NSMB Validation Cases

RAM-C II

RAM-C II flight-case validation focused on thermo-chemical non-equilibrium and electron density during re-entry.

Original report plot

Electron number density at 61 km

Original RAM-C II 61 km comparison, with electron density as the communication-blackout validation quantity.

Original RAM-C II report plot of electron number density at 61 kilometres comparing models, references and flight data

Original plot from the RAM-C II report, 61 km TNEQ comparison.

Physics figures

Supporting flowfield, geometry and experiment images from the report.

Source PDF
RAM-C II capsule instrument layout

Flight instrumentation

RAM-C II diagnostic layout with electrostatic probes, telemetry horns and thermocouple probe rakes.

RAM-C II structured simulation mesh around the capsule

Structured mesh

Near-body structured mesh used to resolve the hypersonic shock layer around the capsule.

Conclusion

Why the results are comparable

The models reproduce the same ionization-layer structure and the measured density scale, but the match is not exact. The 61 km case is closer to flight data than the 71 km case; thermo-chemical non-equilibrium improves the comparison, while chemistry set, wall temperature and kinetic assumptions remain visible in the spread.