Feasibility analysis of parachute entry for Mars lander
Feasibility of parachute entry system for Mars lander
MARS /PLANET/↗
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Propulsive re-entry aerodynamics Interim report, 1 Jun. 1967 - 1 Jun. 1968
This report discusses the progress accomplished during the first year of a two-year contract to study Propulsive Re-Entry Aerodynamics. Analytical methods were developed during the first year to predict the flow field in the immediate vicinity of a planetary entry system composed of an aeroshell with a single retrorocket which exhausts into a subsonic or supersonic counterflowing planetary atmosphere. In the second year a digital computer program will be developed for the analytical solutions, and the analytical model will be tested by performing an experimental test program and comparing the experimental results with the analytical predictions. The analytical investigation considers the flow field due to a single supersonic retrorocket exhausting from an aeroshell into oncoming subsonic, transonic, or supersonic streams in the large thrusting coefficient regime, 0.5 < C(sub T) = T/q(sub ∞) A(sub m) < 15, which is the range of thrusting coefficients encountered during the terminal landing phase for planetary landing on Mars or Venus. Analyses are provided for all the geometrical features of the flow field such as the location of the terminal shock, jet boundary, and the profile for the interface between the jet and atmospheric gases. In addition, analyses are developed which describe the growth of the mixing layers along the interface and at the edge of the jet boundary and dead-air region and the reattachment of the shear layer to the aeroshell or the recompression of the shear layer in wake type flow. A comprehensive discussion of the experimental wind tunnel test program to be accomplished in Phase II is presented.
Philip O Jarvinen↗
Aerothermodynamics at NASA-Langley Research Center
The Aerothermodynamics Branch at NASA - Langley Research Center is tasked with developing, assessing and applying aerothermodynamic technologies to enable the development of hypersonic aircraft, launch vehicles, and planetary/earth entry systems. To accomplish this mission, the Branch capitalizes on the synergism between the experimental and computational facilities/tools which reside in the branch and a staff that can draw on five decades of experience in aerothermodynamics. The Aerothermodynamics Branch is staffed by 30 scientists/engineers. The staff, of which two-thirds are less than 40 years old, is split evenly between experimentalists and computationalists. Approximately 90 percent of the staff work on space transportation systems while the remainder work on planetary missions. The Branch manages 5 hypersonic wind tunnels which are staffed by 14 technicians, numerous high end work stations and a SGI Origin 2000 system. The Branch also utilizes other test facilities located at Langley as well as other national and international test sites. Large scale computational requirements are met by access to Agency resources.
Weilmuenster, K. James↗
Access from Space: A New Perspective on NASA's Space Transportation Technology Requirements and Opportunities
The need for robust and reliable access from space is clearly demonstrated by the recent loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia; as well as the NASA s goals to get the Shuttle re-flying and extend its life, build new vehicles for space access, produce successful robotic landers and s a q k ret~rr? ~llisrions, and maximize the science content of ambitious outer planets missions that contain nuclear reactors which must be safe for re-entry after possible launch aborts. The technology lynch pin of access from space is hypersonic entry systems such the thermal protection system, along with navigation, guidance and control (NG&C). But it also extends to descent and landing systems such as parachutes, airbags and their control systems. Current space access technology maturation programs such as NASA s Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program or the In-Space Propulsion (ISP) program focus on maturing laboratory demonstrated technologies for potential adoption by specific mission applications. A key requirement for these programs success is a suitable queue of innovative technologies and advanced concepts to mature, including mission concepts enabled by innovative, cross cutting technology advancements. When considering space access, propulsion often dominates the capability requirements, as well as the attention and resources. From the perspective of access from space some new cross cutting technology drivers come into view, along with some new capability opportunities. These include new miniature vehicles (micro, nano, and picosats), advanced automated systems (providing autonomous on-orbit inspection or landing site selection), and transformable aeroshells (to maximize capabilities and minimize weight). This paper provides an assessment of the technology drivers needed to meet future access from space mission requirements, along with the mission capabilities that can be envisioned from innovative, cross cutting access from space technology developments.
