Flight Path Characteristics for Re entry Trajectories

Abstract

Approximate analytical solutions on velocity, range, deceleration, maximum deceleration, distance and time of flight, etc. are obtained for object entry in a planetary atmosphere when (i) rate of change of velocity is proportional to the nth power of the velocity, and (ii) rate of change of altitude is proportional to the pth power of the velocity. Loh's results for constant deceleration flight and constant rate of change of decent flight are obtained as particular cases. Finally, trajectory characteristics are obtained rate of change of range flight.