Adaptation of gas-dynamic characteristic arrays to automated ballistics support of spacecraft flight

The current level of the design and use of new-generation spacecraft calls for a maximally automated ballistics support of engineering developments. An integral part of the solution of this problem is the development of an effective tool to adapt discrete functions of gas-dynamic characteristics to the solution of various problems that arise in the development and use of space complexes. Simplifying the use of bulky information arrays together with improving the accuracy of approximation of key coefficients will significantly improve the ballistics support quality. The aim of this work is to choose an optimum method for the approximation of a discrete function of two variable spacecraft aerodynamic characteristics. Based on the analysis of the advantages and drawbacks of basic methods of approximation by two fitting criteria: the maximum error and the root-mean-square deviation, recommendations on this choice were made. The methods were assessed by the example of the aerodynamic coefficients of the Sich-2M spacecraft’s simplified geometrical model tabulated as a function of the spacecraft orientation angles relative to the incident flow velocity. Multiparameter numerical studies were conducted for different approximation methods with varying the parameters of the approximation types under consideration and the approximation grid density. It was found that increasing the number of nodes of an input array does not always improve the accuracy of approximation. The node arrangement exerts a greater effect on the approximation quality. It was established that the most easily implementable method among those considered is a step interpolation, whose advantages are simplicity, quickness, and limitless possibilities in accuracy improvement, while its significant drawbacks are the lack of an analytical description and the dependence of the accuracy on the grid density. It was shown that spline functions feature the best approximating properties in comparison with other mathematical models. A polynomial approximation or any approximation by a general form function provide an analytical description with a single approximating function, but their accuracy of approximation is not so high as that provided by splines. It was found that there exists no approximation method that would be best by all criteria taken together: each method has some advantages, but at the same time, it has significant drawbacks too. An optimum approximation method is chosen according to the features of the problem, the priorities in approximation requirements, the required degree of approximation, and the initial data organization method.