Reentry Research Articles

Thermo-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of reusable SiCf/SiC composites with PyC interphase

The extreme and repeated aerothermal environments working on reusable launch vehicles bring challenges for the design of hot structure. Due to the outstanding high-temperature resistant, SiCf/SiC composite is an excellent candidate material for hot structures in re-entry vehicles. In this paper, the thermo-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of SiCf/SiC composite are investigated comprehensively. Experimental results reveal different failure mechanisms of SiCf/SiC composites subjected to monotonic quasi-static tension at room temperature and high temperature, cyclic thermal fatigue and thermo-mechanical coupling fatigue. Cyclic thermal environment causing oxidation of interphase layer and embrittlement of fiber plays a significant role in decrease of load bearing capacity of SiCf/SiC composites. The long-term periodic fatigue load that is superimposed on the cyclic thermal condition would further deteriorate the performance of materials. To better understand the damage evolution process, a thermo-mechanical coupling fatigue model is proposed to describe the degradation of SiCf/SiC composites for different stress levels. The service life of SiCf/SiC composites is obtained, which could be used to evaluate the reusable performance of SiCf/SiC hot structure. The results of this study provide novel insights into the design of SiCf/SiC composites for reusable launch vehicles under prolonged and repeated service environment.

Mechanism-specific chemical energy accommodation with finite-rate surface chemistry in non-equilibrium flow

During atmospheric reentry, the vehicle surface is exposed to highly non-equilibrium flow. The vehicle surface can experience heterogeneous recombination of reactive atoms, which contributes to its aerothermodynamic heating. This process is followed by chemical energy accommodation (CEA), where the released energy is either transferred to the surface or the internal energy modes of the recombined molecule. Heterogeneous recombination can be categorized into Eley–Rideal (ER) and Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanisms, which differ in their methods of molecule formation and degrees of CEA. The complete CEA assumption may not consider the dependency of CEA on the mechanisms of heterogeneous recombination. This study aims to consider the mechanism-specific CEA for a more accurate prediction of surface heat flux. The authors implement mechanism-specific CEA within the direct simulation Monte Carlo framework using the finite-rate surface chemistry model, resolving elementary surface reactions and assigning a CEA coefficient, β, to each mechanism. The model is verified through comparisons with analytical solutions of surface coverage and validated against benchmark references. A parametric investigation of rarefied hypersonic flow over a two-dimensional cylinder is conducted under different freestream Mach and Knudsen numbers. Results show a reduction in total heat flux of up to 14.44% using mechanism-specific CEA compared to the complete CEA assumption. The reduction is attributed to the relative contribution of the ER mechanism, which can be a function of atomic partial pressure at the boundary layer.

Iterated rational quadratic kernel - High-order unscented Kalman filtering algorithm for spacecraft tracking

The high-speed development of space defense technology demands a high state estimation capacity for spacecraft tracking methods. However, reentry flight is accompanied by complex flight environments, which brings to the uncertain, complex, and strongly coupled non-Gaussian detection noise. As a result, there are several intractable considerations on the problem of state estimation tasks corrupted by complex non-Gaussian outliers for non-linear dynamics systems in practical application. To address these issues, a new iterated rational quadratic (RQ) kernel high-order unscented Kalman filtering (IRQ-HUKF) algorithm via capturing the statistics to break through the limitations of the Gaussian assumption is proposed. Firstly, the characteristic analysis of the RQ kernel is investigated in detail, which is the first attempt to carry out an exploration of the heavy-tailed characteristic and the ability on capturing high-order moments of the RQ kernel. Subsequently, the RQ kernel method is first introduced into the UKF algorithm as an error optimization criterion, termed the iterated RQ kernel-UKF (RQ-UKF) algorithm by derived analytically, which not only retains the high-order moments propagation process but also enhances the approximation capacity in the non-Gaussian noise problem for its ability in capturing high-order moments and heavy-tailed characteristics. Meanwhile, to tackle the limitations of the Gaussian distribution assumption in the linearization process of the non-linear systems, the high-order Sigma Points (SP) as a subsidiary role in propagating the state high-order statistics is devised by the moments matching method to improve the RQ-UKF. Finally, to further improve the flexibility of the IRQ-HUKF algorithm in practical application, an adaptive kernel parameter is derived analytically grounded in the Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) method and parametric sensitivity analysis of the RQ kernel. The simulation results demonstrate that the novel IRQ-HUKF algorithm is more robust and outperforms the existing advanced UKF with respect to the kernel method in reentry vehicle tracking scenarios under various noise environments.

