Payloads on Board the European Experimental Re-entry Test bed EXPERT: Status of Development and Future Activities
- Paper number
IAC-07-D2.6.01
- Author
Mr. Francesco Ratti, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Mr. Jean-Marie Muylaert, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Mr. Jose Gavira, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Ms. Francesca Cipollini, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Mr. Harald Ottens, AOES, The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Dr. Louis Walpot, AOES, The Netherlands
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The European Experimental Re-entry Tested EXPERT is developed by the European Space Agency ESA as part of its General Study and Technological Research Programmes. The aim of the EXPERT flight project is to get flight data on critical Aerothermodynamic phenomena and Thermal Protection Systems gas surface interaction related physics. The EXPERT test bed provides an opportunity to the research establishments and Industries throughout Europe to perform in flight research including validation of physical models as well as verification of ground to flight extrapolation strategies. During the last years an intense activity was performed at ESA in order to select the most suitable experiments, bring them to flight design maturity, coordinate and optimize the work among the principal investigators so as to stay within the programmatic constraints and at the same time maximize scientific output. EXPERT is a capsule shaped as a blunted cone. The front part consists of a nose of ceramic material developed at DLR Stuttgart. As opposed to previous experimental capsules no ablative material is foreseen. The ceramic nose hosts a set of experiments. The Flush Air Data System FADS developed by HTG aims at collecting flight data mainly for the reconstruction of the attitude of the vehicle relative to the speed vector. The pyrometer PYREX developed at IRS in Stuttgart collects data on the temperature and heat flux of the ceramic nose. The spectrometer RESPECT developed at IRS aims at resolving the different species generated in the plasma region during re-entry. The side of the blunted cone are protected by a metallic thermal protection system on which are located several experiments. Two payloads developed by IRS and VKI are dedicated to the measurement of catalytic and oxidation recombination effects. Here also one aims at the measuring of the jump in temperature caused by the non-equilibrium recombination of the dissociated atoms in the upstream boundary layer. Two payloads developed by CIRA and VKI are dedicated to the detection of the boundary layer transition respectively the naturally laminar to turbulent transition and the roughness induced transition will be measured in flight. An experiment developed at TU Delft aims at testing the efficiency of an innovative radiation cooling technique. In the aft part of the vehicle four open fixed flaps are mounted for the study of the shock boundary layer interaction associated with flap efficiency and heating. Both CIRA and DLR are developing instrumentation to capture the physics of boundary layer separation and reattachment, shear layer transition as well as the flap cavity non convex re-radiation and re-circulating flow patterns. In addition an IR thermo-camera, developed by RUAG, and integrated into the back cavity of the flap will measure the temperatures during re-entry. Toward the trailing edge a winglet in ceramic material developed by CIRA will be flown and provide data on UHTC performance. A sample of intermetallic material developed by INASMET is located on the outer part of the base. Finally at the base of EXPERT under the responsabity of ALTA, pressure and temperature measurements will be performed. ESA/ESTEC technical experts coordinate these developments so as to have a coherent set of experiments compatible with the vehicle resources. The preliminary design review was successfully performed in 2006 and the critical design review will take place mid 2007.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-07-D2.6.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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