Supersonic Retropropulsion Flight Test Concepts
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Author(s)
Post, Ethan A.
Dupzyk, Ian C.
Korzun, Ashley M.
Dyakonov, Artem A.
Tanimoto, Rebekah L.
Edquist, Karl T.
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Abstract
NASA’s Exploration Technology Development and
Demonstration Program has proposed plans for a series
of three sub-scale flight tests at Earth for supersonic
retropropulsion, a candidate decelerator technology for
future, high-mass Mars missions. The first flight test
in this series is intended to be a proof-of-concept test,
demonstrating successful initiation and operation of
supersonic retropropulsion at conditions that replicate
the relevant physics of the aerodynamic-propulsive
interactions expected in flight. Five sub-scale flight test
article concepts, each designed for launch on
sounding rockets, have been developed in
consideration of this proof-of-concept flight test.
Commercial, off-the-shelf components are utilized as
much as possible in each concept. The design merits
of the concepts are compared along with their predicted
performance for a baseline trajectory. The results of a
packaging study and performance-based trade studies
indicate that a sounding rocket is a viable launch
platform for this proof-of-concept test of supersonic
retropropulsion.
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Date
2011-06
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