Taxonomy Category Summary

This taxonomy category is divided into four areas: aeroassist and atmospheric entry, descent, landing, and vehicle systems. Aeroassist and atmospheric entry is the mission segment where a spacecraft transits a planetary atmosphere from direct entry or orbit. Technology consists of thermal protection systems, hypersonic decelerators (e.g. aerosurface), passive reentry systems for small satellites (drag sails, composite booms, etc.). Descent is the mission phase of EDL that bridges the entry and terminal descent and landing phases. Technology includes aerodynamic decelerators (parachutes/parafoils and breakthrough technology) and supersonic retropropulsion (e.g. deep throttling, high-thrust engines for Mars descent). Landing is the mission phase of EDL that encompasses the terminal descent and touch down elements. Technology includes touchdown systems (active landing gear, energy modulators, etc.) and propulsion systems for landing. Vehicle systems enable a thorough understanding of overall design space, requirements, constraints and available technology as well as accurate development for analyzing end to end vehicle performance for EDL. Technology focuses on architecture design and molding, separation systems (map transition between EDL mission segments), system integration and analysis for EDL, atmosphere and surface characterization, modeling and simulation for EDL, instrumentation and health monitoring for EDL, and guidance, navigation and control for EDL.

Research Affiliates

Below are our faculty affiliates whose research fall under this taxonomy category.