS-5 AGCM represents a substantial improvement over the simulated climate of the MERRA version at all resolutions and for all applications. Fundamental improvements in simulated climate are associated with the increased re-evaporation of frozen precipitation and cloud condensate, resulting in a wetter atmosphere. Improvements in simulated climate are also shown to be attributable to changes in the background gravity wave drag, and to upgrades in the relationship between the ocean surface stress and the ocean roughness. The series of "resolution aware" parameters related to the moist physics were shown to result in improvements at higher resolutions, and result in AGCM simulations that exhibit seamless behavior across different resolutions and applications.

AGCM↗
NASA NTRS1999

Experimental Study of Unsupported Nonane fuel Droplet Combustion in Microgravity

Soot formation in droplet flames is the basic component of the particulate emission process that occurs in spray combustion. The complexity of soot formation motivates a one-dimensional transport condition which has obvious advantages in modeling. Recent models of spherically symmetric droplet combustion have made this assumption when incorporating such aspects as detailed chemistry and radiation. Interestingly, spherical symmetry does not necessarily restrict the results because it has been observed that the properties of carbon formed in flames are not strongly affected by the nature of the fuel or flaming configuration. What is affected, however, are the forces acting on the soot aggregates and where they are trapped by a balance of drag and thermophoretic forces. The distribution of these forces depends on the transport conditions of the flame. Prior studies of spherical droplet flames have examined the droplet burning history of alkanes, alcohols and aromatics. Data are typically the evolution of droplet, flame, extinction, and soot shell diameters. These data are only now just beginning to find their way into comprehensive numerical models of droplet combustion to test proposed oxidation schemes for fuels such as methanol and heptane. In the present study, we report new measurements on the burning history of unsupported nonane droplets in a convection-free environment to promote spherical symmetry. The far-field gas is atmospheric pressure air at room temperature. The evolution of droplet diameter was measured using high speed cine photography of a spark-ignited, droplet within a confined volume in a drop tower. The initial droplet diameters varied between 0.5 mm and 0.6 mm. The challenge of unsupported droplets is to form, deploy and ignite them with minimal disturbance, and then to keep them in the camera field of view. Because of the difficulty of this undertaking, more sophisticated diagnostics for studying soot than photographic were not used. Supporting the test droplet by a fiber fixes the droplet position but the fiber can perturb the burning process especially for a sooting fuel. Prior studies on heptane showed little evidence for soot formation due to g-droplets of similar size the relationship between sooting and droplet diameter. For nonane droplets we expect increased sooting due to the greater number of carbon atoms. As a sooting droplet burns and its diameter decreases, proportionally less soot should form. This reduced soot, as well as the influence of soot formed earlier in the burning process which collects in a 'shell', on heat transport to the flame offers the potential for a time-varying burning rate. Such an effect was investigated and revealed in results reported here. Speculation is offered for the cause of this effect and its possible relation to soot formation.

Callahan, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Space-Based Sentinels for Measurement of Infrared Cooling in the Thermosphere for Space Weather Nowcasting

Infrared radiative cooling by nitric oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) modulates the thermosphere’s density and thermal response to geomagnetic storms. Satellite tracking and collision avoidance planning require accurate density forecasts during these events. Over the past several years, failed density forecasts have been tied to the onset of rapid and significant cooling due to production of NO and its associated radiative cooling via emission of infrared radiation at 5.3 μm. These results have been diagnosed, after the fact, through analyses of measurements of infrared cooling made by the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry instrument now in orbit over 16 years on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite. Radiative cooling rates for NO and CO2 have been further shown to be directly correlated with composition and exospheric temperature changes during geomagnetic storms. These results strongly suggest that a network of smallsats observing the infrared radiative cooling of the thermosphere could serve as space weather sentinels. These sentinels would observe and provide radiative cooling rate data in real time to generate nowcasts of density and aerodynamic drag on space vehicles. Currently, radiative cooling is not directly considered in operational space weather forecast models. In addition, recent research has shown that different geomagnetic storm types generate substantially different infrared radiative response, and hence, substantially different thermospheric density response. The ability to identify these storms, and to measure and predict the Earth’s response to them, should enable substantial improvement in thermospheric density forecasts.

