Reentry Vehicle Design

Mission overview
Duration 10 days in orbit Gross Weight = 850 kg Initial Orbit Alt. 450 km De-orbit altitude - 200 km De-orbiting time 300 sec Velocity Reduction = 151 m/s Thrust = 425 N

Vehicle Geometry

0.8m 60 deg

2m

2m
0.8 m

Vehicle Configuration
Structure 300 kg Power System 75 kg Flight instrumentation and NGC 180 kg Thermal Protection System 60 kg Recovery 105 kg Launcher I/F 15 kg Payload 100 kg

Payload
Three payload : (i) Protein crystal growth experiment (8 kg) (ii) Physiological system experiment (51 kg) (iii) Plant growth unit (35 kg) (iv) Sub-system Refrigerator/Incubator (20 kg) Total payload weight = 113 kg

Battery selection
Ni-H2 packaging problem , pressure vessel required ,used for large spacecraft Li battery flammable electrolyte , chances of explosion , at low temp. internal resistance high Ag-Zn good energy density (175Wh/kg , primary) , high voltage per cell , does not have above disadvantages

Power System
Payload (ii) - 28 W (16hrs per day) Payload (iii) -20 W (16hrs per day) Refrigerator/Incubator - 84 W (24hrs per day) On Board Computer 20 W (24hrs per day) Total Power = 32640 Wh Battery mass = 185 kg

Thermal Protection

Fig. Stagnation Heat Flux vs. Altitude

 Materials for TPS Reinforced Carbon - Carbon Composite used in stagnation region. Max. withstanding temp.2500K Silica Tiles used in non-stagnation region.Max. temp.- 1900K.light weight,low structural strength.