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Aerothermodynamics and thermal design for on-ground and in-flight testing of a deployable heat shield capsule

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Abstract

The article deals with the aerothermodynamic and thermal analysis of two technological demonstrators suitable for research activities on deployable heatshield entry capsules. Variable geometry bodies represent a formidable way to build low ballistic coefficient entry platforms able to limit convective heat fluxes, mechanical loads, and final descent velocity. These characteristics suggest several interesting applications for space missions such as to exploit those systems for human or large payloads landing on Mars. The main feature of the demonstrators is the umbrella-like deployable heatshield made of a flexible thermal protection system. In this framework, the work reports on the design analyses carried out for a flight and a ground demonstrator developed to prove, with suborbital flight and plasma wind tunnel test campaigns, several key technologies of the deployable heatshield. Several non-equilibrium three-dimensional flowfield simulations were performed to assess the aerothermal loading conditions expected for the demonstrators. Pressure and heat flux distributions on the deployable heatshield are provided and discussed. Finally, those surface loading conditions are set to feed a finite-element thermal analysis of the demonstrators, also detailed in the work.

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Acknowledgements

These activities have been funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Italian Space Agency (ASI). The main partners of this project, coordinated by CIRA and financed by ASI, are the ALI (Aerospace Laboratory for Innovative Components), a consortium of companies located in the Campania region of Italy. CIRA is also responsible of the qualification of the TPS and of the structure of the MI capsule in the center’s facilities, the Scirocco PWT and SQL. The ALI consortium is responsible for the design, manufacturing and integration of the MI capsule and of its most critical components as far as the atmospheric re-entry is concerned.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Systems Engineering Office, CIRA, Italian Aerospace Research Centre, via Maiorise, Capua, 81043, Italy

    Alberto Fedele & Roberto Gardi

  2. Department of Engineering, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, via Roma 29, Aversa, 81031, Italy

    Giuseppe Pezzella

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  1. Alberto Fedele
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  2. Roberto Gardi
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  3. Giuseppe Pezzella
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Correspondence to Giuseppe Pezzella.

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Fedele, A., Gardi, R. & Pezzella, G. Aerothermodynamics and thermal design for on-ground and in-flight testing of a deployable heat shield capsule. CEAS Space J 12, 411–428 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12567-020-00312-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12567-020-00312-w

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