Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (English Edition) ›› 2010, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (09): 1063-1072.doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10483-010-1342-x

• Articles • 上一篇    下一篇

Spacecraft aerodynamics and trajectory simulation during aerobraking

张文普 韩波 张成义   

  1. Institute of Fluid Engineering, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
  • 收稿日期:2009-12-23 修回日期:2010-07-09 出版日期:2010-09-01 发布日期:2010-09-01

Spacecraft aerodynamics and trajectory simulation during aerobraking

ZHANG Wen-Pu, HAN Bo, ZHANG Cheng-Xi   

  1. Institute of Fluid Engineering, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
  • Received:2009-12-23 Revised:2010-07-09 Online:2010-09-01 Published:2010-09-01

摘要: This paper uses a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) approach to simulate rarefied aerodynamic characteristics during the aerobraking process of the NASA Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft. The research focuses on the flowfield and aerodynamic characteristics distribution under various free stream densities. The variation regularity of aerodynamic coefficients is analyzed. The paper also develops an aerodynamics-aeroheating-trajectory integrative simulation model to preliminarily calculate the aerobraking orbit transfer by combining the DSMC technique and the classical kinematics theory. The results show that the effect of the planetary atmospheric density, the spacecraft yaw, and the pitch attitudes on the spacecraft aerodynamics is significant. The numerical results are in good agreement with the existing results reported in the literature. The aerodynamics-aeroheating-trajectory integrative simulation model can simulate the orbit transfer in the complete aerobraking mission. The current results of the spacecraft trajectory show that the aerobraking maneuvers have good performance of attitude control.

Abstract: This paper uses a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) approach to simulate rarefied aerodynamic characteristics during the aerobraking process of the NASA Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft. The research focuses on the flowfield and aerodynamic characteristics distribution under various free stream densities. The variation regularity of aerodynamic coefficients is analyzed. The paper also develops an aerodynamics-aeroheating-trajectory integrative simulation model to preliminarily calculate the aerobraking orbit transfer by combining the DSMC technique and the classical kinematics theory. The results show that the effect of the planetary atmospheric density, the spacecraft yaw, and the pitch attitudes on the spacecraft aerodynamics is significant. The numerical results are in good agreement with the existing results reported in the literature. The aerodynamics-aeroheating-trajectory integrative simulation model can simulate the orbit transfer in the complete aerobraking mission. The current results of the spacecraft trajectory show that the aerobraking maneuvers have good performance of attitude control.

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