EXPERT Open Flap Instrumentation and its Ground Qualification

Kurzfassung

The open flaps of the EXPERT capsule with a ballistic re-entry trajectory aero exposed to severe aerothermal and mechanical loads. In order to gain data on the aerothermal phenomena like shock wave boundary layer interaction and radiative heat transfer the flaps are instrumented with reliable pressure and temperature sensors. Two of the four flaps are instrumented with five pressure ports each, fourteen thermocopules for the first flap and ten for the second flap. In addition, heat flux sensors, thermocouples and a pressure port are integrated into the cavities, which are exposed to the thermal radiation from the rear surfaces of the flaps. Special attention was paid to the flap pressure port, which consists of CMC and metallic components. The successful aerothermal qualification test confirmed the reliability of the design and the numerical simulations performed with the ANSYS tool. Some problems encountered during the first severe vibration tests on the electronic box required a design change. The new mechanical design of the PCB card mounting based on a detailed structural analysis was successful and all components of the Payload passed the sinusoidal and random vibration qualitication tests.