Computational and experimental aftbody flow fields for hypersonic, airbreathing configurations with scramjet exhaust flow simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huebner, Lawrence D.; Tatum, Kenneth E.

1991-01-01

Computational results are presented for three issues pertinent to hypersonic, airbreathing vehicles employing scramjet exhaust flow simulation. The first issue consists of a comparison of schlieren photographs obtained on the aftbody of a cruise missile configuration under powered conditions with two-dimensional computational solutions. The second issue presents the powered aftbody effects of modeling the inlet with a fairing to divert the external flow as compared to an operating flow-through inlet on a generic hypersonic vehicle. Finally, a comparison of solutions examining the potential of testing powered configurations in a wind-off, instead of a wind-on, environment, indicate that, depending on the extent of the three-dimensional plume, it may be possible to test aftbody powered hypersonic, airbreathing configurations in a wind-off environment.

Propulsion integration of hypersonic air-breathing vehicles utilizing a top-down design methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkpatrick, Brad Kenneth

In recent years, a focus of aerospace engineering design has been the development of advanced design methodologies and frameworks to account for increasingly complex and integrated vehicles. Techniques such as parametric modeling, global vehicle analyses, and interdisciplinary data sharing have been employed in an attempt to improve the design process. The purpose of this study is to introduce a new approach to integrated vehicle design known as the top-down design methodology. In the top-down design methodology, the main idea is to relate design changes on the vehicle system and sub-system level to a set of over-arching performance and customer requirements. Rather than focusing on the performance of an individual system, the system is analyzed in terms of the net effect it has on the overall vehicle and other vehicle systems. This detailed level of analysis can only be accomplished through the use of high fidelity computational tools such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) or Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The utility of the top-down design methodology is investigated through its application to the conceptual and preliminary design of a long-range hypersonic air-breathing vehicle for a hypothetical next generation hypersonic vehicle (NHRV) program. System-level design is demonstrated through the development of the nozzle section of the propulsion system. From this demonstration of the methodology, conclusions are made about the benefits, drawbacks, and cost of using the methodology.

Propulsion Airframe Integration Test Techniques for Hypersonic Airbreathing Configurations at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witte, David W.; Huebner, Lawrence D.; Trexler, Carl A.; Cabell, Karen F.; Andrews, Earl H., Jr.

2003-01-01

The scope and significance of propulsion airframe integration (PAI) for hypersonic airbreathing vehicles is presented through a discussion of the PAI test techniques utilized at NASA Langley Research Center. Four primary types of PAI model tests utilized at NASA Langley for hypersonic airbreathing vehicles are discussed. The four types of PAI test models examined are the forebody/inlet test model, the partial-width/truncated propulsion flowpath test model, the powered exhaust simulation test model, and the full-length/width propulsion flowpath test model. The test technique for each of these four types of PAI test models is described, and the relevant PAI issues addressed by each test technique are illustrated through the presentation of recent PAI test data.

Systems Challenges for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, James L.; Laruelle, Gerard; Wagner, Alain

1997-01-01

This paper examines the system challenges posed by fully reusable hypersonic cruise airplanes and access to space vehicles. Hydrocarbon and hydrogen fueled airplanes are considered with cruise speeds of Mach 5 and 10, respectively. The access to space matrix is examined. Airbreathing and rocket powered, single- and two-stage vehicles are considered. Reference vehicle architectures are presented. Major systems/subsystems challenges are described. Advanced, enhancing systems concepts as well as common system technologies are discussed.

Computational effects of inlet representation on powered hypersonic, airbreathing models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huebner, Lawrence D.; Tatum, Kenneth E.

1993-01-01

Computational results are presented to illustrate the powered aftbody effects of representing the scramjet inlet on a generic hypersonic vehicle with a fairing, to divert the external flow, as compared to an operating flow-through scramjet inlet. This study is pertinent to the ground testing of hypersonic, airbreathing models employing scramjet exhaust flow simulation in typical small-scale hypersonic wind tunnels. The comparison of aftbody effects due to inlet representation is well-suited for computational study, since small model size typically precludes the ability to ingest flow into the inlet and perform exhaust simulation at the same time. Two-dimensional analysis indicates that, although flowfield differences exist for the two types of inlet representations, little, if any, difference in surface aftbody characteristics is caused by fairing over the inlet.

Sliding mode disturbance observer-enhanced adaptive control for the air-breathing hypersonic flight vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Hao; Wang, Changhong; Fidan, Baris

2017-10-01

This paper presents a backstepping procedure to design an adaptive controller for the air-breathing hypersonic flight vehicle (AHFV) subject to external disturbances and actuator saturations. In each step, a sliding mode exact disturbance observer (SMEDO) is exploited to exactly estimate the lumped disturbance in finite time. Specific dynamics are introduced to handle the possible actuator saturations. Based on SMEDO and introduced dynamics, an adaptive control law is designed, along with the consideration on ;explosion of complexity; in backstepping design. The developed controller is equipped with fast disturbance rejection and great capability to accommodate the saturated actuators, which also lead to a wider application scope. A simulation study is provided to show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed controller.

Hypersonic vehicle control law development using H(infinity) and micron-synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Irene M.; Mcminn, John D.; Shaughnessy, John D.; Chowdhry, Rajiv S.

1993-01-01

Hypersonic vehicle control law development using H(infinity) and mu-synthesis is discussed. Airbreathing SSTO vehicles has a mutli-faceted mission that includes orbital operations, as well as re-entry and descent culminating in horizontal landing. However, the most challenging part of the operations is the ascent to orbit. The airbreathing propulsion requires lengthy atmospheric flight that may last as long as 30 minutes and take the vehicle half way around the globe. The vehicles's ascent is characterized by tight payload to orbit margins which translate into minimum fuel orbit as the performance criteria. Issues discussed include: SSTO airbreathing vehicle issues; control system performance requirements; robust control law framework; H(infinity) controller frequency analysis; and mu controller frequency analysis.

Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) and Hot Structures for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.

2008-01-01

Thermal protection systems (TPS) and hot structures are required for a range of hypersonic vehicles ranging from ballistic reentry to hypersonic cruise vehicles, both within Earth's atmosphere and non-Earth atmospheres. The focus of this paper is on air breathing hypersonic vehicles in the Earth's atmosphere. This includes single-stage to orbit (SSTO), two-stage to orbit (TSTO) accelerators, access to space vehicles, and hypersonic cruise vehicles. This paper will start out with a brief discussion of aerodynamic heating and thermal management techniques to address the high heating, followed by an overview of TPS for rocket-launched and air-breathing vehicles. The argument is presented that as we move from rocket-based vehicles to air-breathing vehicles, we need to move away from the insulated airplane approach used on the Space Shuttle Orbiter to a wide range of TPS and hot structure approaches. The primary portion of the paper will discuss issues and design options for CMC TPS and hot structure components, including leading edges, acreage TPS, and control surfaces. The current state-of-the-art will be briefly discussed for some of the components. The two primary technical challenges impacting the use of CMC TPS and hot structures for hypersonic vehicles are environmental durability and fabrication, and will be discussed briefly.

