Accession Number:

AD0829831

Title:

INVESTIGATION OF AN ATTACHED INFLATABLE DECELERATOR SYSTEM FOR DRAG AUGMENTATION OF THE VOYAGER ENTRY CAPSULE AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. 25 Jan 1968

Corporate Author:

ARNOLD ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT CENTER ARNOLD AFB TN

Personal Author(s):

• Reichenau, David E. A.

Report Date:

1968-04-01

Pagination or Media Count:

25.0

Abstract:

A test was conducted in the 16-ft supersonic wind tunnel to obtain deployment, inflation, and steady-state characteristics of an inflatable decelerator attached to the base of a Voyager entry capsule. Deployments were made at Mach numbers of 2.2 and 3.0 at a free-stream dynamic pressure of 120 psfa. The data obtained show that the preinflation method utilizing vaporization of sufficient liquid solution to completely inflate the decelerator volume resulted in full-inflation times of less than 0.25 sec. The decelerator remained fully inflated after each deployment and exhibited excellent stability.

Descriptors:

• *INFLATABLE STRUCTURES
• *MARS PROBES
• *PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
• *REENTRY VEHICLES
• AFTERBODIES
• ALUMINUM ALLOYS
• ATMOSPHERE ENTRY
• DECELERATION
• DEPLOYMENT
• DRAG
• LIQUIDS
• MODEL TESTS
• PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
• SCALE
• STABILITY
• SUPERSONIC CHARACTERISTICS
• VAPORIZATION
• WIND TUNNEL MODELS

Subject Categories:

• Unmanned Spacecraft
• Spacecraft Trajectories and Reentry

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE