Aerodynamic Characteristics of Irregularly Shaped Intercept Fragments

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) would like to improve debris trajectory predictions using an improved and comprehensive database of lift and drag characteristics for fragments that are the result of missile engagements. Analytical solutions have been generally limited by available solutions for common shapes that don’t represent the complex and irregular debris fragments. Direct measurements of characteristics such as drag and ballistic missile coefficient have been limited to low-speed flow regimes. Techsburg, Inc. proposes to address MDA's requirements by leveraging our expertise in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel testing to provide a validated, cost-effective approach to compiling a database of fragment aerodynamic characteristics. Techsburg will numerically predict the lift and drag characteristics of irregularly shaped intercept fragments and experimentally validate a subset of the results using our in-house supersonic wind tunnel facility. We will apply 3D laser scanning technology to digitize the geometry of sponsor-supplied intercept fragment samples, and then construct CFD grids based on this geometry. CFD simulations will be conducted over a wide range of fragment geometries and flow conditions. Aerodynamic loads acting on the fragments at Mach 1.6 will be measured over a range of orientations using the Techsburg Supersonic Blowdown Wind Tunnel, with the goal of experimentally validating the CFD results.