Uncertainty analysis and robust trajectory linearization control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Zhiqiang; Tan, Xiangmin; Fan, Guoliang; Yi, Jianqiang

2014-08-01

Flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicles feature significant uncertainties which pose huge challenges to robust controller designs. In this paper, four major categories of uncertainties are analyzed, that is, uncertainties associated with flexible effects, aerodynamic parameter variations, external environmental disturbances, and control-oriented modeling errors. A uniform nonlinear uncertainty model is explored for the first three uncertainties which lumps all uncertainties together and consequently is beneficial for controller synthesis. The fourth uncertainty is additionally considered in stability analysis. Based on these analyses, the starting point of the control design is to decompose the vehicle dynamics into five functional subsystems. Then a robust trajectory linearization control (TLC) scheme consisting of five robust subsystem controllers is proposed. In each subsystem controller, TLC is combined with the extended state observer (ESO) technique for uncertainty compensation. The stability of the overall closed-loop system with the four aforementioned uncertainties and additional singular perturbations is analyzed. Particularly, the stability of nonlinear ESO is also discussed from a Liénard system perspective. At last, simulations demonstrate the great control performance and the uncertainty rejection ability of the robust scheme.

System controls challenges of hypersonic combined-cycle engine powered vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Russell H.; Ianculescu, George D.

1992-01-01

Hypersonic aircraft with air-breathing engines have been described as the most complex and challenging air/space vehicle designs ever attempted. This is particularly true for aircraft designed to accelerate to orbital velocities. The propulsion system for the National Aerospace Plane will be an active factor in maintaining the aircraft on course. Typically addressed are the difficulties with the aerodynamic vehicle design and development, materials limitations and propulsion performance. The propulsion control system requires equal materials limitations and propulsion performance. The propulsion control system requires equal concern. Far more important than merely a subset of propulsion performance, the propulsion control system resides at the crossroads of trajectory optimization, engine static performance, and vehicle-engine configuration optimization. To date, solutions at these crossroads are multidisciplinary and generally lag behind the broader performance issues. Just how daunting these demands will be is suggested. A somewhat simplified treatment of the behavioral characteristics of hypersonic aircraft and the issues associated with their air-breathing propulsion control system design are presented.

Improved prescribed performance control for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with unknown deadzone input nonlinearity.

PubMed

Wang, Yingyang; Hu, Jianbo

2018-05-19

An improved prescribed performance controller is proposed for the longitudinal model of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) subject to uncertain dynamics and input nonlinearity. Different from the traditional non-affine model requiring non-affine functions to be differentiable, this paper utilizes a semi-decomposed non-affine model with non-affine functions being locally semi-bounded and possibly in-differentiable. A new error transformation combined with novel prescribed performance functions is proposed to bypass complex deductions caused by conventional error constraint approaches and circumvent high frequency chattering in control inputs. On the basis of backstepping technique, the improved prescribed performance controller with low structural and computational complexity is designed. The methodology guarantees the altitude and velocity tracking error within transient and steady state performance envelopes and presents excellent robustness against uncertain dynamics and deadzone input nonlinearity. Simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel prescribed performance neural control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle with unknown initial errors.

PubMed

Bu, Xiangwei; Wu, Xiaoyan; Zhu, Fujing; Huang, Jiaqi; Ma, Zhen; Zhang, Rui

2015-11-01

A novel prescribed performance neural controller with unknown initial errors is addressed for the longitudinal dynamic model of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (FAHV) subject to parametric uncertainties. Different from traditional prescribed performance control (PPC) requiring that the initial errors have to be known accurately, this paper investigates the tracking control without accurate initial errors via exploiting a new performance function. A combined neural back-stepping and minimal learning parameter (MLP) technology is employed for exploring a prescribed performance controller that provides robust tracking of velocity and altitude reference trajectories. The highlight is that the transient performance of velocity and altitude tracking errors is satisfactory and the computational load of neural approximation is low. Finally, numerical simulation results from a nonlinear FAHV model demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed strategy. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of some significant issues affecting trajectory and control management for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hattis, Philip D.; Malchow, Harvey L.

1992-01-01

Horizontal takeoff airbreathing-propulsion launch vehicles require near-optimal guidance and control which takes into account performance sensitivities to atmospheric characteristics while satisfying physically-derived operational constraints. A generic trajectory/control analysis tool that deepens insight into these considerations has been applied to two versions of a winged-cone vehicle model. Information that is critical to the design and trajectory of these vehicles is derived, and several unusual characteristics of the airbreathing propulsion model are shown to have potentially substantial effects on vehicle dynamics.

X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle - Artist Concept in Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

An artist's conception of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X' in flight. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will

Hypersonics. Volume 1 - Defining the hypersonic environment; Proceedings of the First Joint Europe/U.S. Short Course on Hypersonics, Paris, France, Dec. 7-11, 1987

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertin, John J.; Glowinski, Roland; Periaux, Jacques

1989-05-01

The present work discusses the general characterization of hypersonic flows, the hypersonic phenomena to be encountered by the Hermes spacecraft, industrial methodologies for the design of hypersonic vehicles, the definition of aerodynamic methodology, and hypersonic airbreathing-propulsion vehicle design practices applicable to the U.S. National Aerospace Plane. Also discussed are real gas effects in the hypersonic regime, the influence of thermochemistry and of nonequilibrium and surface catalysis on hypersonic vehicle design, the modelling of nonequilibrium effects in high speed flows, air-dissociation thermochemistry, and rarefied gas dynamics effects for spacecraft.

Novel adaptive neural control design for a constrained flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle based on actuator compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, Xiangwei; Wu, Xiaoyan; He, Guangjun; Huang, Jiaqi

2016-03-01

This paper investigates the design of a novel adaptive neural controller for the longitudinal dynamics of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle with control input constraints. To reduce the complexity of controller design, the vehicle dynamics is decomposed into the velocity subsystem and the altitude subsystem, respectively. For each subsystem, only one neural network is utilized to approach the lumped unknown function. By employing a minimal-learning parameter method to estimate the norm of ideal weight vectors rather than their elements, there are only two adaptive parameters required for neural approximation. Thus, the computational burden is lower than the ones derived from neural back-stepping schemes. Specially, to deal with the control input constraints, additional systems are exploited to compensate the actuators. Lyapunov synthesis proves that all the closed-loop signals involved are uniformly ultimately bounded. Finally, simulation results show that the adopted compensation scheme can tackle actuator constraint effectively and moreover velocity and altitude can stably track their reference trajectories even when the physical limitations on control inputs are in effect.

Hypersonic Materials and Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.

2016-01-01

Thermal protection systems (TPS) and hot structures are required for a range of hypersonic vehicles ranging from ballistic reentry to hypersonic cruise vehicles, both within Earth's atmosphere and non-Earth atmospheres. The focus of this presentation is on air breathing hypersonic vehicles in the Earth's atmosphere. This includes single-stage to orbit (SSTO), two-stage to orbit (TSTO) accelerators, access to space vehicles, and hypersonic cruise vehicles. This paper will start out with a brief discussion of aerodynamic heating and thermal management techniques to address the high heating, followed by an overview of TPS for rocket-launched and air-breathing vehicles. The argument is presented that as we move from rocket-based vehicles to air-breathing vehicles, we need to move away from the insulated airplane approach used on the Space Shuttle Orbiter to a wide range of TPS and hot structure approaches. The primary portion of the paper will discuss issues and design options for CMC TPS and hot structure components, including leading edges, acreage TPS, and control surfaces. The current state-of-the-art will be briefly discussed for some of the components.

