Aerodynamic Shape Design and Optimization of China’s Next-generation Manned Spacecraft

doi:10.3873/j.issn.1000-1328.2023.09.007

Abstract

Abstract:

China’s next-generation manned spacecraft need to take into account both near earth and lunar exploration missions, so it is required that the reentry capsule has the ability to re-enter and return at the second cosmic speed. To meet the second cosmic velocity reentry and return as the main goal, aerodynamic shape optimization design of the next-generation manned spacecraft reentry capsule is carried out. Firstly, the requirements of the reentry capsule of the new generation manned spacecraft are sorted out, and the preliminary shape selection analysis of the reentry capsule is carried out. Secondly, an approximate model is established based on the results of engineering calculation and CFD software numerical simulation, and the aerodynamic shape of the reentry capsule is optimized by multi-objective optimization method. Finally, the effective verification of aerodynamic shape is completed through flight test.

Key words: Next-generation manned spacecraft, Aerodynamic shape, Optimization design, Flight verification

CLC Number:

V412.4

GUO Bin, YANG Lei, NI Qing, LUO Taichao. Aerodynamic Shape Design and Optimization of China’s Next-generation Manned Spacecraft[J]. Journal of Astronautics, 2023, 44(9): 1337-1349.

Figures/Tables 30

Fig.1 Development of aerodynamic shape of MPCV reentry capsule

Fig.2 Aerodynamic shapes of the three manned spacecraft developed in NASA’s CCDev program

Fig.3 Aerodynamic shape of PTK NP reentry capsule

Fig.4 Aerodynamic shape selection concept

Table 1 Final scores for primary analysis of different aerodynamic shapes

类型	研制成本(权重0.5)			容积利用率(权重0.3)			峰值过载/加热量(权重0.2)
	钝头体	双锥体	升力体	钝头体	双锥体	升力体	钝头体	双锥体	升力体
钝头体	0	1	1	0	-1	1	0	-1	-1
双锥体	-1	0	1	1	0	1	1	0	-1
升力体	-1	-1	0	-1	-1	0	1	1	0

Fig.5 Comparison of the total score of MPCV shape selection analysis

Fig.6 Overload direction distribution of reentry capsule during reentry

Fig.7 Reentry coordinate system of the reentry capsule

Fig.8 Curves of locations of the center of mass and pitching moment versus angle of attack of the reentry capsule[21]

Fig.9 Examples of design of Latin hypercube experiments

Fig.10 Reentry capsule engineering estimation range

Table 2 Calculation formula of the shape and characteristic points of the reentry capsule

区域	轴向位置	母线方程	切线方程
I	0≤x≤x₁	$y = x (2 R n - x)$	$d y d x = R n - x x (2 R n - x)$
II	x₁≤x≤x₃	$y = y c + R c 2 - (x c - x) 2$	$d y d x = x c - x R c 2 - (x c - x) 2)$
III	x₃≤x≤x₄	$y = y 3 - (x - x 3) t a n θ$	$d y d x = - t a n θ$

Table 2 Calculation formula of the shape and characteristic points of the reentry capsule

区域	轴向位置	母线方程	切线方程
I	0≤x≤x₁	$y = x (2 R n - x)$	$d y d x = R n - x x (2 R n - x)$
II	x₁≤x≤x₃	$y = y c + R c 2 - (x c - x) 2$	$d y d x = x c - x R c 2 - (x c - x) 2)$
III	x₃≤x≤x₄	$y = y 3 - (x - x 3) t a n θ$	$d y d x = - t a n θ$

Fig.11 Grid near low angle of attack and pressure cloud map at 25° angle of attack

Fig.12 Grid near high angle of attack and pressure cloud map at 90° angle of attack

Fig.13 Comparison between engineering estimation results and numerical simulation results

Fig.14 Effective volume of the reentry capsule

Table 3 Sample data summary

组号	输入条件
组号	R_c/m	R_n/m	θ/(°)	C_L/C_D	容积率	热流密度/ (kW·m^-2)
1	0.104	4.5	31	0.413 3	0.415 4	179 0
2	0.116	5	19.8	0.410 7	0.469 7	170 1
3	0.146	2.75	20.6	0.364	0.490 2	237 4
4	0.098	4	17.4	0.401 6	0.477 2	191 0
5	0.134	4.875	26.2	0.407 6	0.455 1	172 8
6	0.086	4.375	23.8	0.416 8	0.455 6	181 5
7	0.176	4.75	23	0.393 9	0.474 7	176 9
8	0.152	3.5	15	0.372	0.495 4	207 5
9	0.092	3.25	22.2	0.395 4	0.471 8	213 8
10	0.158	4.625	16.6	0.389 2	0.485 6	178 8
11	0.188	3.625	24.6	0.378 9	0.478 2	204 7
12	0.11	2.875	15.8	0.367 4	0.494 9	230 4
13	0.14	3.875	21.4	0.395 2	0.476 4	184 0
14	0.122	2.625	27	0.365	0.472 3	243 2
15	0.2	4.125	18.2	0.376 5	0.490 9	191 6
16	0.182	2.5	25.4	0.345	0.487 6	252 5
17	0.17	4.25	29.4	0.391 8	0.452 1	187 4
18	0.194	3	19	0.359 7	0.496 0	227 6
19	0.128	3.75	27.8	0.397 6	0.433 5	198 4
20	0.08	3.375	28.6	0.402 4	0.441 5	208 8
21	0.164	3.125	30.2	0.374 7	0.457 6	221 2