Mlynczak, Martin G.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Forecasting the Impact of an 1859-calibre Superstorm on Satellite Resources

We have assembled a database of operational satellites in orbit as of 2004, and have developed a series of simple models to assess the economic impacts to this resource caused by various scenarios of superstorm events possible during the next sunspot cycle between 2010 and 2014. Despite the apparent robustness of our satellite assets against the kinds of storms we have encountered during the satellite era, our models suggest a potential economic loss exceeding $10(exp 11) for satellite replacement and lost profitability caused by a once a century single storm similar to the 1859 superstorm. From a combination of power system and attitude control system (the most vulnerable) failures, we estimate that 80 satellites (LEO, MEO, GEO) may be disabled as a consequence of a superstorm event. Additional consequences may include the failure of many of the GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite systems in MEO. Approximately 98 LEO satellites that normally would not have re-entered for many decades, may prematurely de-orbit in ca 2021 as a result of the temporarily increased atmospheric drag caused by the superstorm event occurring in 2012. The $10(exp 11) International Space Station may lose at least 15 kilometers of altitude, placing it in critical need for re-boosting by an amount that is potentially outside the range of typical Space Shuttle operations during the previous solar maximum in ca 2000, and at a time when NASA plans to decommission the Space Shuttle. Several LEO satellites will unexpectedly be placed on orbits that enter the ISS zone of avoidance, requiring some action by ground personnel and ISS astronauts to avoid close encounters. Radiation effects on astronauts have also been considered and could include a range of possibilities from acute radiation sickness for astronauts inside spacecraft, to near-lethal doses during EVAs. The specifics depends very sensitively on the spectral hardness of the accompanying SPE event. Currently, the ability to forecast extreme particle events and coronal mass ejections, or predict their fluences and geo-severity in the 24-hrs prior to the event, appears to be no better than 50/50. If the events of the 1859 superstorm serve as a guide, the scope of a contemporary superstorm will most certainly be an awesome event, but one that the vast majority of our other satellite resources may reasonably be expected to survive.

Odenwald, Sten↗
NASA NTRS1986

The analysis of airline flight records for winds and performance with application to the Delta 191 accident

Advanced analytical methods applied to airline digital flight records and ATC radar tracking data are providing new insights into atmospheric disturbances that cause serious operating problems for aircraft. Performance-based methods for estimating unmeasured flow angles and the possible influence of rain on lift and drag, and a state-estimation procedure for determining winds along the flightpath are reviewed. The methods are applied to data records from the Delta Flight 191 wind-shear accident at the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport (August 2, 1985) which involved an L-1011 airliner on final approach. The results indicate that the aircraft encountered a strong downlow followed by a strong outflow accompanied by large and rapid changes in the vertical wind. This pattern of low-level winds is consistent with the model that treats a downburst as a vortex ring. Although rain was present in the downburst, the analysis showed no evidence of performance loss. The results obtained from analyses of airline turbulence encounters provide a means for simulating turbulence phenomena and for training pilots for future encounters.

Bach, R. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The mass of Mars, Phobos, and Deimos, from the analysis of the Mariner 9 and Viking Orbiter tracking data

We have estimated the mass of Phobos, Deimos, and Mars using the Viking Orbiter and Mariner 9 tracking data. We divided the data into 282 arcs and sorted the data by periapse height, by inclination, and by satellite. The data were processed with the GEODYN/SOLVE orbit determination programs, which have previously been used to analyze planetary tracking data. The a priori Mars gravity field applied in this study was the 50th degree and order GMM-1 (Goddard Mars Model-1) model. The subsets of data were carefully edited to remove any arcs with close encounters of less than 500 km with either Phobos or Deimos. Whereas previous investigators have used close flybys (less than 500 km) to estimate the satellite masses, we have attempted to estimate the masses of Phobos and Deimos from multiday arcs which only included more distant encounters. The subsets of data were further edited to eliminate spurious data near solar conjunction (Nov.-Dec. 1976 and January 1979). In addition, the Viking-1 data from Oct. through Dec. 1978 were also excluded because of the low periapse altitude (as low as 232 km) and thus high sensitivity to atmospheric drag.

