Research on a shape variable atmospheric-entry vehicle using a flexible aeroshell

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This research focuses on a new atmospheric-entry vehicle which can vary its shape using a flexible aeroshell. In this research, supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnel tests were carried out using scale models of the shape-variable vehicle in order to investigate the relation between a uniform flow condition, an inflating pressure, a vehicle’s shape and an aerodynamic force. On the basis of the results of the wind tunnel tests, a passive and automatic shape-varying atmospheric-entry vehicle was proposed for the Martian exploration. It is proved that its potential to travel the Martian orbit using the aerocapture* technique by the trajectory simulation.*Aerocapture : a technique to decelerate a spacecraft using the aerodynamic drag in a planet's atmosphere in order to bring the spacecraft in an elliptical orbit of a planet from a interplanetary trajectory.