Table 4 Response surface approximation model coefficients for aerodynamic analysis

自变量	C_L/C_D各项系数	容积率各项系数	热流密度各项系数
常数项	-0.123 56	0.803	6 407.484
R_c	-0.399 27	-3.277	-1075.999
R_n	0.225 438	-0.060 936	-1 427.537
θ	0.022 246	-0.001 437	-1 66.558
$R c 2$	2.073 861	20.060	-10 894.702
$R n 2$	-0.046 65	0.005 581	200.413
θ²	-0.000 85	-3.057×10^-5	6.660
R_c×R_n	-0.028 27	0.064	44.129
R_c×θ	-0.000 86	0.014 8	31.362
R_n×θ	4.707×10^-5	-0.000 227	-0.160
$R c 3$	-5.273 08	-44.644	59 850.193
$R n 3$	0.003 382	0.000 123	-8.880
θ³	1.07×10^-5	-1.137×10^-6	-0.087

Table 4 Response surface approximation model coefficients for aerodynamic analysis

自变量	C_L/C_D各项系数	容积率各项系数	热流密度各项系数
常数项	-0.123 56	0.803	6 407.484
R_c	-0.399 27	-3.277	-1075.999
R_n	0.225 438	-0.060 936	-1 427.537
θ	0.022 246	-0.001 437	-1 66.558
$R c 2$	2.073 861	20.060	-10 894.702
$R n 2$	-0.046 65	0.005 581	200.413
θ²	-0.000 85	-3.057×10^-5	6.660
R_c×R_n	-0.028 27	0.064	44.129
R_c×θ	-0.000 86	0.014 8	31.362
R_n×θ	4.707×10^-5	-0.000 227	-0.160
$R c 3$	-5.273 08	-44.644	59 850.193
$R n 3$	0.003 382	0.000 123	-8.880
θ³	1.07×10^-5	-1.137×10^-6	-0.087

Table 5 Verification results of the approximate model

数据	倒锥角 θ/(°)	球冠半径R_n/m	肩部倒角半径R_c/m	升阻比C_L/C_D			容积率			热流密度/(kW·m^-2)
数据	倒锥角 θ/(°)	球冠半径R_n/m	肩部倒角半径R_c/m	仿真值	近似值	偏差	仿真值	近似值	偏差	仿真值	近似值	偏差
第一组	20	4.75	0.15	0.399 9	0.399 3	0.15%	0.478	0.480	0.44%	1 769	1 733	2.08%
第二组	25	3	0.1	0.386 3	0.386 0	0.08%	0.469	0.469	0%	2 153	2 238	3.80%

Table 6 Results of single-objective optimization

优化目标	优化结果
优化目标	倒锥角θ/(°)	球冠半径R_n/m	肩部倒角半径R_c/m	升阻比C_L/C_D	容积率	热流密度/(kW·m^-2)
升阻比最大化	31	5	0.08	0.426 1	0.416 9	1 735
容积率最大化	15	2.5	0.08	0.354 1	0.521 3	2 571
热流最小化	20.90	5	0.122 9	0.408 2	0.473 2	1 701

Table 7 Results of dual-objective optimization

优化目标	优化结果
优化目标	倒锥角θ/(°)	球冠半径R_n/m	肩部倒角半径R_c/m	升阻比C_L/C_D	容积率	热流密度/(kW·m^-2)
升阻比最大化	19.04	5.000	0.163 5	0.394 1	0.492 3	172 6

Fig.15 Optimization objectives and iteration processes of the constraints

Fig.16 Scatter plots of the two optimization objectives (blue dots represent Pareto frontiers)

Fig.17 Reentry capsule successfully returned to the Earth

Fig.18 Inspection of side wall ablation morphology

Fig.19 Inspection of bottom ablation morphology

Fig.20 Testing version of the reentry capsule successfully returned to the Earth

Fig.21 Curves of angle of attack versus height

Fig.22 Curves of drag coefficient versus Mach number

Fig.23 Curves of lift-to-drag ratio versus Mach number

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