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Analysis of Aerothermal Heating Over Reusable Single-Stage to Orbit VehiclesUsing the General Aerodynamic Simulation Program (GASP) with finite-rate surface catalysis and radiative equilibrium surface temperature conditions, a computational study has been conducted to predict three-dimensional aero-convective heating over the proposed reusable single-stage to orbit vehicles. The solutions for three basic classes of usable single-stage-to-orbit vehicles, including wing body, lifting body and vertical lander, are presented and compared to provide information for vehicle design. The free stream conditions used in this study occur at an altitude of 57.5 km, ambient density of 4.129e-4 kg/cubic m, and velocity of 4,849 m/s. The convective heating over the vehicle surface in both laminar and turbulent flow regimes were computed. The Baldwin-Lomax algebraic model with a modified van Driest damping factor was applied in the turbulent flow calculations. A bifurcation model which guarantees the conservation of mass diffusive fluxes was adopted to account for the multi-species mass diffusion. The effects of turbulence and surface catalysis on the surface heating are discussed in detail The solutions indicate the degree of oxygen dissociation over the leeward side is sensitive to the shape of vehicle body. Predicted convective heating over the entire surface of lifting body is strongly affected by the presence of surface catalysis. For wing body and vertical lander, the surface catalysis effect does not appear to be important in the far downstream region, and turbulence is the dominant effect on the heating prediction in this region.
Document ID
20020034935
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Chen, Y. K.
(Eloret Corp. Palo Alto, CA United States)
Henline, William D.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Rasky, Daniel J.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1995
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 242-80-01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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