Radiation and Ablation in Rapidly Expanding Flows. The aim of the project is to record the spectra of radiation from a region of rapidly expanding flow representative of the passage of the shock layer on a re-entry capsule from the windward to the leeward surfaces. The significance of this work is that it addresses a critical area of spacecraft where the uncertainties of our design techniques are of the order of 300 per cent in terms of surface heat transfer, and current vehicles have to use lar ....Radiation and Ablation in Rapidly Expanding Flows. The aim of the project is to record the spectra of radiation from a region of rapidly expanding flow representative of the passage of the shock layer on a re-entry capsule from the windward to the leeward surfaces. The significance of this work is that it addresses a critical area of spacecraft where the uncertainties of our design techniques are of the order of 300 per cent in terms of surface heat transfer, and current vehicles have to use large safety factors to ensure survivability. The outputs from the project will be a data base of radiative parameters which should enable accurate models of the flow to be developed, which is expected to facilitate the design of advanced spacecraft with greater safety and reliability, and with lower structural mass.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100263
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Magnetohydrodynamic aerobraking to land heavy payloads on Mars. This project aims to decelerate space vehicles by applying a magnetic field to the hot ionised gases that form around the vehicle. In the thin atmosphere of Mars, aerodynamic drag alone is not enough to land a spacecraft larger than 1 tonne. A human mission to Mars requires landing of payloads up to 80 tonnes. Interaction of the magnetic field with the ionised flow dissipates kinetic energy and can reduce surface heating. This proje ....Magnetohydrodynamic aerobraking to land heavy payloads on Mars. This project aims to decelerate space vehicles by applying a magnetic field to the hot ionised gases that form around the vehicle. In the thin atmosphere of Mars, aerodynamic drag alone is not enough to land a spacecraft larger than 1 tonne. A human mission to Mars requires landing of payloads up to 80 tonnes. Interaction of the magnetic field with the ionised flow dissipates kinetic energy and can reduce surface heating. This project could make Mars-return missions feasible by enabling greatly increased payloads. It also aims to evaluate magnetohydrodynamic braking and heat mitigation at true flight conditions.Read moreRead less
Turbulent heat transfer during Mars Venus and Earth atmospheric entry. This project aims to design better heat shields for spacecraft. Designing heat shields for re-entry vehicles needs good models to predict aerodynamic heating. Conventional wind tunnels cannot measure aerodynamic heating in ground tests in the region of peak heating, making design uncertain and risky. This project will use a free-piston-driven expansion tunnel that can produce flows fast and dense enough to measure heating for ....Turbulent heat transfer during Mars Venus and Earth atmospheric entry. This project aims to design better heat shields for spacecraft. Designing heat shields for re-entry vehicles needs good models to predict aerodynamic heating. Conventional wind tunnels cannot measure aerodynamic heating in ground tests in the region of peak heating, making design uncertain and risky. This project will use a free-piston-driven expansion tunnel that can produce flows fast and dense enough to measure heating for turbulent boundary layers at the highest speeds encountered during re-entry. This should allow scientists to test and develop theoretical and numerical models of heating and so improve spacecraft design.Read moreRead less
Ablative thermal protection systems. The project will study ablative reentry heat shields by experiments simulating hypervelocity atmospheric flight. The results will enable the design of the advanced spacecraft which are needed to extend mans exploration of the universe. Data will be validated by comparison with flights such as the Japanese Hayabusa asteroid sample return mission.
The science of scramjet propulsion. This project will study the science of scramjet operation at high Mach numbers and develop the understanding required for operation at such conditions. The outcomes include experimentally validated scramjet models operating at speeds never reached before, and the potential to extend the known flight envelope for air breathing propulsion.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102277
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Design optimisation and physical behaviour of fuel injection and mixing for innovative scramjet concepts. Scramjets are a potential game changer for satellite launch and high speed flight. The phenomena that will make or break them are complex, and achieving optimal designs is hugely challenging. This project combines advanced optimisation techniques and flow simulations to find, and understand, optimal fuel injection for innovative scramjet designs.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100932
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Hypervelocity Roughness-Induced Laminar-Turbulent Transition for Advanced Scramjet Flow Control. Scramjet technology is set to make air-breathing flight beyond five times the speed of sound a reality. At such speeds, complex aerodynamic phenomena are likely to cause flow separation in the scramjet, hence significantly affecting its operability. This project will establish the applicability of discrete surface micro-roughness elements to induce the laminar-turbulent transition of hypervelocity bo ....Hypervelocity Roughness-Induced Laminar-Turbulent Transition for Advanced Scramjet Flow Control. Scramjet technology is set to make air-breathing flight beyond five times the speed of sound a reality. At such speeds, complex aerodynamic phenomena are likely to cause flow separation in the scramjet, hence significantly affecting its operability. This project will establish the applicability of discrete surface micro-roughness elements to induce the laminar-turbulent transition of hypervelocity boundary layers, with the purpose of energising the surface flow entering the engine so that it can sustain higher adverse pressure gradients without separating. This project will undertake a targeted ground test program to characterise the physical mechanisms of hypervelocity roughness-induced laminar-turbulent transition.Read moreRead less
Flow physics of porous wall fuel injection for scramjet combustion and drag reduction. This project combines world-class Australian scramjet science with German advanced high temperature materials, exploring potentially transformational technology for satellite launch. Australia’s credentials in the international space arena will strengthen, contributing to assured access to the space-based applications upon which we heavily depend.
Laser interferometry for Space Science. Laser interferometry is an ultra-sensitive technique for physical measurements. This project will develop laser interferometry to benefit future space missions studying astronomy, astrophysics, climate change and Australia's water resources.