Predict Aerodynamic Drag of Spacecraft in Very Low Earth Orbit Using Different Gas-Surface Interaction Models

• 作者: JIN Xuhong CHENG Xiaoli WANG Bing HUANG Fei
• 来源期刊: 中国航天（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（4）
• 所属期刊栏目: RESEARCH
• 页码范围: 35-41
• 页数: 7页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1671-0940.2021.04.005

摘要

The accurate prediction for aerodynamic drag of spacecraft in very low Earth orbit(VLEO)is a fundamen-tal prerequisite for aerospace missions in VLEO.The present work calculates aerodynamic drag of the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer(GOCE)satellite using the test particle Monte Carlo(TPMC)method.The primary goal is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of surface pressure and skin friction on the spacecraft surface and assess the sensitivity of aerodynamic drag to the gas-surface interaction(GSI)models.Results indicate that surface pressure is mainly distributed on the front of the satellite body and panels while skin friction is primarily distributed on the sides.In addition,as the GSI model changes from diffuse to specular reflection,the total drag coefficient is reduced at operation altitudes above 170 km.Therefore,the satellite surface should be processed so carefully that the GSI re-mains far from diffuse reflection from the view point of the drag-reduce design.