Rocket Measurements of Upper Atmosphere Ambient Temperature and Pressure in the 30- to 75-Kilometer Region

Abstract
A method for determining ambient temperature and ambient pressure in the upper atmosphere is described, using the properties of a supersonic flow field surrounding a right circular cone. The underlying fundamentals stem from basic aerodynamic principles as combined with the developments of the aerodynamics of supersonic cones by G. I. Taylor, J. W. Maccoll, and A. H. Stone. The experiment provides the necessary cone pressures, velocities and Eulerian angles, such that a Mach number characterizing the ambient space conditions may be computed. A description is given of the requisite experimental equipment and related techniques. Experimental data from two rocket-borne equipments are presented with the resulting calculated pressures and temperatures as experienced over New Mexico to approximately 70 kilometers.

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