AbstractThe Report comprises the results of theoretical and experimental research aimed at development of special devices intended to increase the effectiveness of spacecraft (SC) descent-systems onto the surface of planets with atmosphere. The subject of research is the thermal protection of a SC. Inflatable braking devices (IBD) made of elastic materials and substantially reducing the value SC's ballistic parameter are considered as special devices. Parametric evaluations of influence of descent SC's ballistic coefficient on specific convective heat fluxes at the zone critical point [] were the basis of experimental research. A1 coefficient is a function of a number of parameters (given descent vehicle (DV) configuration, atmospheric parameters, angle of entry, and empirical estimations of experiments). Analysis and experiments have shown that real materials permit to develop inflatable devices, geometrical and mass properties of which allow reducing a value of σ by 2 … 2.5 times in comparison with the existing ones. This leads to a reduction of thermal fluxes by 10 … 15 times. At such an intensity of external convective heat fluxes, the most effective thermal protection of a DV turns out to be a protection composed by means of a so-called “heat shields method”. Their emanation provides an equilibrium state of the system. Parametric dependency of shield surface temperature at a critical point is defined as: In accordance with the results of expert estimations, the Report describes the dependency of ballistic coefficients values of DV vs. payload (PL) masses regarding producible modern materials. In the framework of projects fulfilled on the basis of current research, elastic thermal protection was developed in order to protect a critical point zone of DV. The Report gives a comparison of possible mass properties of IBD-based DV with analogous parameters of real DV carrying out ballistic trajectory descent.
Thermal protection of re-entry vehicles with the usage of inflatable systems
Acta Astronautica ; 53 , 4-10 ; 541-546
2003-01-01
6 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Thermal protection of re-entry vehicles with the usage of inflatable systems
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