Status, Plans, and Initial Results for Crew Launch Vehicle Aerodynamics

Paper number

IAC-06-D2.7.-A3.7.03

Author

Mr. Lawrence Huebner, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States

Coauthor

Mr. Davy Haynes, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Marshall Space Flight Center, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Terry Taylor, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Marshall Space Flight Center, United States

Coauthor

Dr. C. Mark Seaford, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Marshall Space Flight Center, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Robert Hall, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Langley Research Center, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Bandu Pamadi, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Langley Research Center, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Michael L. Burris, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Langley Research Center, United States

Year

2006

Abstract

Following the completion of NASA’s Exploration Systems Architecture Study in August 2004 for the NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), the Exploration Launch Office at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center began design and development of the first vehicle in the architecture, the Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), which will be used to launch astronauts to low earth orbit and rendezvous with either the International Space Station or the ESMD’s earth departure stage for lunar missions.  The primary elements of the CLV project are the first stage, the upper stage, the upper stage engine, and vehicle integration.  Within vehicle integration is an effort in integrated design and analysis which is comprised of a number of technical disciplines needed to support vehicle design and development.  One of the important disciplines throughout the life of the project is aerodynamics.

This paper will present the status, plans, and initial results of CLV aerodynamics as the project was preparing for the CLV Systems Requirements Review.  Following a status of the current activities and a discussion of the specific interactions with other technical panels, the plans for aerodynamic support of the CLV until the initial crewed flights will be presented.  The paper will conclude with a review of initial results acquired since project inception, including engineering-code vehicle assessment, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and wind tunnel test data.

Abstract document

IAC-06-D2.7.-A3.7.03.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-D2.7.-A3.7.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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