Flight Experiment of the Capsule with the Deployable Flexible Aeroshell Using a Large Scientific Balloon

Paper number

IAC-05-D2.6.05

Author

Dr. Kazuhiko Yamada, University of Tokyo, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Takashi Abe, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Daisuke Akita, University of Tokyo, Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Keisuke Kinumoto, University of Tokyo, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Yukihiko Matsusaka, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Tomohiro Narumi, Kyushu University, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Akira Sakurai, Kyushu University, Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Eiji Sato, University of Tokyo, Japan

Coauthor

Dr. Kojiro Suzuki, University of Tokyo, Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Yuuki Tsutsumi, Tokai University, Japan

Coauthor

Mr. Kazuhiko Wakatsuki, Tokai University, Japan

Year

2005

Abstract

A vehicle with a large-area and low-mass membrane aeroshell has a potential as a re-entry system in near future, because it can decelerate at high altitude where atmospheric density is very low. It leads us to the dramatically reduction in aerodynamic heating. The balloon drop flight experiment for such new re-entry capsule concept was conducted by the collaboration team of University of Tokyo, Kyushu University and ISAS/JAXA at August 28th in 2004. In this flight test, the capsule with a flare-type flexible and deployable membrane aeroshell which has 1.44-meter diameter was carried to an altitude of 39km using a large scientific balloon and separated in order to conduct a free flight in transonic flow regimes.

The objectives of the flight test are
1) to develop techniques for the design and development of the deployable aeroshell with an actual scale and to demonstrate its capability of folding and deployment on the ground test.
2) to demonstrate the durability, stability and deceleration performance of the flare-type flexible and deployable aroshell. 
3) to obtain the aerodynamic characteristics of the membrane aeroshell in transonic and subsonic flow regimes.

The flight model developed for this experiment is composed of three parts; the capsule-type main body in which all sensors, telemeters and power supply are installed, the flexible membrane aeroshell made from ZYLON fabric and the deployable outer frame that sustains compressive force caused by the aerodynamic forces acting on the aeroshell. The sensors installed in the flight capsule are as follows; the CCD camera with fish-eye lens to obtain the entire view of the aeroshell, GPS, accelerometer, angler velocity sensors to determine the position, velocity and acceleration of the flight model, pressure transducer, thermocouples to estimate the flight condition and so on.

Almost all the sensors worked well and the data were obtained successfully during the flight. From the image of the CCD camera, it is conformed that the vehicle dropped vertically with almost zero attack of angle and a small roll rate in both transonic (maximum Mach number is 0.94) and subsonic flight regimes, though the aeroshell is slightly oscillated. The flight path and aerodynamic characteristics obtained in the flight test are good agreement with the result of the trajectory analysis and the wind tunnel tests made beforehand. This fact indicates that the flare-type flexible aeroshell has a good deceleration performance as expected.

Abstract document

IAC-05-D2.6.05.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-D2.6.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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