Smith, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Low-frequency variability and wavenumber selection in models with zonally symmetric forcing

The authors consider a two-layer quasigeostrophic model with linear surface drag and forcing that relaxes to a zonal baroclinically unstable equilibrium state consisting of a meridionally confined temperature gradient. It is observed that the most energetic wave in the time-mean climate has near zero frequency and is not driven by upscale nonlinear energy transfers. This wave has a zonal scale near the long-wave cutoff of the equilibrium state, and its energy balance is mainly between baroclinic generation and dissipation. This maintenance mechanism is different from that suggested by beta-plane, two-dimensional, and quasigeostrophic turbulence arguments and may be relevant to the dynamics of zonally asymmetric low-frequency variability in the atmosphere, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere.

Whitaker, Jeffrey S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of the Dragonfly Entry Aerosciences Measurements (DrEAM) Suite

NASA Ames and Langley arepartnering with DLR to propose acomprehensive instrumentation suite known as the Dragonfly Entry Aerosciences Meas-urements (DrEAM). DrEAM being the first competed mission to fly EDL instrumentation as part of NASA’s Engineering Science Investigation (ESI).DrEAM will provide key aerothermodynamicdata and performance analysisfor Dragonfly’s forebody and backshell therma lprotection system (TPS),and also includes a DLR-provided Data Acquisition System(DAS).Titan’s atmosphere predominantly consists of nitro-gen (~98% by mole) with small amounts of methane(~2% by mole)and other trace gases. CN is a strong ra-diator and is found in nonequilibriumconcentrationsfor Titan entry. The accurate modeling of nonequilibrium CN radiation has proven to be a difficult task. Prompted by the Huygensmission, many experimental campaigns and analyses were performed to better understand the aerothermal environments experience by the probe dur-ing Titan entry[1].However, the Huygens probe carried no heatshieldinstrumentation. Therefore,the DrEAM instrumentation suite will significantly advance the state-of-the-art not only by documenting theenviron-ment and performance of Dragonfly’sentry system but also by making keymeasurements in Titan’s atmos-phere for thefirst time, thus providing new benchmark dataapplicable to entry science more generally. Current Measurement Goals: Aerothermal envi-ronments and TPS responsewill be measured using sen-sors similarto the Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing In-strumentation2 (MEDLI2) Integrated Sensor Plug(MISP) and the COMbined Aerothermaland Radiome-ter Sensor (COMARS)suite[2], with the latter supplied by DLR.For MEDLI2, MISP usedembedded thermo-couples (TCs) todirectly measure in-depth temperature of theTPS at several locations,which can also be used to infer surface environmentsvia inverse analysis. For DrEAM, the MISPstyle plugswill be known as Drag-onfly Sensors for Aero-Thermal Reconstruction (Drag-STR)plugs. On Schiaparelli, the COMARSsuite in-cludedthree total surface-mounted heatflux sensors, three pressure sensors, and one radiometer. For DrEAM, the COMARS package will be known as COmbined Sensor System for Titan Atmosphere (COSSTA). Atmospheric density measurements and capsuleaerodynamic data will be obtained throughthe onboard Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU),supple-mented by pressure transducers similar tothose used by the MEDLI Mars Entry AtmosphericData System (MEADS).The DrEAM pressure sensors will be known as Dragonfly Atmospheric Flight Transducers(DrAFT) Both DragSTR and DrAFThave flight heritagefrom MISP and MEADS on the MSLand Mars 2020mis-sions, and the COMARS suite successfullyflew on the ESA Schiaparelli EDMlander. A preliminary layout of the sensors is shown in Fig. 1. Because Dragonflyuses the same aeroshell provider (i.e., LockheedMartin) and materials for the TPS,with what are expected to be sim-ilar thicknesses as MSL and Mars 2020on both the heat shield and backshell, theDrEAMinstrumentation will look to utilize the same techniques and processes as de-veloped byMEDLI and MEDLI2for vehicle integra-tion. This commonality alsoenables DrEAMto lever-age the extensiveground test qualifications performed forMEDLI and MEDLI2 and claim substantial heritagefor this system.

