Aerodynamic Characterization of a Modern Launch Vehicle

A modern launch vehicle is by necessity an extremely integrated design. The accurate characterization of its aerodynamic characteristics is essential to determine design loads, to design flight control laws, and to establish performance. The NASA Ares Aerodynamics Panel has been responsible for technical planning, execution, and vetting of the aerodynamic characterization of the Ares I vehicle. An aerodynamics team supporting the Panel consists of wind tunnel engineers, computational engineers, database engineers, and other analysts that address topics such as uncertainty quantification. The team resides at three NASA centers: Langley Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and Ames Research Center. The Panel has developed strategies to synergistically combine both the wind tunnel efforts and the computational efforts with the goal of validating the computations. Selected examples highlight key flow physics and, where possible, the fidelity of the comparisons between wind tunnel results and the computations. Lessons learned summarize what has been gleaned during the project and can be useful for other vehicle development projects.

[1]  James Kless,et al.  Plume-Induced Flow Separation over a Cone-Cylinder Flare Body , 2011 .

[2]  Bandu N. Pamadi,et al.  Aerodynamic Analyses and Database Development for Ares I Vehicle First-Stage Separation , 2012 .

[3]  Michael Applebaum,et al.  Cartesian Euler Code Application for Launch Vehicle Systems , 2011 .

[4]  Karen A. Deere,et al.  Establishing Approaches to Modeling the Ares I-X and Ares I Roll Control System with Free-stream Interaction , 2011 .

[5]  Gary E. Erickson,et al.  ARES I Aerodynamic Testing at the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel , 2011 .

[6]  Karen A. Deere,et al.  USM3D Simulations of Saturn V Plume Induced Flow Separation , 2011 .

[7]  Jeffrey A. Housman,et al.  Best Practices for CFD Simulations of Launch Vehicle Ascent with Plumes - OVERFLOW Perspective , 2011 .

[8]  Neal T. Frink,et al.  Enhancements to TetrUSS for NASA Constellation Program , 2011 .

[9]  Eric L. Walker,et al.  The Crucial Role of Error Correlation for Uncertainty Modeling of CFD-Based Aerodynamics Increments , 2011 .

[10]  Steven E. Krist,et al.  Generation of the Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle Aerodynamic Data Book and Comparison To Flight , 2011 .

[11]  Gary E. Erickson,et al.  Overview of Experimental Investigations for Ares I Launch Vehicle Development , 2011 .

[12]  Jing Pei,et al.  Aerodynamic Analyses and Database Development for Lift-Off/Transition and First Stage Ascent of the Ares I A106 Vehicle , 2011 .

[13]  Jeremy T. Pinier,et al.  Ares I Aerodynamic Testing at the Boeing Polysonic Wind Tunnel , 2012 .

[14]  Michael Applebaum,et al.  Multi-Species Effects for Plume Modeling on Launch Vehicle Systems , 2011 .

[15]  Robert E. Bartels,et al.  A Quasi-steady Flexible Launch Vehicle Stability Analysis Using Steady CFD with Unsteady Aerodynamic Enhancement , 2011 .

[16]  Karen A. Deere,et al.  Best Practices for Aero-Database CFD Simulations of Ares V Ascent , 2011 .

[17]  Jeremy T. Pinier,et al.  Ares I and Ares I-X Stage Separation Aerodynamic Testing , 2012 .

[18]  Michael Applebaum,et al.  Debris Transport Modeling Techniques on Launch Vehicle Systems , 2011 .

[19]  John W. Paulson,et al.  Liftoff and Transition Aerodynamics of the Ares I (A106) Launch Vehicle , 2012 .

[20]  Michael Applebaum,et al.  Multispecies Effects for Plume Modeling on Launch Vehicle Systems , 2012 .

[21]  Farhad Ghaffari,et al.  An Overview of Ares-I CFD Ascent Aerodynamic Data Development And Analysis Based on USM3D , 2011 .

[22]  Henry C. Lee,et al.  Numerical Investigation of the Flow Angularity Effects of the NASA Langley UPWT on the Ares I DAC1 0.01-Scale Model , 2011 .

[23]  Mike Carpenter,et al.  Aerodynamic Characterization and Simulation of a Solid Rocket Booster During Reentry Flight , 2011 .

[24]  Robert D. Kirchner,et al.  Ares I-X Upper Stage Simulator Compartment Pressure Comparisons during Ascent , 2011 .

[25]  Henry C. Lee,et al.  OVERFLOW Validation for Predicting Plume Impingement of Underexpanded Axisymmetric Jets onto Angled Flat Plates , 2011 .

[26]  Donald K. Nance,et al.  An Assessment of Ares I-X Aeroacoustic Measurements with Comparisons to Pre-Flight Wind Tunnel Test Results , 2011 .

[27]  Shishir A. Pandya,et al.  Validation of Overflow for Computing Plume Effects during the Areas I Stage Separation Process , 2011 .