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Mars Aerocapture Systems Study NASA/TM-2006-214522 Mars Aerocapture Systems Study Henry S. Wright Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia David Y. Oh Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Carlos H. Westhelle Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas Jody L. Fisher National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, Virginia R. Eric Dyke Swales Aerospace, Hampton, Virginia Karl T. Edquist Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia James L. Brown Ames Research Center, Hampton, Virginia Hilary L. Justh Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama Michelle M. Munk Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama November 2006 The NASA STI Program Office . in Profile Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to the • CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. Collected advancement of aeronautics and space science. The papers from scientific and technical NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) conferences, symposia, seminars, or other Program Office plays a key part in helping NASA meetings sponsored or co-sponsored by NASA. maintain this important role. • SPECIAL PUBLICATION. Scientific, The NASA STI Program Office is operated by technical, or historical information from NASA Langley Research Center, the lead center for NASA’s programs, projects, and missions, often scientific and technical information. The NASA STI concerned with subjects having substantial Program Office provides access to the NASA STI public interest. Database, the largest collection of aeronautical and space science STI in the world. The Program Office is • TECHNICAL TRANSLATION. English- also NASA’s institutional mechanism for language translations of foreign scientific and disseminating the results of its research and technical material pertinent to NASA’s mission. development activities. These results are published by NASA in the NASA STI Report Series, which Specialized services that complement the STI includes the following report types: Program Office’s diverse offerings include creating custom thesauri, building customized databases, • TECHNICAL PUBLICATION. Reports of organizing and publishing research results ... even completed research or a major significant phase providing videos. of research that present the results of NASA programs and include extensive data or For more information about the NASA STI Program theoretical analysis. Includes compilations of Office, see the following: significant scientific and technical data and information deemed to be of continuing • Access the NASA STI Program Home Page at reference value. NASA counterpart of peer- http://www.sti.nasa.gov reviewed formal professional papers, but having less stringent limitations on manuscript length • E-mail your question via the Internet to and extent of graphic presentations. [email protected] • TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM. Scientific • Fax your question to the NASA STI Help Desk and technical findings that are preliminary or of at (301) 621-0134 specialized interest, e.g., quick release reports, working papers, and bibliographies that contain minimal annotation. Does not contain extensive • Phone the NASA STI Help Desk at analysis. (301) 621-0390 • CONTRACTOR REPORT. Scientific and • Write to: technical findings by NASA-sponsored NASA STI Help Desk contractors and grantees. NASA Center for AeroSpace Information 7121 Standard Drive Hanover, MD 21076-1320 NASA/TM-2006-214522 Mars Aerocapture Systems Study Henry S. Wright Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia David Y. Oh Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California Carlos H. Westhelle Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas Jody L. Fisher National Institute of Aerospace, Hampton, Virginia R. Eric Dyke Swales Aerospace, Hampton, Virginia Karl T. Edquist Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia James L. Brown Ames Research Center, Hampton, Virginia Hilary L. Justh Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama Michelle M. Munk Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama National Aeronautics and Space Administration Langley Research Center Hampton, Virginia 23681-2199 November 2006 Available from: NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 7121 Standard Drive 5285 Port Royal Road Hanover, MD 21076-1320 Springfield, VA 22161-2171 (301) 621-0390 (703) 605-6000 Contents Contents............................................................................................................................................................................... i List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................................................... ii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................................... iii Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Symbols and Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................................. 2 Study Overview ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 MASS Problem Statement ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Aerocapture Assumptions............................................................................................................................................. 5 Study Programmatics .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Summary Results........................................................................................................................................................... 6 Comparison to Other Aeropass Missions ................................................................................................................ 6 Comparison to an All-Propulsive Option ................................................................................................................ 7 Mission Analysis ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 Mission Assessment ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Constraints ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Investigation of the Opportunities............................................................................................................................ 9 Baseline Mission Architecture.................................................................................................................................... 10 Arrival State (Arrival Navigation).............................................................................................................................. 11 Aerocapture Process ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 Modeling of the Atmosphere of Mars ............................................................................................................................ 12 Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (Mars-GRAM)................................................................................... 12 Mars-GRAM Auxiliary Profiles from Observed Data.............................................................................................. 13 Configuration and Aerodynamics................................................................................................................................... 13 Aeroshell Configuration Basis (60° vs 70° Sphere Cone) ........................................................................................ 13 Aerodynamics .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Guidance and Integrated Trajectory Performance......................................................................................................... 15 HYPAS Guidance........................................................................................................................................................ 15 POST2 Trajectory Simulation .................................................................................................................................... 16 Simulation Results and Performance ......................................................................................................................... 16 Aeroheating Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 17 Forebody Heating Environments................................................................................................................................18 Afterbody Heating Environments............................................................................................................................... 18 Radiative
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