Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Technique For Modeling Of The Environment In The Vicinity Of The Space Shuttle Orbiter

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Abstract
A program for analyzing the flowfield parameters in the neighborhood of the Space Shuttle Orbiter (herein referred to as Shuttle) has been developed. The program uses the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Method, which is a completely probabilistic Monte Carlo technique capable of analyzing 3-dimensional steady or unsteady flow with prescribed internal and external boundary conditions. The freestream flux densities incident on the external flow-field boundaries are calculated from the drifting Maxwellian gas properties of the freestream. The flux entering the flowfield from the internal boundary is calculated from the outgassing flux density distribution over the Shuttle external surface and the prescribed discrete source fluxes. This technique produces a numerical flowfield solution which is the probabilistic equivalent of a complete solution of the time-dependent, 3-dimensional Boltzmann equation. Flowfield results are presented for the following configurations: (1) Shuttle angles of attack of 0° and 90°, (2) freestream density from 109 to 1011 cm-3, (3) Shuttle out-gassing flux density from 1013 to 1016 cm-2 s-1, and (4) operation of the aft downfiring vernier Reaction Control System (RCS) engine. Results are presented for column density distribution of outgassed and engine species and for the flux density of outgassed and engine species incident on the Shuttle bay and the windshield.

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