Blunt-body theory for atmospheric re-entry (Allen and Eggers)
Cuerpo romo para reentrada atmosférica (Allen y Eggers)
- Date
- 1951-1953 · confidence medium
- Place
- Ames Research Center, Mountain View, California, United States
- Credited to
- H. Julian Allen and Alfred J. Eggers (NACA)
- Field
- Movement
What was discovered
Allen found that a blunt, not pointed, re-entry nose creates a detached shock wave that leaves most of the heat in the air and reduces what reaches the structure. It underlies space capsules and heat shields.
The work, done in 1951-1953, was classified and published in 1958 (NACA report 1381). Soviet and US capsules adopted the principle independently.
What it led to
- blunt nuclear warheads and re-entry capsules
- ablative heat shields on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules
- aerodynamic design of planetary entry probes