CFD Assessment of Thermal Protection System Tile Damage Experienced During STS-118

摘要

In response to thermal protection system tile damage that occurred during the ascent portion of Space Shuttle Mission STS-118, rapid turn-around computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations were performed on the damage site during the mission. The purpose of the CFD effort was to provide insight into the flow physics and determine heating augmentation bump factors in and around the damage site. CFD teams at the NASA Ames and NASA Langley Research Centers used automated local cavity simulation procedures to generate a dozen 3-D CFD solutions in less than 18 hours during the mission. The CFD results compared closely with the engineering results used as inputs to the vehicle thermal analysis models and supported the recommendation of the Damage Assessment Team to fly the Orbiter back "as is" without performing an EVA damage site repair.