Lifting Reentry: Lessening Deceleration on Reentry Explained

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the concept of lifting reentry and its application in reducing deceleration during atmospheric reentry for spacecraft. Participants explore the mechanics, examples, and historical context of lifting reentry, including its implications for different vehicle designs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the mechanics of lifting reentry and its effectiveness in lessening deceleration during reentry.
  • Another participant suggests that a lifting body, like the Space Shuttle, exemplifies this concept, highlighting its aerodynamic qualities that allow for controlled descent.
  • A different viewpoint emphasizes that lifting reentry involves a projectile-like flight plan, which helps control descent height but introduces challenges such as significant heating and lateral maneuverability issues.
  • One participant references the Dyna-Soar as a historical example and expresses interest in its relevance to future space travel concepts.
  • Another participant agrees with the previous points, noting that while the Shuttle demonstrates lifting reentry, its geometry has disadvantages, prompting exploration of alternative designs for reusable spacecraft.
  • A participant expresses curiosity about how lifting reentry could be applied to capsules and questions whether they can be tipped to achieve similar effects.
  • One participant states that they have not encountered lifting reentry techniques being applied to traditional capsules like Mercury or Gemini.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the definition and implications of lifting reentry, particularly in relation to the Space Shuttle. However, there is no consensus on its application to capsule designs, with some participants expressing uncertainty about the feasibility of such techniques for capsules.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various historical references and examples, but there are limitations regarding the specifics of how lifting reentry could be adapted for capsule designs, as well as the unresolved technical challenges associated with heating and maneuverability.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in aerospace engineering, spacecraft design, and the historical evolution of reentry technologies may find this discussion relevant.

Flyboy
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I have heard of a lifting reentry that is used for lessening the deceleration on reentry. Can anyone explain how this works?:confused:
 
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Do you mean a lifting body? If so, the shuttle is a pretty good example. It simply means that the vehicle has aerodynamic qualities (in the case of the shuttle, similar to a brick :rolleyes: ) that allow it to undergo a controlled descent as opposed to just slamming into the atmosphere. That also involves space-borne manoeuvring ability in order to set up the initial approach in a favourable manner.
 
Danger: Lifting reentry is a workable terminology and is better defined (IMHO) as a method by which the incoming space vehicle is given a projectile like flight plan rather than slamming straight into earth! Yes the controlling of height is the main benefit but significant heating problems emerge (especially at the first maxima) as well as lateral manouverablity problems.
 
Okay, gotcha. Thanks. I was thinking along the lines of the Dyna-Soar and such. (Yeah, I'm old... :rolleyes: )
 
Dyna-Soar for a dinosaur :P - only joking I like the concept of the X-20 and it has a part to play in space travel history but look to the future now...its only just begun...
 
Danger is essentially correct. "Lifting re-entry" simply means the vehicle has more control than just a ballistic re-entry, and the Space Shuttle is an excellent example. However, the Shuttle's geometry has its disadvantages. So other ideas are out there. The objective is a 're-usable' craft.

http://www.mae.ufl.edu/cuip/areas%20of%20research/taskplans/Starkeyalternative%20baseline.pdf

http://www.ista.jaxa.jp/res/b01/0c02.html

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/Shuttlebib/ch2.html

Hallion, Richard P. The Path to the Space Shuttle: The Evolution of Lifting Reentry Technology. Edwards AFB, CA: Air Force Flight Test Center History Office, 1983. An outstanding monograph by one of the leading historians of aviation technology, this study emphasizes the evolution of technology toward the development of a reusable spacecraft . It describes the evolution of the reusable spacecraft concept, emphasizing the work of Eugen Sanger, lifting body studies, and the technological breakthroughs that allowed the Shuttle to be built.

Hallion, Richard P. "The Path to Space Shuttle: The Evolution of Lifting Reentry Technology." Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. 30 (December 1983): 523-41. This is a shortened version of Hallion's 1983 monograph by the same title. It describes and shows the evolution of the reusable spacecraft concept, emphasizing the work of Eugen Sanger, the lifting body studies, and the technological breakthroughs that allowed the Shuttle to be built. It is an especially important article because it shows how the technological problems solved in one program were incorporated into the beginnings of the next attempt.

Hallion, Richard P. "The Space Shuttle's Family Tree." Air & Space. April-May 1991, pp. 44-46. This short article, taken from Hallion's discussion of the early history of the Shuttle published in The Hypersonic Revolution, deals with hundreds of paper studies, experiments, and a handful of aircraft that actually flew and were the antecedents of the Shuttle. It traces the general design of the Shuttle from lifting body technology to the actual configuration that was built and launched in 1981.
 
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I know that the shuttle uses a lifting reentry because it enters at a high alpha. But I am trying to find out how they do this with a capsule. Do they tip the capsule or something?:confused: I would like to see a diagram if one is available.
 
I've never heard of it being done with a capsule (at least what I consider a capsule, such as Mercury or Gemini).
 

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