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The Radiative Gas Dynamics of the Apollo-4 Command Module during Superorbital Earth Entry

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Abstract

The problem of the radiative gas dynamics of superorbital entry of the Apollo-4 command module into the Earth’s dense atmosphere has been numerically solved in the two-dimensional formulation of the flow around the front aerodynamic shield in the velocity range of the entry into the Earth’s dense atmosphere V∞ = 10.7–5.75 km/s and in the altitude range Н = 91.5–35.0 km. The specific trajectory segments with a strongly nonequilibrium flow in the shock layer, the most thermally loaded segments of the trajectory, and the segments with strong radiative-gasdynamic interaction in the relatively dense and highly rarefied oncoming flow have been determined. The distributions of densities of convective and radiative heat fluxes along the streamlined surface have been obtained. The spectral composition of the heat radiation has been studied. The calculation results have been successfully compared with the flight experimental data.

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Funding

The work is supported by the state assignment, project no. АААА-А20-120011690135-5.

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  1. Ishlinsky Institute for Problems in Mechanics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119526, Moscow, Russia

    S. T. Surzhikov

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Translated by E. Oborin

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Surzhikov, S.T. The Radiative Gas Dynamics of the Apollo-4 Command Module during Superorbital Earth Entry. Fluid Dyn 57 (Suppl 2), S515–S543 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0015462822100718

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