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Debris Aerodynamic Interaction and its Effect on Reentry Risk Assessment

Prevereaud, Y. 1, Verant, J.-l. 1, Moschetta, J.-m. 1, Sourgen, F.1
Affiliation data not available1

Document details

Publishing year2013 PublisherESA Publishing typeConference Name of conference6th European Conference on Space Debris
Pagesn/a Volume
6
Issue
1
Editors
L. Ouwehand

Abstract

Aerodynamic interactions of objects in a continuum hypersonic and supersonic flow are numerically and analytically investigated for perfect and thermochemical equilibrium gas conditions. An innovative semi-analytical methodology has been developed and associated to the Laurence equations [4] in order to compute the aerodynamics coefficients of a sphere located downstream the shock wave issued from a primary object. The influence of the aerodynamic interactions on the trajectory of a debris cloud during atmospheric re-entry has also been assessed and compared to the trajectory of the same noninteracting objects. Finally, the influence of fragments interactions on heat flux and debris survivability during the re-entry has been investigated.

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