Infrared Sensing Aeroheating Flight Experiment

1999PDFTech ReportN66001-95-D-0088.HeatingAerodynamic forceControl system applicationsFlightInfrared heatingLandingLaunch vehiclesSpacecraftMilitary vehiclesAerodynamic heatingAerospaceplanesControl systemFlightInfrared analysisLandingsLaunch vehiclesMilitary spacecraftOrbitsSpace flightSpace launchedSpace technSpacecraft survivabilityThermal protectionUnited StatesVehicle designAeroheatingUnited StatesUnited States. National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationTietjen, AlanWendt, JodeanDawson, DonAhlgreen, RolfBlanchard, Robert C.Welch, SharonLovern, MichaelComputer Sciences CorporationLangley Research CenterSSC San DiegoComputer Sciences RaytheonUnited States. National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionInstruments of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization/Innovative Sciences and Technology Experimentation Facility (BMDO/ISTEF) collected imagery from the STS-96 and STS-103 landings at Kennedy Space Center, Florida on 6 June and 27 December 1999. Midwave infrared data provided vehicle body surface thermal measurements in support for NASA X vehicle development. Ground-based observations were proposed as an adjunct measurement of boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent flow, possibly reducing the number of on-board thermal sensors required. Initial comparisons with shuttle thermocouple data indicate temperature measurement agreement on the order of five percent. The video rate, high-resolution thermal maps are also suitable for producing movie sequences for comparison to CFO predictions and wind tunnel results. The shuttle served as a surrogate target to provide data for development of processing techniques. These capabilities are additionally applicable to support ongoing programs, such as ASL for scoring and kill assessment An additional collection is planned to assess performance at higher target altitudes.81