Subsonic drag coefficients have been obtained from flight data for the Pioneer Venus multiprobes. The technique used to extract the information from the data consisted of utilizing in situ pressure and temperature measurements. Analysis of the major model parameter error sources indicates overall error levels of five percent or less in the flight values of the drag coefficient. Comparisons of the flight coefficients with preflight wind-tunnel test data showed generally good agreement except for the Sounder descent probe configuration. To preclude atmospheric phenomena as a possible explanation of this difference, additional wind-tunnel tests were performed on the Sounder descent probe. Special attempts were made to duplicate the probe geometry for tests in a high Reynolds number environment in order to achieve as realistic model and flight conditions as practical. Preliminary results from this testing in the NASA LaRC Low Turbulence Pressure Tunnel produced a drag coefficient of 0.68 at 0 deg angle of attack which is within the expected accuracy limits of the flight derived drag coefficient value of 0.72 + or - 0.04, thus eliminating atmospheric phenomena as the explanation for the initial difference.


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    Title :

    Comparisons of subsonic drag estimates derived from Pioneer Venus probes flight data with wind-tunnel results


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference ; 1980 ; Danvers, MA


    Publication date :

    1980-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :



    Venusian Probes Subsonic Drag Determination from Flight Data

    R.C. Blanchard / W.P. Phillips / G.M. Kelly et al. | AIAA | 1982



    Wind Tunnel Investigation of Low-Speed Buffeting of the Pioneer Venus Probes

    Trevor C. Sorensen / Vincent U. Muirhead | AIAA | 1978


    New atmospheric temperature results from the pioneer Venus entry probes

    Sromovsky, L.A. / Revercomb, H.E. / Suomi, V.E. | Elsevier | 1985