A thermal control system may transfer energy (directly or after a delay) to a thrusting device that can be used to slow a reentry vehicle entering a gaseous atmosphere from orbit. The thermal control system may mitigate the heating of the vehicle by transferring heat generated by the viscous interaction between the vehicle and high-altitude portions of a planetary atmosphere to a working fluid. This working fluid may then be routed through and/or ejected through one or more nozzles aligned to produce thrust in a direction that opposes the forward motion of this vehicle. This counter thrust may help to slow the reentry vehicle and reduce the amount of kinetic energy that can be converted into thermal energy. The working fluid may also be stored to use for propulsion after the reentry vehicle slows below hypersonic velocities.
Thermal control system for reentry vehicles
2024-01-09
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS |
Online Contents | 1994
|British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004
|Online Contents | 2004
|Thermal sensor design for glide reentry vehicles
NTRS | 1965
|