Ares I Aerodynamic Testing at the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

Erickson, Gary E.; Wilcox, Floyd J.

doi:10.2514/6.2011-999

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The effects of turbulence model on computed C AF and C N are shown in figure 7 for the base and super fine grids as a function of Mach number at α = 7 o , WT Re. The figure also includes the corresponding measured data obtained from the Langley's Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) [23] and the Boeing PolySonic Wind Tunnel (PSWT) [24]. In general, the effect of grid refinement on the predicted C AF is shown to be small across the examined Mach range.…”

Section: Adac1mentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of Ares-I CFD Ascent Aerodynamic Data Development And Analysis Based on USM3D

Abdol-Hamid

Ghaffari

Parlette³

2011

49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition

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An overview of the computational results obtained from the NASA Langley developed unstructured grid, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver USM3D, in support of the Ares-I project within the NASA's Constellation program, are presented. The numerical data are obtained for representative flow conditions pertinent to the ascent phase of the trajectory at both wind tunnel and flight Reynolds number without including any propulsion effects. The USM3D flow solver has been designated to have the primary role within the Ares-I project in developing the computational aerodynamic data for the vehicle while other flow solvers, namely OVERFLOW and FUN3D, have supporting roles to provide complementary results for fewer cases as part of the verification process to ensure code-to-code solution consistency. Similarly, as part of the solution validation efforts, the predicted numerical results are correlated with the aerodynamic wind tunnel data that have been generated within the project in the past few years. Sample aerodynamic results and the processes established for the computational solution/data development for the evolving Ares-I design cycles are presented.

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Section: Adac1mentioning

confidence: 99%

Overview of Ares-I CFD Ascent Aerodynamic Data Development And Analysis Based on USM3D

Abdol-Hamid

Ghaffari

Parlette³

2011

49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition

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“…The higher Mach number testing from M 1:6 to 4.5 was performed in NASA Langley's UPWT and results from Ares I wind-tunnel tests in that facility can be found in Erickson and Wilcox [1]. An overview of experimental investigations for the Ares I CLV Development was also reported by Tomek et al [2].…”

Section: Force and Moment Testingmentioning

confidence: 89%

Ares I Aerodynamic Testing at the Boeing Polysonic Wind Tunnel

Pinier¹,

Hanke²,

Tomek³

2012

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

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Throughout three full design analysis cycles, the Ares I project within the Constellation program has consistently relied on the Boeing Polysonic Wind Tunnel (PSWT) for aerodynamic testing of the subsonic, transonic and supersonic portions of the atmospheric flight envelope (Mach=0.5 to 4.5). Each design cycle required the development of aerodynamic databases for the 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) forces and moments, as well as distributed line-loads databases covering the full range of Mach number, total angle-of-attack, and aerodynamic roll angle. The high fidelity data collected in this facility has been consistent with the data collected in NASA Langley's Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) at the overlapping condition of Mach=1.6. Much insight into the aerodynamic behavior of the launch vehicle during all phases of flight was gained through wind tunnel testing. Important knowledge pertaining to slender launch vehicle aerodynamics in particular was accumulated. In conducting these wind tunnel tests and developing experimental aerodynamic databases, some challenges were encountered and are reported as lessons learned in this paper for the benefit of future crew launch vehicle aerodynamic developments. Nomenclature Symbols

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“…In addition, the results also showed that the largest grid dependency occurred at transonic and low supersonic flow conditions for the computed C N and C m and that the overall variations decreased dramatically to less than 3% at the higher Mach number of 3. The experimental data were obtained from the LaRC Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) [15] and the Boeing Polysonic Wind Tunnel (PSWT) [16]. These experimental results, developed within the Ares I project, are provided here without including any estimates of the errors associated with the measured data.…”

Section: Computations At Wind Tunnel Rementioning

confidence: 99%

Error Estimate of the Ares I Vehicle Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics Based on Turbulent Navier-Stokes Analysis

Abdol-Hamid

Ghaffari

2011

29th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference

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Numerical predictions of the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics for the Ares I class of vehicles, along with the associated error estimate derived from an iterative convergence grid refinement, are presented. Computational results are based on the unstructured grid, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver USM3D, with an assumption that the flow is fully turbulent over the entire vehicle. This effort was designed to complement the prior computational activities conducted over the past five years in support of the Ares I Project with the emphasis on the vehicle's last design cycle designated as the A106 configuration. Due to a lack of flight data for this particular design's outer mold line, the initial vehicle's aerodynamic predictions and the associated error estimates were first assessed and validated against the available experimental data at representative wind tunnel flow conditions pertinent to the ascent phase of the trajectory without including any propulsion effects. Subsequently, the established procedures were then applied to obtain the longitudinal aerodynamic predictions at the selected flight flow conditions. Sample computed results and the correlations with the experimental measurements are presented. In addition, the present analysis includes the relevant data to highlight the balance between the prediction accuracy against the grid size and, thus, the corresponding computer resource requirements for the computations at both wind tunnel and flight flow conditions. NOTE: Some details have been removed from selected plots and figures in compliance with the sensitive but unclassified (SBU) restrictions. However, the content still conveys the merits of the technical approach and the relevant results.

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Ares I Aerodynamic Testing at the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel

Cited by 16 publications

References 4 publications

Overview of Ares-I CFD Ascent Aerodynamic Data Development And Analysis Based on USM3D

Overview of Ares-I CFD Ascent Aerodynamic Data Development And Analysis Based on USM3D

Ares I Aerodynamic Testing at the Boeing Polysonic Wind Tunnel

Error Estimate of the Ares I Vehicle Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics Based on Turbulent Navier-Stokes Analysis

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