Rasky, Daniel J.↗
Lessons From the Pioneer Venus Program
We began the Pioneer Venus contract in late 1974 with a planned launch of the Orbiter in May 1978 and the Multiprobe in August 1978. Because we had four years, we thought there was plenty of time. As it turned out, we barely made the launch dates. The Orbiter was relatively straightforward, compared to the Multiprobe Bus and Probes that had to survive descent through the harsh Venusian atmosphere. To help overcome our many Multiprobe problems we formed a strong global team. The GE reentry team in Philadelphia, experienced in designing vehicles to enter the earth s atmosphere, was assigned the responsibility for the Probe entry system, including protective heat shielding and parachute design to extract the scienceladen Large Probe pressure vessel and control its descent through the Venusian clouds. Since the Probes had to remain stable as they descended through the Venus atmosphere, we used the aerodynamic expertise at the Hughes Missile Division, NASA s Ames Research Center and the Langley Research Center. Since the pressure at the surface of Venus was equivalent to an ocean depth of 3300 feet, we went to the Navy s David Taylor Research Center for their deepsea expertise. To test the pressure vessel at the high pressure and temperatures anticipated at Venus we went to the only facility capable of simulating the Venus surface environment, the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. We had dozens of subcontractors all over the world. As we developed our design, we began an extensive program to validate the ability of our Probe hardware to withstand the Venus environment. During this testing, we encountered numerous problems, mostly associated with adapting earth-based hardware to operate in the anticipated Venus environment. For example, the Large Probe pressure vessel imploded with a very loud bang the first time we tested its ability to withstand the high pressure and temperature on the Venusian surface. We had to go back and redesign, increasing the pressure vessel wall thickness. In addition, during the first tests of the parachute system, our parachute system ripped apart and had to be redesigned. Finally, at the aptly named test range in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, we successfully demonstrated the parachute design by drop
Dorfman, Steven D.↗
NASA Ames and Future of Space Exploration, Science, and Aeronautics
Pushing the frontiers of aeronautics and space exploration presents multiple challenges. NASA Ames Research Center is at the forefront of tackling these issues, conducting cutting edge research in the fields of air traffic management, entry systems, advanced information technology, intelligent human and robotic systems, astrobiology, aeronautics, space, earth and life sciences and small satellites. Knowledge gained from this research helps ensure the success of NASA's missions, leading us closer to a world that was only imagined as science fiction just decades ago.
Center results↗
Finite Element Estimation of Meteorite Structural Properties
The goal of the project titled Asteroid Threat Assessment at NASA Ames Research Center is to develop risk assessment tools. The expertise in atmospheric entry in the Entry Systems and Technology Division is being used to describe the complex physics of meteor breakup in the atmosphere. The breakup of a meteor is dependent on its structural properties, including homogeneity of the material. The present work describes an 11-week effort in which a literature survey was carried for structural properties of meteoritic material. In addition, the effect of scale on homogeneity isotropy was studied using a Monte Carlo approach in Nastran. The properties were then in a static structural response simulation of an irregularly-shape meteor (138-scale version of Asteroid Itokawa). Finally, an early plan was developed for doctoral research work at Georgia Tech. in the structural failure fragmentation of meteors.
Structural Properties↗
Ames Infusion Stories for NASA Annual Technology Report
These are short (2-page) high-level summaries of technologies that have been infused - i.e., taken the next level. For example, 3DMAT started off as a Center Innovation Fund (CIF) project and graduated to the Game-changing Program (GCD), where it is being prepared for use in Orion. The Nano Entry System similarly started as CIF and graduated to GCD. The High Tortuosity Carbon Dioxide Conversion Device also started off as CIF and then received an award for further development from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC).
Smith, Brandon↗
ADEPT SR-1 Development and Testing
The Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT) Sounding Rocket One (SR-1) fight test will be the first sub-orbital flight of Nano-ADEPT. Nano-ADEPT is a deployable heatshield for secondary payload missions desiring to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere or deliver small science payloads to Mars or Venus. Two units have been built and tested in preparation of launch: one designated the "Spare" unit and one the "Flight" unit. The general development approach has been to perform all procedures on the Spare prior to performing them on Flight. This approach has served the project well, allowing for procedures to be rapidly developed and tested on spare hardware where mistakes are less consequential. Conversely, when schedule constraints have come up, the approach has allowed the project to rapidly pivot to an approach where Flight drives the critical path rather than Spare. This approach has enabled relatively rapid development of Flight where technical risk is balanced with schedule realism. This presentation will describe the various tests that have been performed on Nano-ADEPT Spare and Flight units to prepare for the sub-orbital flight. The purpose is to communicate the development approach we took for this low-cost, moderate-risk flight test and hopefully engage the EDL community in a wider discussion of risk-balanced approaches toward flight hardware development of secondary payload atmospheric entry systems.
