3-D numerical calculation of magnetic drag parachute

The concept of using an externally applied magnetic field to add the drag force of a hypersonic reentry vehicle during the blackout was proposed by Bush in 1958. The increased drag force is caused by electromagnetic force that is introduced by interaction between the applied magnetic field and the weakly ionized airflow around the reentry vehicle. We investigated the influences of magnetic field intensities on the drag forces of a reentry vehicle by three dimensional (3-D) magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation. The results showed that the drag fore exerted on the vehicle reached 25 kN when the magnetic field was 0.4 T. The drag force increased with the enhanced intial magnetic field. The bow shock was also pushed far away from the vehicle when the magnetic field was strengthened.