Reference : 3D Ray Tracing Solver for Communication Blackout Analysis in Atmospheric Entry Missions
Scientific journals : Article
Engineering, computing & technology : Aerospace & aeronautics engineering
Physics and Materials Science
http://hdl.handle.net/10993/53786
3D Ray Tracing Solver for Communication Blackout Analysis in Atmospheric Entry Missions
English
Giangaspero, Vincent F. [> >]
Sharma, Vatsalya [> >]
Laur []
Thoemel, Jan mailto [University of Luxembourg > Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SNT) > Remote Sensing]
Munafò, Alessandro [> >]
Lani, Andrea [> >]
Poedts, Stefaan [> >]
2023
Computer Physics Communications
108663
Yes
International
0010-4655
[en] Numerical algorithms ; Computational Fluid Dynamics ; Plasma flows ; Communication blackout ; Hypersonic flows ; Ray tracing
[en] During the atmospheric entry phase at hypersonic speed, the radio communication from/to a space vehicle can be disrupted due to the formation of a plasma sheath within the surrounding flow field. In order to characterize such communication blackout phases, this work presents a numerical methodology combining Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations of ionized chemically reacting entry flows by means of Computational Object-Oriented Libraries for Fluid Dynamics (COOLFluiD) and a ray tracing analysis by means of the newly developed BlackOut RAy Tracer (BORAT). The latter is based on the numerical solution of the 3D Eikonal system of equations, offering a fast, efficient and accurate method to analyse the interaction between electromagnetic signals and weakly ionised plasmas. The proposed methodology, and BORAT in particular, is first verified on popular benchmark cases and then used to analyse the European Space Agency (ESA) 2016 ExoMars Schiaparelli entry flight into Martian environment. The corresponding results demonstrate the validity of the proposed ray tracing approach for predicting communication blackout, where signals emitted from the on-board antenna undergo reflection and refraction from the plasma surrounding the entry vehicle, and the advantage of a 3D approach for analysing real flight configuration.
Professionals
http://hdl.handle.net/10993/53786
10.1016/j.cpc.2023.108663
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010465523000085
https://meesst.eu/ https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/899298

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