High Speed Flow And Aerodynamic Heating Behavior Of Porous Fibrous Structures

Author : A. C. Kyser
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 108 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (31 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Download or read book The Rotornet written by A. C. Kyser and published by . This book was released on 1965 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report describes the Rotornet, a new type of aerodynamic decelerator proposed for space missions requiring entry into planetary atmospheres. The basic element of the Rotornet is a large, light-weight, flexible, filamentary disk which is attached at its center to a hub on the nose of the entry vehicle, and stiffened, during operation, by a high spin rate. This concept makes possible the use of very large surface areas for aerodynamic braking (W/C(D)A less than 1 lb/sq ft). For D such low values of W/C(D)A, the maximum heating rates, even for earth entry at superorbital speeds, are well within the capability of high-temperature filamentary structural materials to reject heat by radiation. Since no non-structural thermal-protection material is required, the decelerator weight can be reduced to a few per cent of the payload weight. The mechanical and operational characteristics of the Rotornet are discussed, including its behavior in a hypersonic windstream, and its potential performance as a re-entry decelerator. It is shown that for a given set of entry conditions the ratio of rotor mass to payload mass is proportional to disk radius, which, in turn, is proportional to the cube root of the total vehicle mass; for a 10-g ballistic entry from earth orbit, a rotor weight of about 200 lbs is sufficient for a payload of 10,000 lbs. Finally, the possibilities are discussed for future use of the Rotornet as a decelerator for more severe entry missions.