Space systems and astronautics are main research themes of Inatani Lab. There are various research facilities available.
Research Themes
- Future Space Transportation Systems
A number of performance-related innovations are needed for the future space transportation systems such as the fully reusable launch vehicle.
It is believed to be a key to an order-of-magnitude cost reduction of the transportation between ground and low Earth orbit, which is a major element of the whole space infrastructure of the future.
The research concerns the space transportation architecture that could be achieved by the current technology for the next 20-30 years.
- Aerodynamics of Vertical Landing Rocket Vehicles
The design considerations of the vertical landing rocket vehicles are needed to be made on the entry flight capabilities and the low speed characteristics, from the viewpoint of relation between the vehicle shape design of the entry types and the aerodynamic characteristics.
There are the potential problems in terms of the aerodynamics to realize the vertical landing rocket vehicles.
- Flight dynamics of Vertical Landing Rocket Vehicles
When the vertical landing rocket vehicle returns to land, to change its attitude considerably by the aerodynamic techniques is needed for the opposing jet.
The high-angle-of-attack characteristics and the flight dynamics in the turnover phase becomes important.
- Nonequilibrium Aerothermodynamics around Reentry Vehicles
When the space vehicle enter into the Earth's atmosphere, the heat flux transferred to the reentry vehicle becomes very larage.
To develop the reliable thermal protection system for such reentry vehicles is a prerequisite for the success of the mission.
The nonequilibrium aerothermodynamics around the reentry vehicles has been a great matter of concern to such development of thermal protection system.
- New Propulsion Systems
The outer solar system is still vastly unexplored because the deep-space exploration takes a very long time.
It is difficult for the traditional propulsion systems to perform such deep-space missions in a short period, hence the new propulsion system with high thrust as well as high efficiency is required to shorten the mission time drastically.
A promising candidate for such short-term deep-space mission is a Magnetic Sail.
Research Facilities
- Low-speed Wind Tunnel
Low-speed Wind Tunnel is used for operations at 30m/s with a circular (1.6m in diameter) test section.
PIV system is equipped for flow visualization.
- Transonic / Supersonic Wind Tunnel (Wind Tunnel Lab)
Transonic Wind Tunnel (0.3 < M < 1.3) and Supersonic Wind Tunnel (1.5 < M < 4.0) of Wind Tunnel Lab of JAXA have a square (60cm x 60cm) test section each.
- Arc-heated Tunnel
Arc-heated Tunnel is the facility where the Huels type arc heater and the segmented-disk type arc heater are equipped for the thermal protection material testing and the study of the nonequilibrium of the high-enthalpy flow.
- Supercomputer (SSS)
The SSS is the supercomputer system of JAXA.
The computer is capable of 1152Gflops.
