Development of the Orion Crew Module Static Aerodynamic Database, Part II: Subsonic/Supersonic

Abstract

The process of developing the nominal static aerodynamic coecients and associated uncertainties for the Orion Crew Module at and below Mach 8 is presented. The database was developed from wind tunnel experiments and computational simulations of the smoothbody Crew Module, which has neither asymmetries or protuberances. The database covers the full range of Reynolds numbers spanning both entry and ascent abort scenarios. Uncertainties were developed as functions of Mach number and total angle of attack from variations in the primary wind tunnel and computational data, variations in computations at lower, o-nominal Reynolds numbers, and those attributed to using dierent ow solvers. The resulting aerodynamic database is a credible representation of subsonic, supersonic, and low hypersonic aerodynamics and uncertainties for the current Crew Module design.