Numerical simulation of the lateral aerodynamics of an orbital stage at stage separation flow conditions

The unsteady flow of an idealized two-stage hypersonic vehicle during the separation process is investigated. In particular, the aerodynamic characteristics of the orbital stage performing yaw and roll oscillations with defined frequencies at a certain distance above the lower stage are addressed. The numerical simulations of the flowfield are based on an explicit finite-volume method for solutions of the three-dimensional unsteady Euler equations. The discretization of the computational domain around the entire configuration is performed using a flexible multiblock grid generator. The results focus on the flowfields and the pressure distributions as well as on the aerodynamic coefficients. The latter provide an essential mean for the stability and control evaluations for lateral motion in hypersonic flight. The analysis show that unsteadiness cannot be neglected.