Analytic Free-Molecular Aerodynamics for Rapid Propagation of Resident Space Objects

Hart, Kenneth A.; Simonis, Kyle R.; Steinfeldt, Bradley A.; Braun, Robert D.

Title:

Analytic Free-Molecular Aerodynamics for Rapid Propagation of Resident Space Objects

dc.contributor.author	Hart, Kenneth A.
dc.contributor.author	Simonis, Kyle R.
dc.contributor.author	Steinfeldt, Bradley A.
dc.contributor.author	Braun, Robert D.
dc.contributor.corporatename	Georgia Institute of Technology. School of Aerospace Engineering	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2019-05-09T18:34:18Z
dc.date.available	2019-05-09T18:34:18Z
dc.date.issued	2018-01
dc.description	Copyright © 2018 AIAA	en_US
dc.description.abstract	Aerodynamic forces and moments are significant perturbations on low-Earth-orbiting objects, second in magnitude to the nonspherical gravity field. Traditionally, the aerodynamic perturbations are calculated using a direct simulation Monte Carlo method. Under certain assumptions, these forces and moments can be described analytically via free-molecular flow theory. Using symbolic manipulation techniques, exact expressions for the free-molecular aerodynamics of analytic shapes can be derived. In this investigation, analytic expressions for the aerodynamic force and moment coefficients of primitive and composite parametric surfaces are derived, then validated against industry-standard direct simulation Monte Carlo techniques. A framework for the rapid and accurate calculation of free-molecular aerodynamics of composite geometries based on superposition is described. This framework is applied to axisymmetric composite geometries. Results within 6% of direct simulation Monte Carlo calculations are obtained in 0.05% of the time. The analytic aerodynamics models enable rapid trajectory and uncertainty propagation for low-Earth-orbiting objects. A case study on aerodynamic perturbations of a low-Earth-orbit nanosatellite is included to demonstrate application of these analytic models. The case study shows that these derived analytical free-molecular aerodynamics produce results that are applicable to inclusion in rapid trajectory propagation tools for orbit prediction and conceptual mission design. Item Description: Analytic hypersonic rarefied aerodynamics paper published in the Journal of Spacecraft in Rockets, with primary application being resident space objects in low-Earth orbit. Supplemental CDF file contains equations that would not fit in full paper.	en_US
dc.description.sponsorship	U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, contract no. FA9453-13-C-0205	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Analytic Free-Molecular Aerodynamics for Rapid Propagation of Resident Space Objects Kenneth A. Hart, Kyle R. Simonis, Bradley A. Steinfeldt, and Robert D. Braun Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets 2018 55:1, 27-36. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2514/1.A33606	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.2514/1.A33606	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1853/61048
dc.publisher	American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics	en_US
dc.subject	Aerodynamics	en_US
dc.subject	Hypersonics	en_US
dc.subject	Rarefied	en_US
dc.subject	Low earth orbit	en_US
dc.subject	LEO	en_US
dc.subject	Satellite aerodynamics	en_US
dc.title	Analytic Free-Molecular Aerodynamics for Rapid Propagation of Resident Space Objects	en_US
dc.type	Text
dc.type.genre	Post-print
dspace.entity.type	Publication
local.contributor.corporatename	Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
local.contributor.corporatename	College of Engineering
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication	a348b767-ea7e-4789-af1f-1f1d5925fb65
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication	7c022d60-21d5-497c-b552-95e489a06569