1 / 5

Mars Aerocapture Study: MATLAB Orbit Propagation Analysis

Investigating direct entry methods for Mars mission capsules, comparing ballistic and lifting body designs. MATLAB code computes gravity and drag for orbit simulation. Research includes constraints on crew acceleration and parachute deployment. Conclusion: Aerocapture and aeroentry are possible options. The team has developed functional trajectory analysis tools. Expertise: NASA Trajectory Office experience, MATLAB, FORTRAN 77, AAE courses. Presented by Aeronautics and Astronautics students.

jcavender
Download Presentation

Mars Aerocapture Study: MATLAB Orbit Propagation Analysis

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. AAE 450 - Senior Design Nicholas Saadah Group A - Aerodynamics Presentation #1 1/16/01 School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

  2. Goals of Study • To determine method of direct entry where options are: • Ballistic capsule vs. lifting body • Aerocapture vs. Aeroentry • Constraints are: • Maximum acceleration on crew • Minimum velocity low enough for parachute deployment School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

  3. The code • MATLAB code uses standard numerical integration (contained in code, not ‘ode45’) to propagate orbit around Mars • Computes gravity and drag • Assumptions: • Spacecraft is flat plate (m = 5557kg, area = 11.95 m2) Apollo CM numbers • Spacecraft bottom is always perpendicular to velocity (cd=2) • Atmospheric density = .01*(earth atm. density) via curve fit • dt = 1 second School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

  4. Conclusions • Straight-line descent not an option (acceleration too high) • Aerocapture to elliptic orbit a possibility • Aeroentry a possibility • Team now has a (presumably) working code to analyze atmospheric trajectories School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

  5. Skills • Four co-op tours with Trajectory Office at NASA - Johnson Space Center • Well versed in MATLAB, QUICK, FORTRAN 77, UNIX,C • AAE 532 (Orbital Mechanics), AAE 412 (Intro to CFD), AAE 507 (Principles of Mechanics) School of Aeronautics and Astronautics

More Related