27th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 19 - 24 September 2010, Nice, France
Paper ICAS 2010-9.9.2

AEROTHERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF A SPACE VEHICLE FOR MANNED EXPLORATION MISSIONS TO MARS

A. Viviani, G. Pezzella*, G. Golia
Seconda Univ. di Napoli (SUN), Italy; *CIRA, Italy

Keywords: planetary atmospheric reentry, nonequilibrium flow, aerothermochemistry, aerodynamics.

The paper deals with a Crew Transportation System for manned Mars exploration missions. The flow is modelled as reacting gas mixture (9 species: Ar, CO2, N2, O2,CO, NO, N, O; 49 reactions). Detailed investigation of nonequilibrium real-gas effects on vehicle aerothermodynamics and on aerodynamic performances is described.

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