Reentry Dynamics of MUSES-C

This paper focuses the aerodynamic instability motion of MUSES-C and DASH reentry capsule. Although, both capsules are same design with spherical blunt nose and conical body, reentry conditions, that is, the reentry orbit and the initial attitude, are different. In this paper, the orbital and the attitude parameters of the both missions are compared at first, and then, the attitude motions are analyzed, in which pointing error, spin rate and nutational motion are considered as initial error sources. Experimental results of a balloon drop test are also described to evaluate the dynamic motion of the capsule in the transonic speed.