Convective and Radiative Heat Flux Prediction of Huygens Entry on Titan

摘要

The present paper focuses on the convective and radiative heat flux predictions required for the post-delta Flight Acceptance Review consolidation of the Huygens entry profile and, in particular, the desired flight path angle at entry interface. This consolidation effort has concluded on the appropriateness of the probe's thermal protection system design under the nominal and dispersed entry conditions considered and has supported the positive decision for Huygens's release from its carrier, Cassini, in December 2004. The related predictions are based on the atmospheric model of Yelle as implemented during the Huygens recovery effort (2002-2004) by the companies Alcatel and European Aeronautic Defence and Space, Les Mureaux and subsequent variations thereof. The atmospheric model (with emphasis on chemical composition, gravity wave, and wind profiles) has been updated before probe release during the Titan flybys in October 2004 and the final preentry predictions reported here have been performed with the atmospheric model resulting from the observations recorded during the second Titan flyby and the preflight trajectory baselined during the delta Flight Acceptance Review in February 2004. The results obtained clearly support the appropriateness of the thermal protection system design and the decision for probe release.