Drag and Thermal Reduction of Spiked Hypersonic Vehicle in Thermochemical Nonequilibrium

This study utilizes the in-house parallel direct simulation Monte Carlo–quantum dynamics method to model the aerodynamic flowfield of a spiked reentry vehicle within a rarefied high-altitude atmosphere. Investigating the flight of spiked aircraft under various flight conditions and spike sizes and considering both the real gas effect and the rarefied gas effect, the aerodynamic characteristic of the aircraft is evaluated. Performance evaluation for effectiveness in drag reduction and thermal protection is based on drag and the maximum stagnation heat flux coefficient at the vehicle’s shoulder. Findings indicate that, in the rarefied atmosphere, the distinction between the characteristic shock intensities of spiked and unspiked vehicles is not pronounced, which results in a drag reduction of approximately 5%, accompanied by a more than 100% increase in thermal effect on the vehicle’s shoulder, obviously poor in effectiveness. Subsequently, this study examines the spiked vehicle equipped with a lateral jet, and this augmented approach achieves a marked reduction in the intensity of the shock wave impacting the vehicle’s shoulder with a drag reduction exceeding 10% and attenuates the thermal impact by over 50% in comparison to the implementation of spiking alone, thereby demonstrating superior performance in terms of effectiveness.

Ground experimental study of the electron density of plasma sheath reduced by pulsed discharge

Abstract A plasma sheath will be generated around the hypersonic vehicle during reentry, where a large number of electrons will significantly affect the propagation of EM waves, resulting in the phenomenon of communication blackout. This paper proposes a method of reducing the electron density of reentry vehicle plasma sheath by pulsed discharge. Experiments were conducted in a high-speed plasma wind tunnel to study the effects and scope of pulsed discharge on the plasma sheath electron density using an ultrahigh-speed camera and microwave diagnostic system. The experimental results show that the application of pulsed discharge resulted in the formation of a light intensity attenuation region measuring 14 × 19 × 4 cm around the discharge area, with an attenuation degree ranging from 30% to 58%. The microwave diagnostic results indicate that after the actuator discharge, the electron density of the plasma sheath within a 4 cm height above the vehicle wall is significantly reduced compared to before the actuator discharge, with a maximum reduction of approximately 86%. These results demonstrate that this method has significant effects on reducing plasma sheath electron density. Furthermore, the low power consumption, load, and space requirements suggest that it has potential for practical applications.

The first results of the hydrogen cyanide (HCN) interferometer measuring experimental research apparatus for electromagnetic science (ERAES) for hypersonic vehicle plasma in near space.

The formation of a plasma sheath on the surface of spacecraft or satellites during high-speed atmospheric entry is a significant factor that affects communication and radar detection. Experimental research apparatus for electromagnetic science can simulate this plasma sheath and study the interaction mechanisms between electromagnetic waves and plasma sheaths. Electron density is a crucial parameter for this research. Therefore, in this paper, a HCN heterodyne interferometer has been designed to measure the electron densities of the device, which range from 1 × 109 to 3 × 1013cm-3 and the pressure ranges from 50 to 1500Pa. The light source is a HCN laser with a wavelength of 337 µm, which exhibits higher spatial resolution compared to microwave interferometers. The interferometer is configured as a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, which generates an intermediate frequency through the Doppler shift achieved by a rotating grating. The spatial and temporal resolution of the HCN interferometry reach ∼14mm and 100 µs, respectively. Antenna-coupled ALGaN/GaN-HEMT detectors have been utilized, as they possess higher sensitivity-with a typical reduction factor responsivity of around 900 V/W-than VDI planar-diode Integrated Conical Horn Fundamental Mixers in HCN interferometry. Recently, the initial results of the HCN interferometer designed for ERAES have been obtained during an experimental campaign, demonstrating a phase resolution of up to 0.04π.