A Brandis↗
DOE OSTI2024

Air‐Ice‐Ocean Coupling During a Strong Mid‐Winter Cyclone: Observing Coupled Dynamic Interactions Across Scales

Abstract Arctic cyclones are key drivers of sea ice and ocean variability. During the 2019–2020 Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition, joint observations of the coupled air‐ice‐ocean system were collected at multiple spatial scales. Here, we present observations of a strong mid‐winter cyclone that impacted the MOSAiC site as it drifted in the central Arctic pack ice. The sea ice dynamical response showed spatial structure at the scale of the evolving and translating cyclonic wind field. Internal ice stress and ocean stress play significant roles, resulting in timing offsets between the atmospheric forcing and the ice response and post‐cyclone inertial ringing in the ice and ocean. Ice motion in response to the wind field then forces the upper ocean currents through frictional drag. The strongest impacts to the sea ice and ocean from the passing cyclone occur as a result of the surface impacts of a strong atmospheric low‐level jet (LLJ) behind the trailing cold front and changing wind directions between the warm‐sector LLJ and post cold‐frontal LLJ. Impacts of the cyclone are prolonged through the coupled ice‐ocean inertial response. Local impacts of the approximately 120 km wide LLJ occur over a 12 hr period or less and at scales of a kilometer to a few tens of kilometers, meaning that these impacts occur at combined smaller spatial scales and faster time scales than most satellite observations and coupled Earth system models can resolve.

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences↗
NASA NTRS1981

Integrated propulsion for near-Earth space missions. Volume 1: Executive summary

Tradeoffs between electric propulsion system mass ratio and transfer time from LEO to GEO were conducted parametrically for various thruster efficiency, specific impulse, and other propulsion parameters. A computer model was developed for performing orbit transfer calculations which included the effects of aerodynamic drag, radiation degradation, and occultation. The tradeoff results showed that thruster technology areas for integrated propulsion should be directed towards improving primary thruster efficiency in the range from 1500 to 2500 seconds, and be continued towards reducing specific mass. Comparison of auxiliary propulsion systems showed large total propellant mass savings with integrated electric auxiliary propulsion. Stationkeeping is the most demanding on orbit propulsion requirement. At area densities above 0.5 sq m/kg, East-West stationkeeping requirements from solar pressure exceed North-South stationkeeping requirements from gravitational forces. A solar array pointing strategy was developed to minimize the effects of atmospheric drag at low altitude, enabling electric propulsion to initiate orbit transfer at Shuttle's maximum cargo carrying altitude. Gravity gradient torques are used during ascent to sustain the spacecraft roll motion required for optimum solar array illumination. A near optimum cover glass thickness of 6 mils was established for LEO to GEO transfer.

Dailey, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Development of a Mars Airplane Entry, Descent, and Flight Trajectory

An entry, descent, and flight (EDF) trajectory profile for a Mars airplane mission is defined as consisting of the following elements: ballistic entry of an aeroshell; supersonic deployment of a decelerator parachute; subsonic release of a heat shield; release, unfolding, and orientation of an airplane to flight attitude; and execution of a pull up maneuver to achieve trimmed, horizontal flight. Using the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST) a trajectory optimization problem was formulated. Model data representative of a specific Mars airplane configuration, current models of the Mars surface topography and atmosphere, and current estimates of the interplanetary trajectory, were incorporated into the analysis. The goal is to develop an EDF trajectory to maximize the surface-relative altitude of the airplane at the end of a pull up maneuver, while subject to the mission design constraints. The trajectory performance was evaluated for three potential mission sites and was found to be site-sensitive. The trajectory performance, examined for sensitivity to a number of design and constraint variables, was found to be most sensitive to airplane mass, aerodynamic performance characteristics, and the pull up Mach constraint. Based on the results of this sensitivity study, an airplane-drag optimized trajectory was developed that showed a significant performance improvement.

