We carry out numerical simulations to optimize the re-
entry capsule configurations based on aero-thermodynamic
properties such as drag, pressure and heat load. The open
source software OpenFOAM is used with the compress-
ible computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver rhoCen-
tralFoam. CFD solver is implemented with the first-order
Maxwell’s velocity slip and the Smoluchowski temperature
jump boundary conditions. We report results for different
altitudes and Mach numbers with varying second cone an-
gle and bluntness of the re-entry capsule. It is noted that the
heat loads are greatly reduced by changing the capsule con-
figuration from single to bi-cone. With increasing second
cone angle heat loads are enhanced, but the average drag
and pressure coefficients found to be least sensitive. How-
ever, with increase in bluntness the average value of heat
load decrease slightly and the peak value significantly, while
drag values exhibit contrasting behaviour
