Aerothermodynamic Design Feasibility of a Generic Planetary Aerocapture/Aeromaneuver Vehicle

Lifting aerodynamic configurations have been screened and selected for a generic planetary aerocapture/aeromaneuver vehicle where a common configuration will be utilized for missions to any of several planets including Mars, Saturn and Uranus. Hypersonic convective and radiative heat transfer to these vehicles was estimated based on a combination of three-dimensi onal inviscid and viscous flowfield solutions and from engineering correlations developed for the numerous complete convective and radiative heat-transfer evaluations in C02 and H2-He mixtures from the Pioneer Venus and Galileo programs. Thermal protection materials have been selected and sized. It is recommended that the thermal protection system be designed for each specific mission, thus maximizing the deliverable payload. Aerothermodynamic technology needs of this generic aerocapture concept are identified.

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