The atmospheric region we are considering includes the lower thermosphere and upper mesosphere, sometimes called the 'Ignorosphere' because it is the least well understood region of the atmosphere. Some satellites orbit with perigees below 200 km and all satellites transverse this region as they are approaching reentry. Aerobraked Orbital Transfer Vehicles will make use of atmospheric drag to slow them down so they can rendezvous with the space shuttle of other low altitude satellite. Aerobraking for these vehicles is primary produced by drag in the altitude region 70 to 120 km. Thus we address what is known about atmospheric structure in the altitude region 70 to 200 km. Drag data from the reentry of several shuttle flights are presented, followed by a review of the present status of empirical and theoretical models of this region of the atmosphere. Keywords: Atmospheric density. (Reprints)
Atmospheric Structure for Low Altitude Satellites and Aerobraked Orbital Transfer Vehicles
1986
14 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Aeronomy , Spacecraft Trajectories & Flight Mechanics , Aerodynamic drag , Thermosphere , Atmospheric density , Artificial satellites , Braking , Drag , Orbits , Space shuttles , Mesosphere , Upper atmosphere , Reprints , Low altitude , Transfer , Vehicles , Space flight , Models , Theory , Aerodynamic braking , Magnetosphere , Orbital transfer vehicles
Three Orbital Transfer Vehicles
NTIS | 1990
Three orbital transfer vehicles
NTRS | 1990