Air-breathing hypersonic vehicle guidance and control studies; An integrated trajectory/control analysis methodology: Phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hattis, Philip D.; Malchow, Harvey L.

1991-01-01

A tool which generates optimal trajectory/control histories in an integrated manner is generically adapted to the treatment of single-stage-to-orbit air-breathing hypersonic vehicles. The methodology is implemented as a two point boundary value problem solution technique. Its use permits an assessment of an entire near-minimum-fuel trajectory and desired control strategy from takeoff to orbit while satisfying physically derived inequality constraints and while achieving efficient propulsive mode phasing. A simpler analysis strategy that partitions the trajectory into several boundary condition matched segments is also included to construct preliminary trajectory and control history representations with less computational burden than is required for the overall flight profile assessment. A demonstration was accomplished using a tabulated example (winged-cone accelerator) vehicle model that is combined with a newly developed multidimensional cubic spline data smoothing routine. A constrained near-fuel-optimal trajectory, imposing a dynamic pressure limit of 1000 psf, was developed from horizontal takeoff to 20,000 ft/sec relative air speed while aiming for a polar orbit. Previously unspecified propulsive discontinuities were located. Flight regimes demanding rapid attitude changes were identified, dictating control effector and closed-loop controller authority was ascertained after evaluating effector use for vehicle trim. Also, inadequacies in vehicle model representations and specific subsystem models with insufficient fidelity were determined based on unusual control characteristics and/or excessive sensitivity to uncertainty.

Hypersonic airbreathing vehicle conceptual design (focus on aero-space plane)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, James L.; Martin, John G.

1989-01-01

The airbreathing single stage to orbit (SSTO) vehicle design environment is variable-rich, intricately networked and sensitivity intensive. As such, it represents a tremondous technology challenge. Creating a viable design will require sophisticated configuration/synthesis and the synergistic integration of advanced technologies across the discipline spectrum. In design exercises, reductions in the fuel weight-fraction requirements projected for an orbital vehicle concept can result from improvements in aerodynamics/controls, propulsion efficiencies and trajectory optimization; also, gains in the fuel weight-fraction achievable for such a concept can result from improvements in structural design, heat management techniques, and material properties. As these technology advances take place, closure on a viable vehicle design will be realizable.

Guaranteed cost control with poles assignment for a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongyi; Si, Yulin; Wu, Ligang; Hu, Xiaoxiang; Gao, Huijun

2011-05-01

This article investigates the problem of guaranteed cost control for a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (FAHV). The FAHV includes intricate coupling between the engine and flight dynamics as well as complex interplay between flexible and rigid modes, which results in an intractable system for the control design. A longitudinal model is adopted for control design due to the complexity of the vehicle. First, for a highly nonlinear and coupled FAHV, a linearised model is established around the trim condition, which includes the state of altitude, velocity, angle of attack, pitch angle and pitch rate, etc. Secondly, by using the Lyapunov approach, performance analysis is carried out for the resulting closed-loop FAHV system, whose criterion with respect to guaranteed performance cost and poles assignment is expressed in the framework of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The established criterion exhibits a kind of decoupling between the Lyapunov positive-definite matrices to be determined and the FAHV system matrices, which is enabled by the introduction of additional slack matrix variables. Thirdly, a convex optimisation problem with LMI constraints is formulated for designing an admissible controller, which guarantees a prescribed performance cost with the simultaneous consideration of poles assignment for the resulting closed-loop system. Finally, some simulation results are provided to show that the guaranteed cost controller could assign the poles into the desired regional and achieve excellent reference altitude and velocity tracking performance.

The Role of Guidance, Navigation, and Control in Hypersonic Vehicle Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ouzts, Peter J.; Soloway, Donald I.; Moerder, Daniel D.; Wolpert, David H.; Benavides, Jose Victor

2009-01-01

Airbreathing hypersonic systems offer distinct performance advantages over rocket-based systems for space access vehicles. However, these performance advantages are dependent upon advances in current state-of-the-art technologies in many areas such as ram/scramjet propulsion integration, high temperature materials, aero-elastic structures, thermal protection systems, transition to hypersonics and hypersonic control elements within the framework of complex physics and new design methods. The complex interactions between elements of an airbreathing hypersonic vehicle represent a new paradigm in vehicle design to achieve the optimal performance necessary to meet space access mission objectives. In the past, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) analysis often follows completion of the vehicle conceptual design process. Individual component groups design subsystems which are then integrated into a vehicle configuration. GNC is presented the task of developing control approaches to meet vehicle performance objectives given that configuration. This approach may be sufficient for vehicles where significant performance margins exist. However, for higher performance vehicles engaging the GNC discipline too late in the design cycle has been costly. For example, the X-29 experimental flight vehicle was built as a technology demonstrator. One of the many technologies to be demonstrated was the use of light-weight material composites for structural components. The use of light-weight materials increased the flexibility of the X- 29 beyond that of conventional metal alloy constructed aircraft. This effect was not considered when the vehicle control system was designed and built. The impact of this is that the control system did not have enough control authority to compensate for the effects of the first fundamental structural mode of the vehicle. As a result, the resulting pitch rate response of the vehicle was below specification and no post-design changes could recover the

Tracking control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with non-affine dynamics via improved neural back-stepping design.

PubMed

Bu, Xiangwei; He, Guangjun; Wang, Ke

2018-04-01

This study considers the design of a new back-stepping control approach for air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) non-affine models via neural approximation. The AHV's non-affine dynamics is decomposed into velocity subsystem and altitude subsystem to be controlled separately, and robust adaptive tracking control laws are developed using improved back-stepping designs. Neural networks are applied to estimate the unknown non-affine dynamics, which guarantees the addressed controllers with satisfactory robustness against uncertainties. In comparison with the existing control methodologies, the special contributions are that the non-affine issue is handled by constructing two low-pass filters based on model transformations, and virtual controllers are treated as intermediate variables such that they aren't needed for back-stepping designs any more. Lyapunov techniques are employed to show the uniformly ultimately boundedness of all closed-loop signals. Finally, simulation results are presented to verify the tracking performance and superiorities of the investigated control strategy. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of effect of propulsion system installation and operation on aerodynamics of an airbreathing hypersonic airplane at Mach 0.3 to 1.2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cubbage, J. M.; Mercer, C. E.

1977-01-01

Results from an investigation of the effects of the operation of a combined turbojet/scramjet propulsion system on the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a 1/60-scale hypersonic airbreathing launch vehicle configuration are presented. Decomposition products of hydrogen peroxide were used for simulation of the propulsion system exhaust.

Robust estimation-free prescribed performance back-stepping control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles without affine models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, Xiangwei; Wu, Xiaoyan; Huang, Jiaqi; Wei, Daozhi

2016-11-01

This paper investigates the design of a novel estimation-free prescribed performance non-affine control strategy for the longitudinal dynamics of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) via back-stepping. The proposed control scheme is capable of guaranteeing tracking errors of velocity, altitude, flight-path angle, pitch angle and pitch rate with prescribed performance. By prescribed performance, we mean that the tracking error is limited to a predefined arbitrarily small residual set, with convergence rate no less than a certain constant, exhibiting maximum overshoot less than a given value. Unlike traditional back-stepping designs, there is no need of an affine model in this paper. Moreover, both the tedious analytic and numerical computations of time derivatives of virtual control laws are completely avoided. In contrast to estimation-based strategies, the presented estimation-free controller possesses much lower computational costs, while successfully eliminating the potential problem of parameter drifting. Owing to its independence on an accurate AHV model, the studied methodology exhibits excellent robustness against system uncertainties. Finally, simulation results from a fully nonlinear model clarify and verify the design.

