Abstract Modern Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)techniques were used to compute aerodynamic forcesand moments of the Space Shuttle Orbiter in specificportions of contingency abort trajectory space. Thetrajectory space covers a Mach number range of 3.5-15,an angle-of-attack range of 20°-60 °, an altitude rangeof 100-190 kft, and several different settings of thecontrol surfaces (elevons, body flap, and speed brake).Presented here are details of the methodology andcomparisons of computed aerodynamic coefficientsagainst the values in the current Orbiter OperationalAerodynamic Data Book (OADB). Whileapproximately 40 cases have been computed, only asampling of the results is provided here. The computedresults, in general, are in good agreement with theOADB data (i.e., within the uncertainty bands) foralmost all the cases. However, in a limited number ofhigh angle-of-attack cases (at Mach 15), there aresignificant differences between the computed results,especially the vehicle pitching moment, and the OADBdata. A preliminary analysis of the data from the CFDsimulations at Mach 15 shows that these differences can"Senior Research Scientist. Member AIAA.*Senior Research Scientist. Senior Member AIAA.*Research Scientist. Member AIAA._Senior Research Scientist.I Junior Research Scientist. Member AIAA."'President and Site Manager. Associate Fellow AIAA.**Chief, Reacting Flow Environments Branch.Associate Fellow AIAA.**Aerospace Engineer, Aeroscience and FlightMechanics Division.Copyright © 2001 by the American Institute ofAeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. No copyright isasserted in the United States under Title 17, U.S.COde.The U.S. Government had a royalty-free license toexercise all rights under the copyright claimed hereinfor Governmental purposes. All other rights arereserved by the copyright owner.be attributed to real-gas/Mach number effects. Theaerodynamic coefficients and detailed surface pressuredistributions of the present simulations are being usedby the Shuttle Program in the evaluation of thecapabilities of the Orbiter in contingency abortscenarios.Nomenclature
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