Flow Patterns and Pressure Distributions Around a Bluff Afterbody in the Wake of a 120° Cone for Various Separation Distances at Mach 3.0

A wind-tunnel investigation of an attached inflatable decelerator concept was conducicd at a Mach number of 3.0 with solid models to observe the effects of varying the separarron distance between the 120 (degrees) cone forebody and the inflated afterbody shape on flow patterns 2nd pressure distributions. Flow-visualization tests were conducted for separation distances cry to 4.74 forebody diameters and at free-stream Reynolds numbers, based on afterbody maximum diameter, between 0.57 X 10 (to the 6 power) and 3.20 X 10 (to the 6 power). Pressure-distribution tests were conducted For separation distances up to 2.49 forebody diameters at free-stream Reynolds numbers, nased on afterbody maximum diameter, between 10.0 X and 11.8 X 10 (to the 6 power). The afterbody was constructed with a burble fence so that the afterbody-to-forebody frontal area ratlo was 6.2.