Intelligent calculation of reachable domain under No-fly zone influence based on tangent flight trajectories

Rapid and accurate calculation of reachable domain, especially under the no-fly zone influence, is important in the reentry mission of reentry vehicles. The basic problem is the complex boundary of the reachable domain. Aiming to solve this problem, the intelligent reachable domain calculation approach with unfixed no-fly zone location based on tangent flight trajectory is presented. First, the algorithm of reachable domain calculation under no-fly zone influence is proposed. After finding the tangent flight trajectories, the tangency point states are determined and the subdomains are generated. To obtain a closed domain, the new algorithm for limiting boundary calculation is given. The no-fly zones are classified and the solution ideas of different categories are given separately to ensure that the algorithm can apply to different kinds of no-fly zones. Back Propagation neural networks are introduced and trained for different types of no-fly zones to solve reachable domains rapidly. Finally, the simulations of the proposed algorithm are presented, including each category of a single no-fly zone and different categories of multiple no-fly zones. Comparisons are also made between the general solution method and the method using neural networks. The results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and the calculation time reduced by a factor of 103 through neural networks.

Modular Chip-Based nanoSFC-MS for Ultrafast Separations.

This study presents the development of a miniaturized device for supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The chip-based, modular nanoSFC approach utilizes a particle-packed nanobore column embedded between two monolithically structured glass chips. A microtee in the pre-column section ensures picoliter sample loads onto the column, while a microcross chip structure fluidically controls the column backpressure. The restrictive emitter and the minimal post-column volume of 16 nL prevent mobile phase decompression and analyte dilution, maintaining chromatographic integrity during transfer to the atmospheric pressure MS interface. This facilitates high-speed chiral separations in less than 80 s with high reproducibility.

Probability-oriented disturbance estimation-triggered control via collaborative and adaptive Bayesian optimization for reentry vehicles

The paper investigates the performance improvement issue for reentry vehicles under uncertainties from the perspective of probability. The disturbance estimation-triggered control (DETC) proves to achieve transient performance increase compared with the standard disturbance-observer control methods, and the presented approach further exploits the probability-oriented transient performance improvement based on the collaborative and adaptive Bayesian optimization (CABO) technique, which constructs the main contribution of the paper. Based on the attitude dynamics of reentry vehicles, the DETC method is first introduced to guarantee the tracking stability and robustness against the uncertainties including the aerodynamic perturbation and wind effects. Meanwhile, the performance improvement is analyzed theoretically. Then, by virtue of the CABO algorithm, the CABO-based DETC is presented by combining the performance and probability indexes. Finally, the simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme and parameters influence is also discussed.

Multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization of the aerodynamic shape of the SpaceLiner passenger stage

