NASA Langley Low-Speed CFD Contributions to the Space Launch System Program

Speaker: Brent Pomeroy, Configuration Aerodynamics Branch, NASA Langley Research Center
May 19, 2022

Presentation

Abstract

In this presentation, low-speed computational work from NASA Langley in support of the Space Launch System (SLS) is discussed. This information will include both historic and present efforts with Kestrel, FUN3D, and USM3D. The low-speed aerodynamics of SLS is highly complex and analysis of the unsteady flowfield requires significant computational and experimental efforts. The SLS mission profile varies from the vehicle static on the launch pad through high-speed ascent, and this talk focuses on the prelaunch as well as liftoff and transition portions of the flight (M<0.3) both in proximity to the launch tower and in isolation. High-alpha conditions, as large as 90 deg., result in a flowfield dominated by massive, large-scale flow separation and asymmetric vortices. High-fidelity solutions require an unsteady computational formulation to accurately capture the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Adaptive mesh refinement is applied with complex DDES simulations resulting in grids in excess of 3 billion cells.

Funded by NASA’s Space Launch Systems Program

Biography

Brent Pomeroy is a computational applied aerodynamicist working in the Configuration Aerodynamics Branch at NASA's Langley Research Center. In this capacity, his responsibilities include high-fidelity computational analysis of the SLS, simulations for the Drag Prediction Workshop, and natural laminar flow design for the SUSAN aircraft. Prior to NASA Langley, Brent worked in High-Speed Aerodynamics at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois while studying under Michael Selig and his B.S. from Clarkson University with Ken Visser.

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