Hyper-X and Pegasus Launch Vehicle: A Three-Foot Model of the Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

A close-up view of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehicle, or Hyper-X, portion of a three-foot-long model of the vehicle/booster combination at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will be able to carry heavier payloads. Another unique aspect of the X-43A vehicle is

Hyper-X and Pegasus Launch Vehicle: A Three-Foot Model of the Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The configuration of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehicle, or Hyper-X, attached to a Pegasus launch vehicle is displayed in this three-foot-long model at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will be able to carry heavier payloads. Another unique aspect of the X-43

Artist Concept of X-43A/Hyper-X Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehicle in Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

An artist's conception of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X' in flight. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will

Air-breathing aerospace plane development essential: Hypersonic propulsion flight tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, Unmeel B.

1994-01-01

Hypersonic air-breathing propulsion utilizing scramjets can fundamentally change transatmospheric accelerators for low earth-to-orbit and return transportation. The value and limitations of ground tests, of flight tests, and of computations are presented, and scramjet development requirements are discussed. It is proposed that near full-scale hypersonic propulsion flight tests are essential for developing a prototype hypersonic propulsion system and for developing computational-design technology so that it can be used for designing this system. In order to determine how these objectives should be achieved, some lessons learned from past programs are presented. A conceptual two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) prototype/experimental aerospace plane is recommended as a means of providing access-to-space and for conducting flight tests. A road map for achieving these objectives is also presented.

Tip-to-tail numerical simulation of a hypersonic air-breathing engine with ethylene fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dharavath, Malsur; Manna, P.; Chakraborty, Debasis

2016-11-01

End to end CFD simulations of external and internal flow paths of an ethylene fueled hypersonic airbreathing vehicle with including forebody, horizontal fins, vertical fins, intake, combustor, single expansion ramp nozzle are carried out. The performance of the scramjet combustor and vehicle net thrust-drag is calculated for hypersonic cruise condition. Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved along with SST-k-ω turbulence model using the commercial CFD software CFX-14. Single step chemical reaction based on fast chemistry assumption is used for combustion of gaseous ethylene fuel. Simulations captured complex shock structures including the shocks generated from the vehicle nose and compression ramps, impingement of cowl-shock on vehicle undersurface and its reflection in the intake and combustor etc. Various thermochemical parameters are analyzed and performance parameters are evaluated for nonreacting and reacting cases. Very good mixing ( 98%) of fuel with incoming air stream is observed. Positive thrust-drag margins are obtained for fuel equivalence ratio of 0.6 and computed combustion efficiency is observed to be 94 %. Effect of equivalence ratio on the vehicle performance is studied parametrically. Though the combustion efficiency has come down by 8% for fuel equivalence ratio of 0.8, net vehicle thrust is increased by 44%. Heat flux distribution on the various walls of the whole vehicle including combustor is estimated for the isothermal wall condition of 1000 K in reacting flow. Higher local heat flux values are observed at all the leading edges of the vehicle (i.e., nose, wing, fin and cowl leading edges) and strut regions of the combustor.

LPV H-infinity Control for the Longitudinal Dynamics of a Flexible Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Hunter Douglas

This dissertation establishes the method needed to synthesize and simulate an Hinfinity Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) controller for a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle model. A study was conducted to gain the understanding of the elastic effects on the open loop system. It was determined that three modes of vibration would be suitable for the hypersonic vehicle model. It was also discovered from the open loop study that there is strong coupling in the hypersonic vehicle states, especially between the angle of attack, pitch rate, pitch attitude, and the exible modes of the vehicle. This dissertation outlines the procedure for synthesizing a full state feedback Hinfinity LPV controller for the hypersonic vehicle. The full state feedback study looked at both velocity and altitude tracking for the exible vehicle. A parametric study was conducted on each of these controllers to see the effects of changing the number of gridding points in the parameter space and changing the parameter variation rate limits in the system on the robust performance of the controller. As a result of the parametric study, a 7 x 7 grid ranging from Mach 7 to Mach 9 in velocity and from 70,000 feet to 90,000 feet in altitude, and a parameter variation rate limit of [.5 200]T was used for both the velocity tracking and altitude tracking cases. The resulting Hinfinity robust performances were gamma = 2.2224 for the velocity tracking case and = 1:7582 for the altitude tracking case. A linear analysis was then conducted on five different selected trim points from the Hinfinity LPV controller. This was conducted for the velocity tracking and altitude tracking cases. The results of linear analysis show that there is a slight difference in the response of the Hinfinity LPV controller and the fixed point H infinity controller. For the tracking task, the Hinfinity controller responds more quickly, and has a lower Hinfinity performance value. Next, the H infinity LPV controller was simulated

Robust Adaptive Flight Control Design of Air-breathing Hypersonic Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-07

dynamic inversion controller design for a non -minimum phase hypersonic vehicle is derived by Kuipers et al. [2008]. Moreover, integrated guidance and...stabilization time for inner loop variables is lesser than the intermediate loop variables because of the three-loop-control design methodology . The control...adaptive design . Control Engineering Practice, 2016. Michael A Bolender and David B Doman. A non -linear model for the longitudinal dynamics of a

Affordable Flight Demonstration of the GTX Air-Breathing SSTO Vehicle Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krivanek, Thomas M.; Roche, Joseph M.; Riehl, John P.; Kosareo, Daniel N.

2002-01-01

The rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) powered single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle has the potential to significantly reduce the total cost per pound for orbital payload missions. To validate overall system performance, a flight demonstration must be performed. This paper presents an overview of the first phase of a flight demonstration program for the GTX SSTO vehicle concept. Phase 1 will validate the propulsion performance of the vehicle configuration over the supersonic and hypersonic airbreathing portions of the trajectory. The focus and goal of Phase 1 is to demonstrate the integration and performance of the propulsion system flowpath with the vehicle aerodynamics over the air-breathing trajectory. This demonstrator vehicle will have dual mode ramjet/scramjets, which include the inlet, combustor, and nozzle with geometrically scaled aerodynamic surface outer mold lines (OML) defining the forebody, boundary layer diverter, wings, and tail. The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate propulsion system performance and operability including the ram to scram transition, as well as to validate vehicle aerodynamics and propulsion airframe integration. To minimize overall risk and development cost the effort will incorporate proven materials, use existing turbomachinery in the propellant delivery systems, launch from an existing unmanned remote launch facility, and use basic vehicle recovery techniques to minimize control and landing requirements. A second phase would demonstrate propulsion performance across all critical portions of a space launch trajectory (lift off through transition to all-rocket) integrated with flight-like vehicle systems.

Hyper-X and Pegasus Launch Vehicle: A Three-Foot Model of the Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The configuration of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Research Vehicle, or Hyper-X, attached to a Pegasus launch vehicle is displayed in this side view of a three-foot-long model of the vehicle/booster combination at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will be able to carry

2-D Air-Breathing Lightcraft Engine Experiments in Hypersonic Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvador, Israel I.; Myrabo, Leik N.; Minucci, Marco A. S.; de Oliveira, Antonio C.; Toro, Paulo G. P.; Chanes, José B.; Rego, Israel S.

