Experimental investigation of the base flow and base pressure of a clustered launch vehicle

Launch vehicles configured with strap-on boosters presents a very complex geometry and flow field of the base region. One of the most important external force acting on a launch vehicle is the aerodynamic drag, and since the base region has high influence, as base drag, on this force, it is of major importance to predict it accurately. For complex vehicle configurations, analytical procedures are often not well adequate, and numerical flow simulations needs well validated codes and high computer power, to describe and determine the local parameters. So, the use of high speed wind tunnels becomes necessary if flow phenomena and base pressure have to be accurately determined. In the present study an experimental investigation of the base flow region of a clustered launch vehicle, characterised by four strap-on boosters around the core vehicle, has been carried out. The results, which are summarised in the present article, show the behaviour of the base pressure as function of the Mach number, and correlate the contribution of base drag to the total aerodynamic drag. Also features of the local flow field, taken from Schlieren flow pictures, are shown in detail. The article presents the wind tunnel models and program, and shows and discusses the results obtained for several flight regimes.