AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit 11 - 14 August 2003, Austin, Texas

AIAA 2003-5394

Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of a Re-entry Capsule

Rajesh Kumar Arora#, Pradeep Kumar*

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum 695 022, Kerala, INDIA

Abstract
Re-entry capsules are required to validate various technologies such as thermal protection system, stability during reentry, in a cost effective manner. Aerodynamic shape optimization of a sphere-cone-flare shaped re-entry capsule with conflicting multiple objectives like maximizing location of center of pressure and minimizing the surface area or weight, in the presence of constraints, is carried out. A multi objective genetic algorithm is used which gives a set of nondominated solutions. The distribution of pressure over such a body is also formulated. The solutions are sets of different shapes of the re-entry capsule each one being good for certain objectives. The one, which meets the mission requirements, is selected.

Introduction
Reusable launch vehicles (RLV) are required to minimize cost per unit payload by repeatedly recovering, refurbishing and reusing the basic structure along with avionics system that nearly contribute to 70-80 % of launch cost for an expendable launch vehicle. They return back to earth after performing various experiments in space. During return, however, they are subjected to severe heating and deceleration as it enters earth atmosphere. The design of thermal protection system (TPS) and aerodynamic stability are prime concern during reentry. As a cost effective way, small re-entry capsules are used to validate abovementioned technologies. For reentry mission, the capsules are to be first launched into space which itself is a huge task and costly. As a cost effective way, they are generally used as a piggyback payloads with other conventional satellite missions, and hurled into space using conventional launch vehicles. The shape (of capsule) selected is a spherical noseconic-flared aft body (Fig.2) and it fits well into the mission. The weight of the re-entry capsule is at a premium during its ascent phase into space. During the re-entry phase, aerodynamic stability of body has to be ensured. It is observed that a good aerodynamic stability results in weight penalty. If weight is minimized, the stability of vehicle suffers. This is a typical conflicting multi-objective problem for which evolutionary algorithms is proposed to be used. The above problem is first formulated as given in the next section, then it is coded in C language and validated for certain test cases in non-optimization mode. Finally it is integrated with NSGA II for optimization. The non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA II) is a multi-objective genetic algorithm based optimization program1,2. The solutions are set of different shapes of the reentry capsule each one being good for certain objectives. The one, which meets the mission requirements, is selected.

Nomenclature
As CP CA CM CN L l1 l2 RB Rin1 Rin2 RN V Xcp = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = surface area, m2 pressure coefficient axial force, N moment, N m normal force, N total length, m cone length, m flare length, m base radius, m initial radius for conic body, m initial radius for aft body, m spherical nose radius, m volume, m3 location of center of pressure, m angle of attack, deg over which integration is carried slope of the body, deg cone angle, deg flare angle, deg

1 2

_________________________________________ # Head, Advanced Mission Study Section * Head, Base Flow and Hypersonic Section

1
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Copyright 2003 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.