2011-11-01

Experiments were performed with a 2-D, repetitively-pulsed (RP) laser Lightcraft model in hypersonic flow conditions. The main objective was the feasibility analysis for impulse generation with repetitively-pulsed air-breathing laser Lightcraft engines at hypersonic speeds. The future application of interest for this basic research endeavor is the laser launch of pico-, nano-, and micro-satellites (i.e., 0.1-100 kg payloads) into Low-Earth-Orbit, at low-cost and on-demand. The laser propulsion experiments employed a Hypersonic Shock Tunnel integrated with twin gigawatt pulsed Lumonics 620-TEA CO2 lasers (˜ 1 μs pulses), to produce the required test conditions. This hypersonic campaign was carried out at nominal Mach numbers ranging from 6 to 10. Time-dependent surface pressure distributions were recorded together with Schlieren movies of the flow field structure resulting from laser energy deposition. Results indicated laser-induced pressure increases of 0.7-0.9 bar with laser pulse energies of ˜ 170 J, on off-shroud induced breakdown condition, and Mach number of 7.

A new kind of nonlinear disturbance observer for nonlinear systems with applications to cruise control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhiling; Meng, Bin; Sun, Hongfei

2017-09-01

The nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) proposed by W. H. Chen et al. needs an assumption that the disturbance varies slowly relative to the observer dynamics (i.e. ?), so as to ensure the convergence of the disturbance observer. When ?, however, there is no guarantee of the convergence in theory. To solve the problem, this paper presents a new NDO, namely high-order nonlinear disturbance observer (HONDO), for a nonlinear system with an unknown fast time-varying disturbance (i.e. ?). The HONDO not only inherits all the advantages of the usual NDO, but also guarantees the convergence of the estimated error for a nonlinear system with a fast time-varying disturbance. Therefore, the HONDO proposed in this paper broadens the application scope of the conventional NDOs, thus is a supplement to the theory of NDO. The numerical simulation for the cruise control of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle further verifies the effectiveness of the HONDO-based control.

Robust intelligent flight control for hypersonic vehicles. Ph.D. Thesis - Massachusetts Inst. of Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamitoff, Gregory Errol

1992-01-01

Intelligent optimization methods are applied to the problem of real-time flight control for a class of airbreathing hypersonic vehicles (AHSV). The extreme flight conditions that will be encountered by single-stage-to-orbit vehicles, such as the National Aerospace Plane, present a tremendous challenge to the entire spectrum of aerospace technologies. Flight control for these vehicles is particularly difficult due to the combination of nonlinear dynamics, complex constraints, and parametric uncertainty. An approach that utilizes all available a priori and in-flight information to perform robust, real time, short-term trajectory planning is presented.

Hypersonic propulsion flight tests as essential to air-breathing aerospace plane development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, U.

Hypersonic air-breathing propulsion utilizing scramjets can fundamentally change transatmospheric acclerators for transportation from low Earth orbits (LEOs). The value and limitations of ground tests, of flight tests, and of computations are presented, and scramjet development requirements are discussed. Near-full-scale hypersonic propulsion flight tests are essential for developing a prototype hypersonic propulsion system and for developing computation-design technology that can be used in designing that system. In order to determine how these objectives should be achieved, some lessons learned from past programs are presented. A conceptual two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) prototype/experimental aerospace plane is recommended as a means of providing access-to-space and for conducting flight tests. A road map for achieving these objectives is also presented.

Active disturbance rejection control based robust output feedback autopilot design for airbreathing hypersonic vehicles.

PubMed

Tian, Jiayi; Zhang, Shifeng; Zhang, Yinhui; Li, Tong

2018-03-01

Since motion control plant (y (n) =f(⋅)+d) was repeatedly used to exemplify how active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) works when it was proposed, the integral chain system subject to matched disturbances is always regarded as a canonical form and even misconstrued as the only form that ADRC is applicable to. In this paper, a systematic approach is first presented to apply ADRC to a generic nonlinear uncertain system with mismatched disturbances and a robust output feedback autopilot for an airbreathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) is devised based on that. The key idea is to employ the feedback linearization (FL) and equivalent input disturbance (EID) technique to decouple nonlinear uncertain system into several subsystems in canonical form, thus it would be much easy to directly design classical/improved linear/nonlinear ADRC controller for each subsystem. It is noticed that all disturbances are taken into account when implementing FL rather than just omitting that in previous research, which greatly enhances controllers' robustness against external disturbances. For autopilot design, ADRC strategy enables precise tracking for velocity and altitude reference command in the presence of severe parametric perturbations and atmospheric disturbances only using measurable output information. Bounded-input-bounded-output (BIBO) stable is analyzed for closed-loop system. To illustrate the feasibility and superiority of this novel design, a series of comparative simulations with some prominent and representative methods are carried out on a benchmark longitudinal AHV model. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic output feedback control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle via T-S fuzzy approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiaoxiang; Wu, Ligang; Hu, Changhua; Wang, Zhaoqiang; Gao, Huijun

2014-08-01

By utilising Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy set approach, this paper addresses the robust H∞ dynamic output feedback control for the non-linear longitudinal model of flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicles (FAHVs). The flight control of FAHVs is highly challenging due to the unique dynamic characteristics, and the intricate couplings between the engine and fight dynamics and external disturbance. Because of the dynamics' enormous complexity, currently, only the longitudinal dynamics models of FAHVs have been used for controller design. In this work, T-S fuzzy modelling technique is utilised to approach the non-linear dynamics of FAHVs, then a fuzzy model is developed for the output tracking problem of FAHVs. The fuzzy model contains parameter uncertainties and disturbance, which can approach the non-linear dynamics of FAHVs more exactly. The flexible models of FAHVs are difficult to measure because of the complex dynamics and the strong couplings, thus a full-order dynamic output feedback controller is designed for the fuzzy model. A robust H∞ controller is designed for the obtained closed-loop system. By utilising the Lyapunov functional approach, sufficient solvability conditions for such controllers are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed T-S fuzzy dynamic output feedback control method is demonstrated by numerical simulations.

High-order tracking differentiator based adaptive neural control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle subject to actuators constraints.

PubMed

Bu, Xiangwei; Wu, Xiaoyan; Tian, Mingyan; Huang, Jiaqi; Zhang, Rui; Ma, Zhen

2015-09-01

In this paper, an adaptive neural controller is exploited for a constrained flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (FAHV) based on high-order tracking differentiator (HTD). By utilizing functional decomposition methodology, the dynamic model is reasonably decomposed into the respective velocity subsystem and altitude subsystem. For the velocity subsystem, a dynamic inversion based neural controller is constructed. By introducing the HTD to adaptively estimate the newly defined states generated in the process of model transformation, a novel neural based altitude controller that is quite simpler than the ones derived from back-stepping is addressed based on the normal output-feedback form instead of the strict-feedback formulation. Based on minimal-learning parameter scheme, only two neural networks with two adaptive parameters are needed for neural approximation. Especially, a novel auxiliary system is explored to deal with the problem of control inputs constraints. Finally, simulation results are presented to test the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy in the presence of system uncertainties and actuators constraints. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypersonic technology-approach to an expanded program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hearth, D. P.; Preyss, A. E.

