Computer Simulation Reduces Costs For NASA's 'Lifeboat'
In one typical example, Lockheed Martin engineers are using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to ensure the effectiveness of the climate control system of the space vehicle. The engineers built a computer model of the X-38 and its contents, and used CFD to simulate the airflow and heat transfer throughout the vehicle's cabin, eliminating the costs of building and testing a physical prototype. Preliminary simulations showed some areas with potential ventilation problems due to equipment blocking airflows.
The X-38 is designed for use on the International Space Station (ISS) as an emergency crew return vehicle (Figure 1). It is for this purpose that the term "lifeboat" is used. One of the goals of the X-38 program is to build a human spacecraft for an order of magnitude less cost than ever before. In the late 1980s, prior to the X-38, one crew return vehicle was estimated to cost as much as $2 billion. The X-38 project is expected to build and test fly two prototypes in space for $90 million.