Compressible Flow Simulations Over Basic Reusable Rocket Configurations

Compressible flow around the basic reusable rocket configurations are numerically simulated by Navier-Stokes computations. The study started with the simulations of Apollo configuration to validate the simulation method by the comparison of the aerodynamic data with NASA’s experiments, and the capability of CFD estimation are discussed. Computed aerodynamic coefficients for the Apollo agreed well with the experiments at subsonic to supersonic flow regime for whole angle of attack range. Then, the effects of the configuration parameters on the aerodynamic characteristics are numerically investigated and clarified in detail. It turns out that the aerodynamic characteristicsismainlyinfluenced by the separating position of the flow, shock wave on the surface and the pressure level behind the body. Large shoulder radius causes the strong Mach number dependency of the aerodynamic characteristics, and large fineness ratio strongly influences to the (C_L)_max.