1976-01-01

An overview of research, testing, and technology in the hypersonic range. Military and civilian hypersonic flight systems envisaged, ground testing facilities under development, methods for cooling the heated airframe, and use of hydrogen as fuel and coolant are discussed extensively. Air-breathing hypersonic cruise systems are emphasized, the airframe-integrated scramjet configuration is discussed and illustrated, materials proposed for hypersonic vehicles are reviewed, and test results on hypersonic flight (X-15 research aircraft) are indicated. Major advances and major problems in hypersonic flight and hypersonic technology are outlined, and the need for a hypersonic flying-laboratory research craft is stressed.

Effect of Sidewall Configurations on Hypersonic Intake Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seihwan; Park, Ji Hyun; Jeung, In-Seuck; Lee, Hyoung Jin

For reusable space launchers and hypersonic flight vehicles, use of an air-breathing propulsion system with supersonic combustion is the most promising option in terms of cost effectiveness. At this point, only the scramjet propulsion system provides a real alternative to expensive rocket driven systems, which currently are the only way to reach a hypersonics speeds.

Thermodynamic Cycle Analysis of Magnetohydrodynamic-Bypass Hypersonic Airbreathing Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litchford, R. J.; Cole, J. W.; Bityurin, V. A.; Lineberry, J. T.

2000-01-01

The prospects for realizing a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) bypass hypersonic airbreathing engine are examined from the standpoint of fundamental thermodynamic feasibility. The MHD-bypass engine, first proposed as part of the Russian AJAX vehicle concept, is based on the idea of redistributing energy between various stages of the propulsion system flow train. The system uses an MHD generator to extract a portion of the aerodynamic heating energy from the inlet and an MHD accelerator to reintroduce this power as kinetic energy in the exhaust stream. In this way, the combustor entrance Mach number can be limited to a specified value even as the flight Mach number increases. Thus, the fuel and air can be efficiently mixed and burned within a practical combustor length, and the flight Mach number operating envelope can be extended. In this paper, we quantitatively assess the performance potential and scientific feasibility of MHD-bypass engines using a simplified thermodynamic analysis. This cycle analysis, based on a thermally and calorically perfect gas, incorporates a coupled MHD generator-accelerator system and accounts for aerodynamic losses and thermodynamic process efficiencies in the various engin components. It is found that the flight Mach number range can be significantly extended; however, overall performance is hampered by non-isentropic losses in the MHD devices.

Hyper-X: Flight Validation of Hypersonic Airbreathing Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rausch, Vincent L.; McClinton, Charles R.; Crawford, J. Larry

1997-01-01

This paper provides an overview of NASA's focused hypersonic technology program, i.e. the Hyper-X program. This program is designed to move hypersonic, air breathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment, the last stage preceding prototype development. This paper presents some history leading to the flight test program, research objectives, approach, schedule and status. Substantial experimental data base and concept validation have been completed. The program is concentrating on Mach 7 vehicle development, verification and validation in preparation for wind tunnel testing in 1998 and flight testing in 1999. It is also concentrating on finalization of the Mach 5 and 10 vehicle designs. Detailed evaluation of the Mach 7 vehicle at the flight conditions is nearing completion, and will provide a data base for validation of design methods once flight test data are available.

Rekindled vision of hypersonic travel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colladay, Raymond S.

1987-01-01

NASA has joined with the DOD to conduct the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) program, whose experimental test vehicle will be designated the X-30. NASP will study the X-30's takeoff from a runway under its own power, acceleration to high Mach number on the basis of airbreathing propulsion, emergence into LEO, reentry into the earth atmosphere, and descent to a powered horizontal landing. NASP will thereby generate technology base data for three distinct types of aircraft: upper-atmosphere hypersonic-cruise aircraft, LEO space transports, and military transatmospheric vehicles. The current concept-validation phase of NASP focuses on airbreathing propulsion, lightweight/high-strength heat-resistant materials, and computational fluid dynamics.

Conceptual study of hypersonic airbreathing missiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, J. L.; Lawing, P. L.; Marcum, D. C.; Cubbage, J. M.

1978-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report recent results of an in-house conceptual study to evaluate the performance potential and research needs of airbreathing hypersonic missiles. An alkylated-borane (noncryogenic) fueled, dual-mode, ramjet/scramjet propulsion system structured with a Rene 41 inlet and a carbon-carbon combustor was assumed along with a Lockalloy heat sink fuselage structure and beryllium wings and control surfaces. Performance for an air-launched baseline missile with a 961 pound staging weight containing a 100 pound payload indicated excellent long range cruise, moderate acceleration and high maneuverability potential. A sizing study indicates that Mach 6 cruise ranges of the order of 2500 nautical miles for payloads of 300 pounds can be achieved with moderate size missile carry weights (9000 lbs.). Aerodynamic heating analyses indicate that unprotected heat-sink structures with internal insulation are feasible for ranges of several hundred miles. For ranges of several thousands of miles a multiwall radiation shield (Inconel/titanium) was selected for protection of the internally insulated heat sink structure.

Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle Technology Being Developed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trefny, Charles J.

2003-01-01

Of the technical factors that would contribute to lowering the cost of space access, reusability has high potential. The primary objective of the GTX program is to determine whether or not air-breathing propulsion can enable reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) operations. The approach is based on maturation of a reference vehicle design with focus on the integration and flight-weight construction of its air-breathing rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) propulsion system.

Affordable Flight Demonstration of the GTX Air-Breathing SSTO Vehicle Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krivanek, Thomas M.; Roche, Joseph M.; Riehl, John P.; Kosareo, Daniel N.

2003-01-01

The rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) powered single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle has the potential to significantly reduce the total cost per pound for orbital payload missions. To validate overall system performance, a flight demonstration must be performed. This paper presents an overview of the first phase of a flight demonstration program for the GTX SSTO vehicle concept. Phase 1 will validate the propulsion performance of the vehicle configuration over the supersonic and hypersonic air- breathing portions of the trajectory. The focus and goal of Phase 1 is to demonstrate the integration and performance of the propulsion system flowpath with the vehicle aerodynamics over the air-breathing trajectory. This demonstrator vehicle will have dual mode ramjetkcramjets, which include the inlet, combustor, and nozzle with geometrically scaled aerodynamic surface outer mold lines (OML) defining the forebody, boundary layer diverter, wings, and tail. The primary objective of this study is to demon- strate propulsion system performance and operability including the ram to scram transition, as well as to validate vehicle aerodynamics and propulsion airframe integration. To minimize overall risk and develop ment cost the effort will incorporate proven materials, use existing turbomachinery in the propellant delivery systems, launch from an existing unmanned remote launch facility, and use basic vehicle recovery techniques to minimize control and landing requirements. A second phase would demonstrate propulsion performance across all critical portions of a space launch trajectory (lift off through transition to all-rocket) integrated with flight-like vehicle systems.

