FAR FIELD APPROXIMATION FOR A NOZZLE EXHAUSTING INTO A VACUUM

An analytical method is described which enables on to determine the geometry of rocket nozzle exhaust flowfields. This information is important because of the necessity for an ability to predict the effect of exhaust gas impingement on portions of spacecraft structure with resultant degrees of instability. This method allows matching of the axial density and conserves mass and momentum flux. However, values of axial density must be obtained from correlations of previous exact calculations or from a future analysis of the axial density decay rate, so the method is not wholly preditive.