Preliminary Results of a Ballistic Range Test of a 2% Scale Mars 2020 Entry Capsule with Onboard Pressure Measurement

Preliminary results of a 2% scale supersonic ballistic range test of the Mars 2020 entry capsule with onboard pressure instrumentation are presented. The test was led by NASA Langley Research Center and designed and conducted in partnership with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, at their Transonic Experimental Facility in Aberdeen Maryland. The primary objective of the test was to obtain backshell surface pressure measurements at supersonic free-flight conditions. The data will be used to help select the pressure port location (or locations) where a transducer will be installed on the Mars 2020 entry capsule. Four models were constructed and each were instrumented with four pressure transducers. Pressure transducers measuring stagnation and backshell pressures were used together with shadow graphs taken in the range to reconstruct how the surface pressures vary with changes in total angle of attach and Mach number.