Experimental determination of aerodynamic coefficients in rarefied environment based on the DLR-VxG lowdensity wind tunnels

Abstract

Aerodynamic coefficients in a hypersonic rarefied environment are readily measured in the DLR-VxG low-density wind tunnels. Following a presentation of the facility infrastructure, recent results on sharp and blunt bodies are presented. An historical overview of the more than fifty years of rarefied aerodynamics research conducted at DLR Göttingen showcases the heritage and vast amount of fundamental data collected in the low-density wind tunnels and points to future work relevant for understanding and predicting space debris re-entry.