21st Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Melbourne, Australia, 13-18 September, 1998
Paper ICAS-98-R.1.2

ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF AN IMPROVED AERODYNAMIC ORBITER CONFIGURATION

Neiland V. Y., Belov I. F. , Grechko I. Y., Yennak Y. N
Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, TsAGI, Zhukovsky, Russia

Keywords: analytical , experimental, aerodynamic, orbiter

The results of analytical and experimental investigations of an improved aerodynamic orbiter configuration version are presented for a multipurpose aerospace system being developed at the Scientific Production Association "Molnia" based on the subsonic aircraft-launcher An-225 (Mria). The main objective of these investigations is to evaluate modification techniques of the baseline orbiter version which provide for an increased hypersonic LID and, consequently, improved aerospace system performance. Based on the results obtained, a modification of the baseline orbiter version is suggested. According to the predictions, this modification provides for an increase in its maximum hypersonic LID by 14% to 27% in the descent flight envelope and, consequently, in the lateral range of the modified orbiter by 2000 Ian, i.e., from Z=4200 Ian for the baseline version to Z=6200 Ian for the modified version. This improves the aerospace system performance extending the inclination range of the serviceable orbits and the network of landing airfields. It is shown that the weight of the combined thermal protection system is twice as less as the thermal radiation protection. The TsAGI wind tunnel test results for schematized models of the hypersonic vehicle GLA-5 are used to estimate the aerodynamic characteristics of the modified orbiter at sub,-trans,-super,-and hypersonic velocities. The calculations and experimental investigations are conducted as concerns the choice of the orbiter's thermal protection. The weight of the combined thermal protection system is shown to be half as much as that of the radiation thermal protection system.

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