Murray, James E.↗
NASA NTRS2013

GFEChutes Lo-Fi

NASA needed to provide a software model of a parachute system for a manned re-entry vehicle. NASA has parachute codes, e.g., the Descent Simulation System (DSS), that date back to the Apollo Program. Since the space shuttle did not rely on parachutes as its primary descent control mechanism, DSS has not been maintained or incorporated into modern simulation architectures such as Osiris and Antares, which are used for new mission simulations. GFEChutes Lo-Fi is an object-oriented implementation of conventional parachute codes designed for use in modern simulation environments. The GFE (Government Furnished Equipment), low-fidelity (Lo-Fi) parachute model (GFEChutes Lo-Fi) is a software package capable of modeling the effects of multiple parachutes, deployed concurrently and/or sequentially, on a vehicle during the subsonic phase of reentry into planetary atmosphere. The term "low-fidelity" distinguishes models that represent the parachutes as simple forces acting on the vehicle, as opposed to independent aerodynamic bodies. GFEChutes Lo-Fi was created from these existing models to be clean, modular, certified as NASA Class C software, and portable, or "plug and play." The GFE Lo-Fi Chutes Model provides basic modeling capability of a sequential series of parachute activities. Actions include deploying the parachute, changing the reefing on the parachute, and cutting away the parachute. Multiple chutes can be deployed at any given time, but all chutes in that case are assumed to behave as individually isolated chutes; there is no modeling of any interactions between deployed chutes. Drag characteristics of a deployed chute are based on a coefficient of drag, the face area of the chute, and the local dynamic pressure only. The orientation of the chute is approximately modeled for purposes of obtaining torques on the vehicle, but the dynamic state of the chute as a separate entity is not integrated - the treatment is simply an approximation. The innovation in GFEChutes Lo-Fi is to use an object design that closely followed the mechanical characteristics and structure of a physical system of parachutes and their deployment mechanisms. Software objects represent the components of the system, and use of an object hierarchy allows a progression from general component outlines to specific implementations. These extra chutes were not part of the baseline deceleration sequence of drogues and mains, but still had to be simulated. The major innovation in GFEChutes Lo-Fi is the software design and architecture.

Gist, Emily↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-27111-DND

Rigid aeroshell systems are rapidly approaching the payload limit that current technology can deliver while fitting within the payload envelope of existing launch vehicles. The need for higher entry mass, landing elevation, and more controllability has pushed NASA to improve existing atmospheric entry technologies to further its scientific and exploration capabilities. Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators (HIADs) are an emerging technology that allows entry vehicles to deliver larger payloads to higher landing elevations by providing a larger aeroshell diameter than rigid aeroshells. HIADs offer new methods of entry vehicle trajectory control through shape morphing of the inflatable aeroshell. This dissertation explores different concepts of morphing a HIAD by assessing its structural integrity, aerodynamic performance, and systems integration. Analytical models are developed to predict the amount of force required to achieve a desired morphed shape, an actuator and sensor are selected based on performance requirements, and a controller is designed to morph the HIAD through Lift-to-Drag modulation. The actuator and sensor system and controller are then integrated into a small-scale development unit of a HIAD and experimental results are compared to numerical simulations. Conclusions and contributions of this research are presented along with a discussion on further research opportunities of Morphing HIADs.

