Advanced Reentry Vehicle and Wake Models

Missile defense systems like THAAD, GBI and AEGIS depend upon having prior knowledge of the signature characteristics of the threat missile in order to perform the necessary system functions to defeat the threat. Thus, the role of signature simulation (both radar and optical) technology is critical for this purpose. This SBIR focuses on the capability of predicting plasma effects on reentry vehicle hardbody signatures, as well as wake radar cross sections and optical signatures. The key Phase I technical objectives are to: (1) review MDA RCS and optical signature modeling needs relative to reentry plasma, compare to the existing simulation technology and identify gaps in knowledge and capability,(2) construct a Phase II plan for addressing those gaps in knowledge by combining or enhancing existing technology into deliverable signature simulation software and (3) demonstrate the feasibility of performing that technology integration for a problem of interest to MDA. Reentry vehicle optical and radar signatures are dependent upon a number of complex phenomena which must be accurately modeled.Examples of these phenomena include: vehicle shape and material construction, hardbody surface temperature, trajectory conditions (altitude, velocity, orientation), and details of the flowfield surrounding and behind the vehicle. These details include: local distribution of pressure, temperature, chemical composition, internal energy states, velocity and flow field turbulence quantities (length scale, turbulent energy and other fluctuating quantities).