A Simulated Aerodynamic Database Analysis for the Genesis Sample Return Capsule

Blunt-body entry vehicles rely on aerodynamic databases integrated with six-degrees-of-freedom (6DOF) solvers to propagate accurate trajectories during atmospheric flight. These databases compile static and dynamic aerodynamic coefficients derived from a combination of physical tests, empirical corrections, and computational simulations. Historically, databases constructed using Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methods have required empirical backshell corrections to compensate for under-resolved wake dynamics in the low-supersonic to transonic regime. With recent advances in GPU-accelerated, time-accurate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), high-fidelity aerodynamic data generation, including CFD-in-the-loop trajectories, has become more accessible. This research compares three aerodynamic database formulations for the Genesis Sample Return Capsule (SRC): (i) RANS simulations with a mission-specific backshell correction, (ii) high-fidelity Detached Eddy Simulation (DES), and (iii) an interpolated database constructed from a simulated ballistic range campaign. All three databases are coupled with the Program for Optimizing Simulated Trajectories II (POST2) 6DOF trajectory solver to simulate nominal free-flight trajectories. The results highlight how database formulation influences predictive accuracy, particularly in capturing unsteady forces, phase alignment, and dynamic stability behavior during transonic flight. These findings inform the trade-offs between model fidelity, computational cost, and trajectory performance in entry vehicle design.