Smith, Brandon↗
TPS Architectures and the Influence of Material and Architecture on Failure Mode Evolution
A primary focus of the Entry Systems and Technology Division at NASA Ames is design, development, qualification and certification of Thermal Protection Systems for current NASA missions. Another primary focus is the development of new thermal protection systems for upcoming missions that address shortfalls in the existing suite of TPS. Examples of such shortfalls include performance at higher capability and reduction in mass. NASA is also investing in TPS sustainability ensuring the long term availability of TPS solutions for future missions. The specific TPS selection, for a given mission , depends on a number of parameters including the missions risk posture. For all missions the goal for TPS is efficient and reliable performance and to achieve these goals an understanding of the materials (composition and architecture) is required for proper design and use of the chosen TPS. Analytic tools are used to inform on a material (systems) response to a given environment and the response itself depends on the materials properties which are driven by its composition and architecture. This presentation will review the different generic ablative TPS architectures and anticipated corresponding failure modes.
ablator↗
Progress Towards Modeling the Mars Science Laboratory PICA-NuSil Heatshield
The data collected by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Entry, Descent and Landing Instrumentation, MEDLI, have become an established reference to assess the performance of engineering models of the Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) and to validate hypersonic computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools for entry systems. MEDLI measurements are also extensively used as validation reference for current developments of high-fidelity material response models for PICA. So large has been the scientific output and impact of MEDLI that a follow-up instrumentation suite MEDLI2 is underway for the upcoming Mars 2020 mission.A feature neglected thus far in the modeling of the MSL heatshield, is the presence of a silicone-based room temperature vulcanizing coating designated NuSil CV-1144-0. NuSil was used to coat the entire MSL heatshield, including the MEDLI plugs, to mitigate the spread of phenolic dust from PICA, and limit contamination during clean room operations. NuSil CV-1144-0 is a space grade siloxane copolymer, designed as an oxygen protection barrier for extreme low temperature environment.Assessments conducted during MSL development demonstrated that the presence of NuSil had no adverse effect on the performance of PICA. However, evidence from ground testing of PICA-NuSil (PICA-N) models in the HyMETS arc-jet test facility suggests that the silicone changes the high temperature response of PICA. It is therefore critical to assess the importance of modeling the coating in ongoing code validation efforts.
Bessire, Brody K.↗
Free-Flight CFD Simulations of Ballistic Range and Flight Tests
Free-Flight CFD capability has been implemented into the finite-volume solver US3D under the Entry Systems Modeling project. Several simulations of ballistic range experiments have been performed in order to validate the simulation software and methodology. Extension of the software to flight scale trajectories with varying freestream conditions has been carried out. Results show promising ability to predict vehicle behavior as compared to flight. Finally, a multi-body free-flight capability has been developed to generalize the single-body free-flight solver to study multiple bodies in proximal flight.
Brock, Joseph M.↗
Subsonic Dynamic Testing of a Subscale ADEPT Entry Vehicle
The Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT) is a mechanically-deployed entry system. A sounding rocket test flight of an ADEPT vehicle, known as ADEPT SR-1, was conducted in September 2018. Prior to this sounding rocket test, an investigation was performed using the NASA Langley Research Center 20-ft Vertical Spin Tunnel (VST) to assess the free-flight dynamic characteristics of ADEPT SR-1 at subsonic speeds. The model of ADEPT SR-1 for this VST test was fabricated at 50-percent geometric scale, with dynamically scaled mass properties (Froude scaled) to represent full-scale flight at an altitude of 1.2 km above sea level. The subsonic dynamic characteristics of ADEPT SR-1 were of interest prior to the sounding rocket test because of payload recovery considerations. At low roll rates the model was found to have acceptable dynamic characteristics. It was statically stable in pitch and yaw, exhibiting limit cycle pitch/yaw oscillations of no greater than 20 degrees (the angle between the model’s longitudinal axis and nadir). The model was able to recover from large upsets in pitch and yaw, although if sufficiently provoked it tumbled. Damping in roll was low. At high roll rates the pitch and yaw oscillations grew in magnitude and rate. This behavior was also observed during the sounding rocket flight test.
