A STUDY OF HYPERSONIC AERODYNAMIC DRAG DEVICES

Abstract

A two-phase study of hypersonic zero-lift drag devices which could be used to recover space vehicles re-entering the earth's atmosphere has been made. The results of the first theoretical phase, which are summarized in an interim report (AD-317 490), indicate that variable area drag devices produce less heating and deceleration than a fixed-area device of the same maximum size. Also, for a fixed-drag device, minimum peak decelerations occur with CDA/W of 0.10. In this second test phase, various drag device models were tested at hypersonic speeds. Good agreement was found in heating and drag on simple shapes. Heat distributions and drags were determined for a number of complex shapes and some parametric relationships were established. Criteria for selecting an optimum device were also established. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0272013

Entities

People

  • C.d. Mayerson
  • J.b. Athans
  • W.b. Champney

Organizations

  • Calspan

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Drag
  • Agreements
  • Atmospheres
  • Deceleration
  • Drag
  • Phase
  • Phase Studies
  • Spacecraft
  • Vehicles

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flow
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Orbital Debris