We demonstrated a fiber-based approach for obtaining optical spectra of a glowing bow shock in a high-enthalpy air flow. The work was performed in a ground test with the NASA Ames Aerodynamic Heating Facility (AHF) that is used for atmospheric reentry simulation. The method uses a commercial fiber optic that is embedded in the nose of an ablating bluntbody model and provides a line-of-sight view in the streamwise direction - directly upstream into the hot post-shock gas flow. Both phenolic impregnated carbon ablator (PICA) and phenolic carbon (PhenCarb 28) materials were used as thermal protection systems. Results show that the fibers survive the intense heat and operate sufficiently well during the first several seconds of a typical AHF run (20 MJ/kg). This approach allowed the acquisition of optical spectra, enabling a Boltzmann-based electronic excitation temperature measurement from Cu atom impurities (averaged over a line-of-sight through the gas cap, with a 0.04 sec integration time).


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    Title :

    Fiber-Based Measurement of Bow-Shock Spectra for Reentry Flight Testing



    Conference:

    48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting ; 2010 ; Orlando, FL, United States


    Publication date :

    2010-01-04


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    FIBER-BASED MEASUREMENT OF BOW-SHOCK SPECTRA FOR REENTRY FLIGHT TESTING

    Schott, T. / Munk, M. / Grinstead, J. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2010


    Fiber-Based Measurement of Bow-Shock Spectra for Reentry Flight Testing

    Schott, Timothy / Munk, Michelle / Herring, G. et al. | AIAA | 2010



    Flight reentry experiments

    Wilson, H. A., Jr. / Wright, R. L. | NTRS | 1964


    Reentry vehicle flight testing and recovery techniques

    RIGALI, D. / STERK, M. / RANDMAA, J. | AIAA | 1980