Supersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Space Shuttle Orbiter Model at Angles of Attack from 20 Deg to 90 Deg

Space Shuttle Orbiter aerodynamic characteristics have been determined in the angle-of-attack range from 20 to 90 degrees and Mach numbers from 4.60 to 1.80 at Reynolds numbers, based on body length, of 2.15 x 10 to the 6th and 4.30 x 10 to the 6th power. Emphasis is on vehicle stability, control, and trim characteristics above a 60 degree angle of attack. The model used was a 0.986 percent scale Orbiter, having a blade-mounted support system entering the model in the region of the vertical tail. Elevon deflections of 0, -10, -20, and -40 degrees and body-flap deflections of 0, +6 and -12 degrees were investigated individually and in combination. Schlieren photographs are also presented for selected configurations and Mach numbers. The Orbiter was found to be longitudinally stable and trimmable in the angle-of-attack range from approximately 60 to 80 degrees. Both the elevon and body flap provided positive pitch control-effectiveness at angles of attack from 60 to 80 degrees and the Mach numbers of this study. For the range of neutral to stable trim in the angle-of-attack range above about 55 degrees, the deflected elevon/body-flap combination provided positive trimmed lift and lift/drag ratios.