A RECONSTRUCTION OF AEROTHERMAL ENVIRONMENT AND THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM RESPONSE OF THE MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY ENTRY VEHICLE

摘要

An initial assessment and reconstruction of Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)entry aerothermal environment and thermal protection system (TPS) responseis performed using the on-board instrumentation suite called MSL Entry, Descent,and Landing Instrumentation (MEDLI). The analysis is performed usingthe current best estimated trajectory. The MEDLI suite in part provides indepthtemperature measurements at seven locations on the heatshield. The temperaturedata show the occurrence of boundary layer transition to turbulence onthe leeside forebody of the entry vehicle. The data also suggest that the TPSrecession is lower than nominal model predictions using diffusion limited surfaceoxidation. The model predictions of temperatures show an underpredictionin the stagnation and apex regions, and an overprediction in the leeside region.An estimate of time-varying aeroheating using an inverse reconstruction techniqueis also presented. The reconstructed aeroheating is sensitive to the choiceof a recession model.