Why is a return capsule intentionally designed with a blunt shape?
Answer
To force the high-energy air to compress far ahead of the heat shield.
The blunt shape of a re-entry capsule is an intentional engineering feature designed to manage the overwhelming thermal energy. By presenting a blunt profile, the craft forces the high-energy air stream to compress significantly ahead of the actual heat shield surface. This process creates a thick, standoff shock layer, which effectively absorbs the vast majority of the thermal load generated by adiabatic compression. Consequently, the actual surface temperature of the capsule remains cooler than the superheated plasma layer surrounding it, offering crucial protection to the underlying structure.
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