EC
Ph.D. Candidate
Edward Clutter
A fundamental model of heatshield release aerodynamics (Dragonfly / Titan)
Hypersonics and Reentry
High-speed vehicle aerodynamics, lateral and divert jets, thermal protection systems, and CFD validation using advanced diagnostics such as Schlieren imaging.
Related Projects
active2018–2026 (multiple phases)
Dragonfly Fuselage
Aerodynamic design and analysis supporting the fuselage of NASA's Dragonfly rotorcraft lander, which will fly to Saturn's moon Titan. CFAL's work spans rotor-fuselage interaction, heatshield/backshell separation aerodynamics, in-ground-effect and outwash/saltation behavior on Titan's surface, and wind-tunnel uncertainty quantification.
NASA (subcontract through Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory)
active2025–2027
Aerothermal Cargo Downmassing
Design and analysis of thermal protection systems for high-speed atmospheric entry vehicles used to return cargo to Earth, addressing aerothermal loading during hypersonic reentry.
U.S. Air Force (subcontract through Cardinal Engineering)
completed2022–2025
Rocket Cargo Optimization
Aerodynamic and logistical optimization supporting rapid, point-to-point rocket-based cargo delivery, coupling CFD-based aerodynamic modeling with supply-chain and logistics optimization.
U.S. Space Force
completed2021–2024
Shock-Droplet Structural Loading
Multiscale simulation and experimental characterization of shock-droplet interactions at hypersonic conditions, including cavitation effects, to assess structural loading on high-speed vehicles encountering rain and atmospheric water droplets.
AFOSR (subcontract through Boston University)
completed2021–2024
Transpiration-Cooled Entry Trajectory Control
Numerical evaluation of using active porosity control of a transpiration-cooled thermal protection system to steer an atmospheric entry vehicle's trajectory.
NASA
Students & Researchers
JR
Ph.D. Candidate (M.S. to Ph.D. track)
Juan Roldan
Hypersonic CFD; shocked raindrop instability associated with nuclei
SL
CB
SR
DM
Selected Publications
2026
A Semi-Empirical Model of the Heatshield Separation: Application to Titan
EG Clutter, M Kinzel, P do Vale Pereira
AIAA SCITECH 2026 Forum, 0702, 2026
2026
Water Droplet Breakup in a Hypersonic Shock Environment
M Lindsay, SM Briggs, AJ Aguilera, S Vasu, M Kinzel, S Grace, et al.
AIAA SCITECH 2026 Forum, 1736, 2026
2026
Effect of Entrapped Non-condensable Gas on Shock-Driven Droplet Deformation: Implications for Hypersonic Rain Environments
JP Roldan, B Cavainolo, R Shannon, GA Jaramillo, S Grace, M Kinzel
27th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies …, 2026
2025
Strategies in CFD Modeling: Hypersonic Cargo Delivery Gliders Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
SA Lopez, ZA Miles, MP Kinzel
AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum, 1923, 2025
2025
Dragonfly: An Evaluation of the Unsteady Aerodynamics of Heatshield Separation on Titan
EG Clutter, MP Kinzel
AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum, 2549, 2025
2025
Entry Capsule Heatshield Transpiration Cooling Effects Observed in Boundary Layer
C Anderson, MP Kinzel, AJ Brune
AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum, 1038, 2025
2024
Direct Simulation of CMAS Infiltrating TBC Microstructure
B Cavainolo, M Kinzel
AIAA AVIATION FORUM AND ASCEND 2024, 3618, 2024
2024
Numerical Implementation of Source Terms to Evaluate Active Porosity Control using a Transpiration Cooled Thermal Protection System
C Anderson, M Kinzel, AJ Brune
AIAA AVIATION FORUM AND ASCEND 2024, 3542, 2024