Features of the thermosphere for the aerodynamic analysis of ultralow orbits
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25206/2588-0373-2025-9-4-88-99Keywords:
low Earth orbit, propulsion system, low orbit spacecraft, free molecular flow, energy accommodation of gas particles on the surface, aerodynamics, atmospheric models.Abstract
The article examines the physical conditions of the thermosphere in the field of very low orbits, analyzes the features of free molecular flow around spacecraft. Special attention is paid to models of the interaction of a molecular stream with the surface of a spacecraft, including issues of energy and momentum accommodation. An analysis of the physical parameters of the thermosphere in very low Earth orbit is presented, including the distribution of density, temperature, and chemical composition, as well as their dependence on solar and geomagnetic activity. The theoretical foundations of the free molecular flow regime are analyzed, where the equations of particle motion and the conditions of reflection from the surface are considered. Methods of experimental and computational determination of energy accommodation coefficients are considered. The influence of atmospheric parameters and surface characteristics on the aerodynamics of ultralow orbiters is analyzed.
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