RV OPTICAL SIGNATURE PROGRAM

THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR AN IMPROVED MODEL OF THE BODY-WAKE-PLUME OPTICAL SIGNATURE OF A REENTRY VEHICLE (RV). THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF ADAPTING EXISTING MODELS OF THE RV BODY SURFACE TEMPERATURE, BODY OPTICAL SIGNATURE AND NLTE RADIATIVE TRANSPORT INTO A ROBUST RV SIGNATURE PACKAGE. SPECIFIC PHASE I OBJECTIVES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS TO RV SIGNATURE PREDICTION: (1) EXTENSION OF SIGNATURE PREDICTION CAPABILITY INTO THE NEAR IR, VISIBLE AND ULTRAVIOLET REGIMES, (2) INCORPORATION OF A NLTE RADIATIVE TRANSFER MODEL FOR HIGH ALTITUDES, AND (3) DEMONSTRATION OF A MORE ROBUST BODY OPTICAL SIGNATURE MODEL. THE INTEGRATION REQUIRED TO COMBINE THESE MODELS INTO A FULL BODY-WAKE-PLUME OPTICAL SIGNATURE MODEL WOULD BE PERFORMED IN PHASE II.