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Aerothermodynamic Analysis Of A Mars Sample Return Earth-Entry Vehicle, Daniel A. Boyd
Aerothermodynamic Analysis Of A Mars Sample Return Earth-Entry Vehicle, Daniel A. Boyd
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations
Because of the severe quarantine constraints that must be imposed on any returned extraterrestrial samples, the Mars sample return Earth-entry vehicle must remain intact through sample recovery. Vehicles returning on a Mars-Earth trajectory will attain velocities exceeding any that have been experienced by prior space exploration missions, with velocities approaching 14 km/s. Velocities as high as these will encounter significant heating during atmospheric re-entry to Earth.
The purpose of this study has been to systematically investigate the aerothermodynamic challenges that will result from a Mars sample return, Earth-entry vehicle design. The goal was to enable efficient estimation of maximum stagnation …