Hypersonic Global Strike Feasibility and Options

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-15

materials for one-time use vehicles,123 and breakthroughs in in Low Energy Nuclear Reaction ( LENR ) research could revolutionize high-speed materials for air...breathing vehicles in the next 15 to 20 years.124 More research on possible LENR advances will accelerate hypersonic technology. Defense Industry...Revolution is not materials, is Energetics. LENR is being worked, some 1,000 to 1,000,000 times Chemical Energy Density, Fuel fraction/ weight goes away

Boundary Layer Control for Hypersonic Airbreathing Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Scott A.; Nowak, Robert J.; Horvath, Thomas J.

2004-01-01

Active and passive methods for tripping hypersonic boundary layers have been examined in NASA Langley Research Center wind tunnels using a Hyper-X model. This investigation assessed several concepts for forcing transition, including passive discrete roughness elements and active mass addition (or blowing), in the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air and the 31-Inch Mach 10 Air Tunnels. Heat transfer distributions obtained via phosphor thermography, shock system details, and surface streamline patterns were measured on a 0.333-scale model of the Hyper-X forebody. The comparisons between the active and passive methods for boundary layer control were conducted at test conditions that nearly match the Hyper-X nominal Mach 7 flight test-point of an angle-of-attack of 2-deg and length Reynolds number of 5.6 million. For passive roughness, the primary parametric variation was a range of trip heights within the calculated boundary layer thickness for several trip concepts. The passive roughness study resulted in a swept ramp configuration, scaled to be roughly 0.6 of the calculated boundary layer thickness, being selected for the Mach 7 flight vehicle. For the active blowing study, the manifold pressure was systematically varied (while monitoring the mass flow) for each configuration to determine the jet penetration height, with schlieren, and transition movement, with the phosphor system, for comparison to the passive results. All the blowing concepts tested, which included various rows of sonic orifices (holes), two- and three-dimensional slots, and random porosity, provided transition onset near the trip location with manifold stagnation pressures on the order of 40 times the model surface static pressure, which is adequate to ensure sonic jets. The present results indicate that the jet penetration height for blowing was roughly half the height required with passive roughness elements for an equivalent amount of transition movement.

Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion: An Aerodynamics, Aerothermodynamics, and Acoustics Competency White Paper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, J. Philip; Cockrell, Charles E., Jr.; Pellett, Gerald L.; Diskin, Glenn S.; Auslender, Aaron H.; Exton, Reginald J.; Guy, R. Wayne; Hoppe, John C.; Puster, Richard L.; Rogers, R. Clayton

2002-01-01

This White Paper examines the current state of Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion at the NASA Langley Research Center and the factors influencing this area of work and its personnel. Using this knowledge, the paper explores beyond the present day and suggests future directions and strategies for the field. Broad views are first taken regarding potential missions and applications of hypersonic propulsion. Then, candidate propulsion systems that may be applicable to these missions are suggested and discussed. Design tools and experimental techniques for developing these propulsion systems are then described, and approaches for applying them in the design process are considered. In each case, current strategies are reviewed and future approaches that may improve the techniques are considered. Finally, the paper concentrates on the needs to be addressed in each of these areas to take advantage of the opportunities that lay ahead for both the NASA Langley Research Center and the Aerodynamic Aerothermodynamic, and Aeroacoustics Competency. Recommendations are then provided so that the goals set forth in the paper may be achieved.

Hypersonic vehicle control law development using H infinity and mu-synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Irene M.; Chowdhry, Rajiv S.; Mcminn, John D.; Shaughnessy, John D.

1992-01-01

Applicability and effectiveness of robust control techniques to a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) airbreathing hypersonic vehicle on an ascent accelerating path and their effectiveness are explored in this paper. An SSTO control system design problem, requiring high accuracy tracking of velocity and altitude commands while limiting angle of attack oscillations, minimizing control power usage and stabilizing the vehicle all in the presence of atmospheric turbulence and uncertainty in the system, was formulated to compare results of the control designs using H infinity and mu-synthesis procedures. The math model, an integrated flight/propulsion dynamic model of a conical accelerator class vehicle, was linearized as the vehicle accelerated through Mach 8. Controller analysis was conducted using the singular value technique and the mu-analysis approach. Analysis results were obtained in both the frequency and the time domains. The results clearly demonstrate the inherent advantages of the structured singular value framework for this class of problems. Since payload performance margins are so critical for the SSTO mission, it is crucial that adequate stability margins be provided without sacrificing any payload mass.

Sharp Refractory Composite Leading Edges on Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Sandra P.; Sullivan, Brian J.

2003-01-01

On-going research of advanced sharp refractory composite leading edges for use on hypersonic air-breathing vehicles is presented in this paper. Intense magnitudes of heating and of heating gradients on the leading edge lead to thermal stresses that challenge the survivability of current material systems. A fundamental understanding of the problem is needed to further design development. Methodology for furthering the technology along with the use of advanced fiber architectures to improve the thermal-structural response is explored in the current work. Thermal and structural finite element analyses are conducted for several advanced fiber architectures of interest. A tailored thermal shock parameter for sharp orthotropic leading edges is identified for evaluating composite material systems. The use of the tailored thermal shock parameter has the potential to eliminate the need for detailed thermal-structural finite element analyses for initial screening of material systems being considered for a leading edge component.

Hypersonic trajectory control of aerospace plane with integrated SCRAMJET engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yonemoto, Koichi

The aerospace plane is an airbreathing 'propulsion configured' vehicle having proper forebody contour for inflow pre-compression to the inlet and afterbody that operates as an external expansion nozzle. Since the whole lower side of the body acts as important compression and expansion elements for the airbreathing engine, the flight attitude influences its performance such as specific impulse and thrust coefficient considerably. The stability of ascent trajectory controlling dynamic pressure or heat-input rate is analyzed considering the performance change due to attitude fluctuation. The performance of scramjet engine, a typical hypersonic airbreathing engine, is estimated by a rapid prediction methodology of the combustor proposed by Ikawa.

Air-Breathing Rocket Engine Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

This photograph depicts an air-breathing rocket engine that completed an hour or 3,600 seconds of testing at the General Applied Sciences Laboratory in Ronkonkoma, New York. Referred to as ARGO by its design team, the engine is named after the mythological Greek ship that bore Jason and the Argonauts on their epic voyage of discovery. Air-breathing engines, known as rocket based, combined-cycle engines, get their initial take-off power from specially designed rockets, called air-augmented rockets, that boost performance about 15 percent over conventional rockets. When the vehicle's velocity reaches twice the speed of sound, the rockets are turned off and the engine relies totally on oxygen in the atmosphere to burn hydrogen fuel, as opposed to a rocket that must carry its own oxygen, thus reducing weight and flight costs. Once the vehicle has accelerated to about 10 times the speed of sound, the engine converts to a conventional rocket-powered system to propel the craft into orbit or sustain it to suborbital flight speed. NASA's Advanced SpaceTransportation Program at Marshall Space Flight Center, along with several industry partners and collegiate forces, is developing this technology to make space transportation affordable for everyone from business travelers to tourists. The goal is to reduce launch costs from today's price tag of $10,000 per pound to only hundreds of dollars per pound. NASA's series of hypersonic flight demonstrators currently include three air-breathing vehicles: the X-43A, X-43B and X-43C.

Water cooling system for an air-breathing hypersonic test vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petley, Dennis H.; Dziedzic, William M.