Cruz, Juan R.↗
Deployable Entry Vehicles for Future Science and Exploration Missions
Deployable Entry Vehicle (DEV) technology has made significant advances over the last decade with ground test development campaigns and flight test demonstrations. DEVs offer benefits over traditional rigid entry vehicles including lower volume and mass, while enabling larger payload delivery and greater landing access. A crucial mission benefit is the DEV capability to transform from a compactly stowed configuration within the launch vehicle to a high drag area entry system for delivery of landers, rovers, aerial platforms, and orbiters (via aerocapture). These benefits span the range of mission classes from Small Satellite (smallsat) to human-class exploration systems. This paper will describe DEV technology development status, highlight mission concepts, and recommend future investments.
Alan Cassell↗
Deployable Entry Vehicles for Future Science and Exploration Missions
Deployable Entry Vehicle (DEV) technology has made significant advances over the last decade with ground test development campaigns and flight test demonstrations. DEVs offer benefits over traditional rigid entry vehicles including lower volume and mass, while enabling larger payload delivery and greater landing access. A crucial mission benefit is the DEV capability to transform from a compactly stowed launch configuration to a high drag area entry system for delivery of landers, rovers, aerial platforms, and orbiters (via aerocapture). These benefits span the range of mission classes from Small Satellite to human-class exploration systems. This presentation will describe DEV technology development status, highlight mission concepts, and recommend future investments.
Mission Design↗
Towards the Prediction of Entry Capsule Dynamic Stability Characteristics with Reduced Free Flight Motion in FUN3D
Work is done to verify FUN3D's 6-DOF path and begin active application to flight projects. This work moves towards a computational predictive capability for entry capsule dynamic stability such that data from concurrent ground testing will enable validation efforts of this solver and its continued use on EDL vehicles. Applications of the solver to the Dragonfly mission to Titan and the Mars Sample Return - Earth Entry System are discussed.
Eli Shellabarger↗
A Combined CFD/Material Response Analysis of 3MDCP Arcjet Experiments
The Mars Sample Return Earth Entry System (MSR-EES) project has selected 3-D Woven Mid-Density Carbon Phenolic (3MDCP) as the baseline thermal protection system (TPS) material for the capsule that will return Martian soil samples to Earth sometime in the 2030’s. A series of experiments in the NASA Ames AHF and IHF arcjets will be used to characterize the performance of 3MDCP and to develop and refine material response models for it. The test objectives for these experiments include obtaining in-depth and surface temperature data, mass loss and surface recession measurements, and char depth measurements. To provided pre- and post-test support for the arcjet experiments, a combined CFD/material response was performed using the DPLR and Icarus code. Pre-and post-test analysis on the 3MDCP arcjet experiments was performed using the DPLR CFD and Icarus material response codes. The codes were not tightly coupled, but boundary condition data required by Icarus (e.g., heat transfer coefficients and surface pressures), were extracted from the CFD solutions. This poster shows comparisons between DPLR/Icarus and the experimental data taken during arcjet experiment AHF-348 where 4-inch diameter iso-q models made from 3MDCP were tested in the 12-inch nozzle of the AHF arcjet. This poster also includes a top-level overview of the CFD/material response arcjet simulation process. Best-practices for running CFD solutions of arcjet experiments including how to determine the inflow conditions for the CFD solution from the arc heater settings are discussed. The required inputs to the material response solver are presented, as well as a discussion of how they can be extracted from the CFD solution.
thermal protection systems↗
Overview of NASA Research Activities in Shock Layer Kinetics and Radiation
Shock layer radiation is an important heating mechanism for entry probes to most planetary destinations and re-entry to Earth from beyond low Earth orbit. Our understanding of shock layer radiation phenomena has improved tremendously over the last decade thanks to NASA investment in fundamental radiation research through Entry Systems Modeling’s (ESM) Shock Layer Kinetics and Radiation (SLKR) task. This talk will overview the recent activities within SLKR, including validation of models through ground testing, flight instrumentation and remote observations; development of first principles ab initio calculations for reaction mechanisms and spectroscopic databases and advancing numerical and computational methods for prediction of radiation in reacting hypersonic flows. 1 Sr. Research Scientist, Aerothermodynamics Branch, and AIAA Associate Fellow.
Brett A. Cruden↗