Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Refueling a spacecraft in orbit requires propellant to settle predictably once gravity no longer governs fluid behavior. This FLOW-3D simulation depicts a baffled propellant tank similar in size to the Agena Target Vehicle, showing an incoming propellant jet impinge on the tank's back wall and disperse under microgravity conditions. With no force beyond its initial momentum, the free surface evolves toward its minimum-energy configuration as the fluid settles. CFD modeling of this behavior helps engineers ensure propellant remains available at the tank drain during low-gravity maneuvers. Learn more at flow3d.com/industries/aerospace
Refueling a spacecraft in orbit requires propellant to settle predictably once gravity no longer governs fluid behavior. This FLOW-3D simulation depicts a baffled propellant tank similar in size to the Agena Target Vehicle, showing an incoming propellant jet impinge on the tank's back wall and disperse under microgravity conditions. With no force beyond its initial momentum, the free surface evolves toward its minimum-energy configuration as the fluid settles. CFD modeling of this behavior helps engineers ensure propellant remains available at the tank drain during low-gravity maneuvers. Learn more at flow3d.com/industries/aerospace
