Title:
Feasibility of Supersonic Retropropulsion Based on Assessment of Mars-Relevant Flight Data
Feasibility of Supersonic Retropropulsion Based on Assessment of Mars-Relevant Flight Data
Author(s)
Sforzo, Brandon A.
Braun, Robert D.
Braun, Robert D.
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Abstract
Flight data provided by SpaceX for flights was analyzed to demonstrate the applicability of telemetry
during SRP to Mars relevant conditions. This information was provided under the framework of a
public-private partnership with NASA, executed as a Space Act Agreement. Analysis focused on the
entry burn portion of the trajectory. Flight conditions were provided to confirm SRP occurred during
an applicable range of mach numbers and dynamic pressures to match Mars SRP initiation conditions.
Vehicle trajectory and attitude history were provided for the SRP segment as well as onboard
sensors for temperature, pressure, heat flux, and strains to compare between missions. Furthermore,
NASA airborne assets provided thermal imagery of the first stage during SRP to provide comparison
to onboard data. Plume tracking analysis was compared to dynamic data from sensors with little correlation.
Analysis of these onboard sensor data and examination of the details for several missions,
the performance of the Falcon 9 vehicle during SRP appeared to be well behaved for these flights.
This study illustrates that SRP methodology implemented for the Falcon 9 first stage entry does not
adversely affect the vehicle and shows promise for future implementation.
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Date Issued
2017-09
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Text
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Paper
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