High-speed aerodynamics of several blunt-cone configurations

A number of ballistic range tests of blunt-cone configurations have been conducted recently at Ames Research Center. These tests covered widespread areas of interest. At one extreme was the Galileo probe, scheduled to enter the atmosphere of Jupiter in 1995. At the other extreme were blunt vehicles that might be useful for orbital transfer. This paper summarizes the results of these research investigations. Nomenclature CD = drag coefficient Cma = pitching-moment curve slope d " = diameter / = model length /cyl = afterbody cylinder length M = Mach number R = elliptic-cone model corner radius Ra — afterbody radius Red = Reynolds number based on model diameter Rn = nose radius x = axial distance xcg = center of gravity location from model nose y = lateral distance a — angle of attack |8 = angle of sideslip