A review of European code-validation studies in high-enthalpy flow

The paper focuses on the experiments performed in the European high–enthalpy facilities during the crewed space flight hypersonic ground testing technology programme. Emphasis is placed on simple configuration testing enabling validation of the physical modelling within non–equilibrium Navier–Stokes codes. The high–enthalpy facilities used are the ONERA hot shot F4 and the DLR Stalker tube HEG. The simple configurations are the Nozzle, the Electre blunt code, the hyperboloid flare, and the 70 degree blunt cone. In addition to these axisymmetric configurations, the Halis/Orbiter configuration was extensively tested and numerically computed to validate the ground to flight extrapolation methodology. Real gas effects on aerodynamic forces and in particular on pitching moment for the Halis have been reproduced in the F4 and compared with flight. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations for additional improvements in nozzle calibrations using non–intrusive methods and for an increased use of CFD for the design of experiments, the definition of the test environment, the interpretation of the results and finally the extrapolation to flight.