ATMOSPHERIC ENTRY INTO JUPITER

The objectives of this study are to define a near minimum heating shape for a probe designed to enter the atmosphere of Jupiter directly at 50 km/sec. Four atmospheric compositions, pure H2, 0.6 H2-0.4 He, 0.4 H2-0.6 He (by volume), and pure He were considered. Equations for radiative heating, including lines and continua, and convective heating, including effects of mass-addition blockage, were derived. Heating calculations were made for blunt and conical bodies, for lifting and ballistic entry. It is concluded that entries should be made in the direction of planetary rotation, near the equator, at shallow flight-path angles so that heating rates will remain tolerable; advanced heat-shield materials are required; blunt-body heatshield fractions become large and conical bodies may have to be used; ballistic entries will be difficult with cones so that lifting trajectories (with moderate L/D's) may be required. © 1969 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., All rights reserved.