The SpaceLiner is a futuristic concept of a suborbital space plane intended to provide ultra-fast intercontinental passenger transport, currently in pre-development at DLR-SART. Vehicles traveling at hypersonic speeds inevitably produce shock waves that are perceived at ground level as sonic booms, with associated disturbance of the overflown populations. The reduction of this disturbance, together with the decrease of the noise associated to the launch and ascent phase, is critical for a viable future operation of the SpaceLiner. The objective of this work is the redesign of the passenger stage aerodynamic shape in order to improve its atmospheric re-entry performance, in terms of a reduction of both the heat flux and the disturbance of the overflown populations. For this purpose, a MDAO methodology was developed with the tasks of (1) computing vehicle performance from a wing shape parametrization using fast estimation methods, (2) exploring the design space and (3) finding a new promising aerodynamic shape. First, a Python tool-chain was developed to compute vehicles performances from a wing shape parametrization using fast estimation methods. The tool-chain was then systematically exploited to explore the design space by means of parametric studies, whose results informed the implementation of the forthcoming optimization. Afterwards, the wing shape was optimized using a three-objective evolutionary algorithm that minimized the vehicle mass and maximized its lift-to-drag ratio and lift coefficient. Simplified trajectory optimizations were then run on the set of non-dominated solutions in order to identify the most performing configurations. Finally, multi-objective evolutionary trajectory optimizations were run for the most promising candidate along intercontinental point-to-point routes of interest. Comparisons with the previous design iteration showed a significant improvement in terms of a reduction of both reentry heat flux and population disturbance.

A case study into the safety management systems for the effects of potential space weather risks, for operators of very high altitude ‘near space’ flights from Mojave Air & Space Port, California, and the associated regulatory challenges

Mojave Air & Space Port is located in Mojave, California, United States. It is at an elevation of 2,801 feet (854 m), is nearly 3000 acres in size and has three runways. It is licensed by the FAA for horizontal launches of reusable spacecraft and is already a major hub for aerospace research and space enterprises, which includes potential space flights and very high altitude subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flights.During potential very high-altitude ‘near space’ space flights, the effects of cosmic radiation exposure, especially during sudden changes in space weather, such as ground level enhancement (GLE) or solar particle events (SPEs), could have significant health implications for crew and passengers. This case study examines the intricate landscape of radiation risks, regulatory challenges, licensing complexities, and approaches to risk management for very high-altitude ‘near space’ space flights from Mojave Air and Space Port carrying one or more paying "space flight participant" (being an individual, who is not crew, carried aboard a launch vehicle or re-entry vehicle).The study explores the specific challenges of risk assessment of very high-altitude flights, looking in detail at the risk posed by the space weather radiation environment in flight planning and execution, for both Space Port and flight operator. The study covers the ‘end to end’ licensing process and the regulatory considerations of space weather required for both Space Port and flight operator. Further, we look at the integration of Safety Management Systems (SMS), namely, we explore how SMS frameworks proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks throughout the ‘near space’ space flight process. Further, the study presents a template for addressing the regulatory framework for flights, risk assessment, pre-flight briefings, and the flight licensing procedure.This case study offers valuable insights for Space Port and flight operators, regulators, and policymakers, contributing to the development of comprehensive safety strategies, which are crucial for safe very high-altitude ‘near space’ space exploration.Plain Language Summary: A case study of how the potential space weather risks can be successfully managed for very high altitude ‘near space’ subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flights from Mojave Air and Space Port, California, USA carrying one or more space flight participant(s).

Mechanism of active flow control using a novel spike aerodome-channel concept in the hypersonic flow: A numerical study

Among the design requirements of hypersonic vehicles, reducing aerodynamic heating and drag force simultaneously is the main challenge. This paper proposes a novel spike aerodome-channel combination concept to realize the flow field reconstruction around the hypersonic blunt body. The novel configuration is investigated in the axisymmetric flow at a Mach number of 6 at zero angle of attack. The two-dimensional Reynold-averaged Navier–Stokes equations are numerically solved, and the shear-stress transport k–ω model is the turbulence model implemented in this study. Parameters such as spike length and lateral jet location are investigated to explore the drag and heat reduction performance and the flow control features. The obtained results show that the application of the novel spike aerodome-channel concept alters the flow field by eliminating or replacing the strong bow shock wave, and the design of hypersonic vehicles can benefit from the application of the proposed concept. The blunt body coupled with a frustum of cone-tipped spike-channel configuration provides a remarkable drag reduction effect of 20.71% with respect to the case without channel. Considering the effect of lateral jet location, the drag reduction performance of the case with LR = 0.75 is superior to that of the root jet case at the same spike length, and a considerable drag reduction of 28.93% is obtained with L/D = 2.4. In addition, longer spike length is beneficial for improving drag reduction performance, while excellent efficiency of heat protection is obtained in a certain spike length range. For the case of L/D = 1.6 with root jet, the peak Stanton number is significantly decreased by 33.51%.

