Radiative-Convective Heat Transfer of a Spherically Shaped Space Vehicle in Carbon Dioxide

A system of equations of motion of viscous, heat-conducting, chemically nonequilibrium, and selectively radiating and absorbing gas is used for solving the problem of radiative-convective heat transfer of a space vehicle of the simplest (spherical) shape in carbon dioxide used for simulating the Mars atmosphere. Comparison is made of the convective and radiative heating of the entire surface of the space vehicle (from forward to rear stagnation point) for the typical conditions of entry of space vehicles into the Mars atmosphere, in particular, for individual points of the Pathfinder trajectory. It is demonstrated that, in some regions of space vehicle entry into the atmosphere, the radiative thermal heating of some elements of space vehicle surface may exceed the convective thermal heating. There is also demonstrated the need for analysis of the level of radiation heat fluxes on the entire surface of the Mars-bound space vehicle rather than on its frontal surface alone.