Adam Milne Slagle↗
NASA NTRS2005

Aerocapture Performance Analysis of A Venus Exploration Mission

A performance analysis of a Discovery Class Venus Exploration Mission in which aerocapture is used to capture a spacecraft into a 300km polar orbit for a two year science mission has been conducted to quantify its performance. A preliminary performance assessment determined that a high heritage 70 sphere-cone rigid aeroshell with a 0.25 lift to drag ratio has adequate control authority to provide an entry flight path angle corridor large enough for the mission s aerocapture maneuver. A 114 kilograms per square meter ballistic coefficient reference vehicle was developed from the science requirements and the preliminary assessment s heating indicators and deceleration loads. Performance analyses were conducted for the reference vehicle and for sensitivity studies on vehicle ballistic coefficient and maximum bank rate. The performance analyses used a high fidelity flight simulation within a Monte Carlo executive to define the aerocapture heating environment and deceleration loads and to determine mission success statistics. The simulation utilized the Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST) that was modified to include Venus specific atmospheric and planet models, aerodynamic characteristics, and interplanetary trajectory models. In addition to Venus specific models, an autonomous guidance system, HYPAS, and a pseudo flight controller were incorporated in the simulation. The Monte Carlo analyses incorporated a reference set of approach trajectory delivery errors, aerodynamic uncertainties, and atmospheric density variations. The reference performance analysis determined the reference vehicle achieves 100% successful capture and has a 99.87% probability of attaining the science orbit with a 90 meters per second delta V budget for post aerocapture orbital adjustments. A ballistic coefficient trade study conducted with reference uncertainties determined that the 0.25 L/D vehicle can achieve 100% successful capture with a ballistic coefficient of 228 kilograms per square meter and that the increased ballistic coefficient increases post aerocapture V budget to 134 meters per second for a 99.87% probability of attaining the science orbit. A trade study on vehicle bank rate determined that the 0.25 L/D vehicle can achieve 100% successful capture when the maximum bank rate is decreased from 30 deg/s to 20 deg/s. The decreased bank rate increases post aerocapture delta V budget to 102 meters per second for a 99.87% probability of attaining the science orbit.

Starr, Brett R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Wind Tunnel to Full Scale Mapping of Winds and Loads for Launch-Vehicle Ground Wind Loads

A launch vehicle ground-wind-loads program was conducted at the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The objectives were to quantify key aerodynamic and structural characteristics that impact the occurrence of large wind-induced oscillations of a launch vehicle when exposed to ground winds prior to launch. Of particular interest is the dynamic response of a launch vehicle when a von Kármán vortex street forms in the wake of the vehicle resulting in quasiperiodic lift and drag forces.Vehicle response to these quasiperiodic forces can become quite large when the frequency of vortex shedding nears that of a lowly-damped structural mode thereby exciting a resonant response. The study of ground-wind-loads presents unique challenges to quantify significant characteristics of the approaching wind and to relate the wind-tunnel acquired static, dynamic, and gravitational loads to full-scale vehicles. This paper will explain the correlation process between model-scale and full-scale wind characteristics and resulting structural loads. Characterization of the wind at a launch site requires knowledge of the vehicle dynamics and the anemometer performance. Vehicle dynamics dictate the frequency range of interest in characterization of the atmospheric turbulence, and in defining the required data window-length to model dynamic oscillation build-up during wind-gust analysis. Knowledge of the anemometer performance is required to infer peak wind magnitudes since most anemometers cannot directly measure instantaneous peak values. Following proper wind-speed correlation, static and dynamic wind-tunnel loads must be converted to full-scale equivalent values to derive design and operational guidance. In addition to the direct computation of full-scale equivalent loads using relevant scaling parameters, the corrections applied to dynamic loads accounting for differences in structural damping will also be discussed. Furthermore, a phenomenon that manifests in many slender and flexible launch vehicles is a load magnification due to gravity resulting from mass offset under deflection. A method for scaling this contribution from model-scale to full-scale is presented. Finally, a comparison of wind-tunnel derived loads using the described methodologies to launch vehicle measured loads is presented.

ground wind loads↗