NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Software engineers at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., developed the Data-Parallel Line Relaxation, or DPLR, which is used to analyze and predict the extreme environments human and robotic spacecraft experience during super high-speed entries into planetary atmospheres. The DPLR simulates the intense heating, shear stresses, and pressures a spacecraft endures as it travels through atmospheres to land on Earth or other planets. It is capable of creating a highly accurate, simulated entry environment that exceeds the capability of any test facility on Earth, allowing engineers to design and apply thermal protection materials suited to withstand such intense heating environments. The DPLR team members include Michael J. Wright, James Brown, David Hash, Matt MacLean, Ryan McDaniel, David Saunders, Chun Tang and Kerry Trumble.

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	Image Left: Modeling of a reaction control system with heat transfer contours on Mars Science Laboratory, using the Data-Parallel Line Relaxation computational fluid dynamics code. Image Credit: Kerry Trumble / NASA Ames Research Center Click on the image for full-resolution.
	Image Left: Todd White uses the Data Parallel Line Relaxation (DPLR) software to simulate the intense heating, shear stresses and pressures human and robotic spacecraft experience as they travel through atmospheres to land on Earth or other planets. Image Credit: NASA Ames Research Center Click on the image for full-resolution.
	Image Left: Data Parallel Line Relaxation (DPLR) software team members Kerry Trumble, Deepak Bose and David Hash analyze and predict the extreme environments NASA’s space shuttle experiences during its super high-speed reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. Image Credit: NASA Ames Research Center Click on the image for full-resolution.