A three-dimensional thermochemical nonequilibrium model for simulating air plasma flows around an inflatable membrane reentry vehicle

A three-dimensional thermochemical nonequilibrium model for simulating air plasma flows around an inflatable membrane reentry vehicle

Pyrolysis mechanism of silicone rubber thermal protection system materials in service environment

The excellent oxidation and ablation resistance of silicone rubber thermal protection system (TPS) materials have made them extensively utilized in large-area thermal protection applications, such as ramjet engines and spacecraft reentry capsules, where air is present in the service environment. The ablation resistance is significantly influenced by the pyrolysis reactions, which serves as the foundation for subsequent ceramic transformation and the development of anti-erosion structures. The majority of previous research has been conducted in inert gas environments. To investigate the pyrolysis mechanism of silicone rubber TPS materials in realistic service environments, thermal analysis tests were performed using a range of analytical instruments including a thermal analyzer, mass spectrometer, infrared spectrometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer from room temperature up to 1300 K in air atmosphere and compared with the results in argon atmosphere. The results demonstrate that silicone rubber TPS materials undergo both pyrolysis and oxidation reactions in air atmosphere. The primary pyrolysis of the matrix is attributed to cyclization reactions and side-chain cross-linking reactions. In comparison to argon atmosphere, the oxidation reaction produces a greater amount of organic gases, thereby diminishing the extent of cross-linking reaction and the thermal stability of the pyrolysis residue. The prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures allows for an extended duration of oxidation reactions, consequently diminishing the long-term thermal stability of TPS materials. The increase in mass of TPS materials at temperatures exceeding 1100 K can be attributed, in part, to the formation of new organic groups through oxidation reactions. The observed morphology of the residue, along with the weight gain from oxidation and SiO2 formation, promotes ceramic transformation of the materials at elevated temperatures.

Safety of the express freight train running over a long-span bridge

PurposeExpress freight transportation is in rapid development currently. Owing to the higher speed of express freight train, the deformation of the bridge deck worsens the railway line condition under the action of wind and train moving load when the train runs over a long-span bridge. Besides, the blunt car body of vehicle has poor aerodynamic characteristics, bringing a greater challenge on the running stability in the crosswind.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the aerodynamic force coefficients of express freight vehicles on the bridge are measured by scale model wind tunnel test. The dynamic model of the train-long-span steel truss bridge coupling system is established, and the dynamic response as well as the running safety of vehicle are evaluated.FindingsThe results show that wind speed has a significant influence on running safety, which is mainly reflected in the over-limitation of wheel unloading rate. The wind speed limit decreases with train speed, and it reduces to 18.83 m/s when the train speed is 160 km/h.Originality/valueThis study deepens the theoretical understanding of the interaction between vehicles and bridges and proposes new methods for analyzing similar engineering problems. It also provides a new theoretical basis for the safety assessment of express freight trains.

Investigating Intra-Pulse Doppler Frequency Coupled in the Radar Echo Signal of a Plasma Sheath-Enveloped Target

In detecting hypersonic vehicles, the radar echo signal is coupled with an intra-pulse Doppler frequency (I-D frequency) component caused by relative motion of a plasma sheath (PSh) and the vehicle, which can induce the phenomenon of a ghost target in a one-dimensional range profile. In order to investigate the I-D frequency generated by the relative motion of a PSh, this study transforms a linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal into a single carrier frequency signal based on echo signal equivalent time delay-dechirp processing and realizes high resolution and fast extraction of the I-D frequency coupled with the frequency-domain echo signal. Furthermore, by relying on the computation of the surface flow field of the RAMC-II Blunt Cone Reentry Vehicle, the coupled I-D frequency in the radar echo signal of a PSh-enveloped target under circumstances of typical altitudes and carrier frequencies is extracted and further investigated, revealing the variation law of I-D frequency. The key findings of this study provide a novel approach for suppressing anomalies in radar detection of PSh-enveloped targets as well as effective detecting and as robust target tracking.

