Investigation of Blunt Bodies with CO2 Test Gas Including Catalytic Effects

The capability to test blunt bodies using a carbon dioxide test gas with applications appropriate for Martian atmospheric reentry vehicles has been demonstrated for the LENS I facility at Calspan-UB Research Center (CUBRC). The facility was extensively calibrated at conditions of nominally 5 MJ/kg and 10 MJ/kg increased total enthalpy over a range of Reynolds numbers. This capability was used to test a 70 O sphere-cone geometry for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, primarily to assess laminar, transitional, and turbulent heating levels as well as leeward transition criteria. The 61 cm (24 inch) diameter model was studied at 0 O , 11 O , and 16 O angles of attack. Numerical predictions of the laminar heating levels on the model were found to be inadequate without the inclusion of wall catalytic heating induced by 100% CO2 recombination at the surface of the stainless steel model.