NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Shuttle high resolution accelerometer package experiment results - Atmospheric density measurements between 60-160 kmIndirect or inferred values of atmospheric density encountered by the Shuttle Orbiter during reentry have been calculated from acceleration measurements made by the High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP) and the Orbiter Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) liner accelerometers. The atmospheric density data developed from this study represent a significant gain with respect to the body of data collected to date by various techniques in the altitude range of 60 to 160 km. The data are unique in that they cover a very wide horizontal range during each flight and provide insight into the actual density variations encountered along the reentry flight path. The data, which were collected over about 3 years, are also characterized by variations in solar activity, geomagnetic index, and local solar time. Comparison of the flight-derived densities with various atmospheric models have been made, and analyses have attempted to characterize the data and to show correlation with selected physical variables.
Document ID
19880035135
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Blanchard, R. C.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Hinson, E. W.
(ST Systems Corp. Hampton, VA, United States)
Nicholson, J. Y.
(Vigyan Research Associates, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1988
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 88-0492
Accession Number
88A22362
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available