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Reentry Capsules and Planetary Entry Probes

Entry, Reentry Flight Mechanics

Flight mechanics for atmospheric entry vehicles such as the Hayabusa SRC, future lifting entry vehicles are studied mainly based on computational methods.

Thermal Protection Material

New generation ablators have been studied by making maximum use of the heritage of the EXPRESS, and Hayabusa SRC under the high heat-flux environment (-15MW/m2) at the 1 MW arc windtunnel facility

Planetary Entry Environment

An induction-coupled plasma generator (ICPG) has been designed and build for the flight environment simulation of the planetary entry probes. ICPG is now under operation with CO2 gas for Venus Entry Probes.

Laser Diagnostics of High-Enthalpy Flow

Laser diagnostic techniques for the high-enthalpy airflow were studied here in the arc windtunnel; Copper LIF velocimetry, and Nonequilibrium temperature measurement based on the nitric oxide in the arc-heated air flow.