A Computer Study of the Effect of Ice Clouds on the CEP of a Zero-Lift Reentry Body.

Abstract

The reentry trajectory of a bluff zero-lift reentry body was computed using an HP-9845A computer. To obtain the external shape of an ablating reentry body was as a function of altitude, coefficients for polynomial equations were determined. At six discrete altitudes, the calculated nose shapes were identical to published information for the nose shapes of a reentry body with silaceous ablation material. Newtonian flow and an exponential atmosphere were assumed throughout. The computer program was modified to include ablation due to ice crystal erosion, and the trajectory was recalculated for a model ice cloud 5,000 feet thick at an of 30,000 feet. A total of four trajectories was computed for various values of mass loss fraction for erosion due to ice. The differences in range from the initial trajectory without ice erosion were one to fifteen feet. (Author)

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA098474

Entities

People

  • Martin Warren Mellor

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ablation
  • Ablative Materials
  • Aerodynamic Heating
  • Altitude
  • Atmospheres
  • Computer Programs
  • Drag
  • Dynamics
  • Energy Transfer
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Feet
  • Mach Number
  • Reentry Vehicles
  • Shape
  • Simulations
  • Trajectories
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics.
  • Approximation Theory.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.