Generating High-Speed Earth Reentry Test Conditions in an Expansion Tube

What is it about?

To help understand the harsh conditions experienced by spacecraft which will one day return from Mars, we need high speed wind tunnel test conditions which can simulate these conditions. This paper is concerned with understanding how Mars return conditions can be generated in an expansion tube, a type of high speed wind tunnel which can simulate spacecraft coming back from space. The test conditions presented in this work will allow further studies to increase our understanding of entry conditions which are required to bring astronauts back from Mars.

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