Development of a High-Speed Atomic Oxygen Flow Tunnel for Low Earth Orbit Environment Simulation

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25289302
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: Teikyo Heisei University (2014-2015); The University of Tokyo (2013)
• Principal Investigator: ARAKAWA Yoshihiro 帝京平成大学, 現代ライフ学部, 教授 (50134490)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KOMURASAKI Kimiya 東京大学, 工学系研究科, 教授 (90242825) ; MATSUI Makoto 静岡大学, 工学部, 准教授 (90547100)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 航空宇宙流体力学 / レーザー / プラズマ計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A laser-driven plasma wind tunnel was developed in this study as a simulator of high-speed continuous atomic oxygen flows in the low earth orbit environment. Laser diagnostics of the plume revealed the time-averaged flow velocity and translational temperature of the flows to be 6.1 km/s and 1216 K, respectively. The flux density for pure oxygen flows was estimated as 1.3 × 1025 atom/m2s. The flow velocity could be increased to 6.6 km/s by mixing oxygen with helium at a mole fraction of 0.23. An orbital velocity of 7.8 km/s could be achieved by increasing the helium mole fraction to 0.58.

Free Research Field

工学