A finite volume formulation for one-dimensional Stefan problems

This paper presents a numerical formulation that combines the finite-volume method with a time-dependent boundary-fitted coordinate system to tackle the moving boundary problems for the one-dimensional (1-D) heat equation. Following the formulation process, an algorithm was created with the help of the linear algebra package Eigen to generate the data for the numerical solution. Four benchmark cases of heat conduction were investigated by this approach and compared to the analytical solution: a fixed boundary case, the liquid phase of a melting process, the solid phase of a melting process, and an ablating process. The results demonstrate the capability of the presented numerical formulation in efficiently solving the general 1-D heat problems, especially the one-phase Stefan problems, as well as the consistency of the numerical and analytical solutions. Future works can strive to extend the formulations to Stefan problems of two phases or higher dimensions. The work can then be extended to real-life applications, such as the spacecraft re-entry ablation process, and the process of iceberg melting, demonstrating its critical value in solving practical problems.

Flow-thermal coupled investigation on hypersonic spike-jet with channel

As for blunt-body hypersonic vehicles, the extreme drag and aero-heating pose great challenges to the conceptual design. Different from the conventional configurations, a blunt body slotted with a channel is proposed in this paper. The channel is further combined with a jet on the shoulder to reduce drag and aero-heating. Simultaneously, based on the position of the separation point and vortex edge, a modified effective body approach is developed to accurately investigate the drag reduction mechanism. Specifically, the more slender the modified effective body is, the more obvious the drag reduction is. The simulation results show that the spike-channel-jet can push the shear layer on the spike away from the wall. In this way, the position of shear reattachment point moves downstream, which can enlarge the recirculation zone and weaken the shock-shock interaction. Additionally, the reattachment shock is pushed far away from the blunt body, which is also weakened. For drag, net power is introduced to evaluate the practical value of spike-channel-jet for drag reduction. Compared with a simple spike (spike length L/D = 1) of the same size, the spike-channel-jet can reduce the total drag by 24.68 %, the peak pressure coefficient of the blunt body by 38.54 %, the peak temperature of the blunt body by 65.75 %, and the peak temperature of the spike by 10.63 %. The maximum net power can reach 13.30 kW. Considering the fluid-thermal interaction, the findings reveal the influence of the spike length and jet mass flow rate on aerodynamic performance, by modified effective body further analyze the drag reduction mechanism with the jet, and validate the different reasons for the peak temperature and pressure of the blunt body.

Optimizing Spacecraft Re-entry Communication: Plasma Electron Depletion Through Controlled Particulate Injection and Fresnel Coefficients Analysis

Optimizing Spacecraft Re-entry Communication: Plasma Electron Depletion Through Controlled Particulate Injection and Fresnel Coefficients Analysis

Stochastic mesoscale characterization of ablative materials for atmospheric entry

This study addresses the estimation of material properties at a mesoscopic level using the PuMA software from an uncertainty quantification perspective. Stochastic simulation with PuMA is primarily related to the random distribution of fibers, which is an intrinsic source of uncertainty. Additionally, the selection of certain physical parameters, such as the fiber's thermal conductivity, introduces further uncertainties. The first contribution of this study is to propose a low-cost surrogate-based methodology with an unequal allocation scheme, applied for the first time to the stochastic mesoscale characterization of ablative materials. The second contribution is a study on uncertainty propagation and sensitivity analysis of material properties, providing a systematic assessment of the choice of voxel resolution for both the fibers and the domain. Specifically, the convergence of quantities of interest can be monitored, thus identifying the minimal reference elementary volume.