1993-01-01

This study provides concepts for hypersonic experimental scramjet test vehicles which have low cost and low risk. Cryogenic hydrogen is used as the fuel and coolant. Secondary water cooling systems were designed. Three concepts are shown: an all hydrogen cooling system, a secondary open loop water cooled system, and a secondary closed loop water cooled system. The open loop concept uses high pressure helium (15,000 psi) to drive water through the cooling system while maintaining the pressure in the water tank. The water flows through the turbine side of the turbopump to pump hydrogen fuel. The water is then allowed to vent. In the closed loop concept high pressure, room temperature, compressed liquid water is circulated. In flight water pressure is limited to 6000 psi by venting some of the water. Water is circulated through cooling channels via an ejector which uses high pressure gas to drive a water jet. The cooling systems are presented along with finite difference steady-state and transient analysis results. The results from this study indicate that water used as a secondary coolant can be designed to increase experimental test time, produce minimum venting of fluid and reduce overall development cost.

Supersonic Combustion in Air-Breathing Propulsion Systems for Hypersonic Flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urzay, Javier

2018-01-01

Great efforts have been dedicated during the last decades to the research and development of hypersonic aircrafts that can fly at several times the speed of sound. These aerospace vehicles have revolutionary applications in national security as advanced hypersonic weapons, in space exploration as reusable stages for access to low Earth orbit, and in commercial aviation as fast long-range methods for air transportation of passengers around the globe. This review addresses the topic of supersonic combustion, which represents the central physical process that enables scramjet hypersonic propulsion systems to accelerate aircrafts to ultra-high speeds. The description focuses on recent experimental flights and ground-based research programs and highlights associated fundamental flow physics, subgrid-scale model development, and full-system numerical simulations.

TBCC Discipline Overview. Hypersonics Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Scott R.

2011-01-01

The "National Aeronautics Research and Development Policy" document, issued by the National Science and Technology Council in December 2006, stated that one (among several) of the guiding objectives of the federal aeronautics research and development endeavors shall be stable and long-term foundational research efforts. Nearly concurrently, the National Academies issued a more technically focused aeronautics blueprint, entitled: the "Decadal Survey of Civil Aeronautics - Foundations for the Future." Taken together these documents outline the principles of an aeronautics maturation plan. Thus, in response to these overarching inputs (and others), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) organized the Fundamental Aeronautics Program (FAP), a program within the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). The FAP initiated foundational research and technology development tasks to enable the capability of future vehicles that operate across a broad range of Mach numbers, inclusive of the subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flight regimes. The FAP Hypersonics Project concentrates on two hypersonic missions: (1) Air-breathing Access to Space (AAS) and (2) the (Planetary Atmospheric) Entry, Decent, and Landing (EDL). The AAS mission focuses on Two-Stage-To-Orbit (TSTO) systems using air-breathing combined-cycle-engine propulsion; whereas, the EDL mission focuses on the challenges associated with delivering large payloads to (and from) Mars. So, the FAP Hypersonic Project investments are aligned to achieve mastery and intellectual stewardship of the core competencies in the hypersonic-flight regime, which ultimately will be required for practical systems with highly integrated aerodynamic/vehicle and propulsion/engine technologies. Within the FAP Hypersonics, the technology management is further divided into disciplines including one targeting Turbine-Based Combine-Cycle (TBCC) propulsion. Additionally, to obtain expertise and support from outside

Vehicle integration effects on hypersonic waveriders. M.S. Thesis - George Washington Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, Charles Edward, Jr.

1994-01-01

The integration of a class of hypersonic high-lift configurations known as waveriders into hypersonic cruise vehicles was evaluated. Waveriders offer advantages in aerodynamic performance and propulsion/airframe integration (PAI) characteristics over conventional hypersonic shapes. A wind-tunnel model was developed which integrates realistic vehicle components with two waverider shapes, referred to as the 'straight-wing' and 'cranked-wing' shapes. Both shapes were conical-flow-derived waveriders at a design Mach number of 4.0. The cranked-wing shape was designed to provide advantages in subsonic performance and directional stability over conventional waveriders. Experimental data and limited computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions were obtained over a Mach number range of 2.3 to 4.63 at a Reynolds number of 2.0x10(exp 6) per foot. The CFD predictions and flow visualization data confirmed the shock attachment characteristics of the baseline waverider shapes and illustrated the waverider flow-field properties. Both CFD predictions and experimental data showed that no significant performance degradations occur at off-design Mach numbers for the waverider shapes and the integrated configurations. The experimental data showed that the effects of adding a realistic canopy were minimal. The effects of adding engine components were to increase the drag and thus degrade the aerodynamic performance of the configuration. A significant degradation in aerodynamic performance was observed when 0 degree control surfaces were added to close the blunt base of the waverider to a sharp trailing edge. A comparison of the fully-integrated waverider models to the baseline shapes showed that the performance was significantly degraded when all of the components were added to the waveriders. The fully-integrated configurations studied here do not offer significant performance advantages over conventional hypersonic vehicles, but still offer advantages in air-breathing propulsion

Hypersonic Vehicle Propulsion System Control Model Development Roadmap and Activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stueber, Thomas J.; Le, Dzu K.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2009-01-01

The NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program Hypersonic project is directed towards fundamental research for two classes of hypersonic vehicles: highly reliable reusable launch systems (HRRLS) and high-mass Mars entry systems (HMMES). The objective of the hypersonic guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) discipline team is to develop advanced guidance and control algorithms to enable efficient and effective operation of these challenging vehicles. The ongoing work at the NASA Glenn Research Center supports the hypersonic GN&C effort in developing tools to aid the design of advanced control algorithms that specifically address the propulsion system of the HRRLSclass vehicles. These tools are being developed in conjunction with complementary research and development activities in hypersonic propulsion at Glenn and elsewhere. This report is focused on obtaining control-relevant dynamic models of an HRRLS-type hypersonic vehicle propulsion system.

NASA's Dual-Fuel Airbreathing Hypersonic Vehicle Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, James L.; Eiswirth, Edward A.

1996-01-01

A Mach 10 cruise vehicle provides a quick response, global reach capability with high survivability. For operations from CONUS, mission radii on the order of 8,000 nmi are sufficient. For missions which return to CONUS, a dual-fueled vehicle is superior, due to its capability to in-flight refuel. However, for one-way mission, an all-hydrogen vehicle is preferable because of its higher specific impulse.

Discrete Roughness Transition for Hypersonic Flight Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Scott A.; Horvath, Thomas J.

2007-01-01

The importance of discrete roughness and the correlations developed to predict the onset of boundary layer transition on hypersonic flight vehicles are discussed. The paper is organized by hypersonic vehicle applications characterized in a general sense by the boundary layer: slender with hypersonic conditions at the edge of the boundary layer, moderately blunt with supersonic, and blunt with subsonic. This paper is intended to be a review of recent discrete roughness transition work completed at NASA Langley Research Center in support of agency flight test programs. First, a review is provided of discrete roughness wind tunnel data and the resulting correlations that were developed. Then, results obtained from flight vehicles, in particular the recently flown Hyper-X and Shuttle missions, are discussed and compared to the ground-based correlations.

A hypersonic vehicle approach to planetary exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murbach, Marcus S.

1993-01-01

An enhanced Mars network class mission using a lifting hypersonic entry vehicle is proposed. The basic vehicle, derived from a mature hypersonic flight system called SWERVE, offers several advantages over more conventional low L/D or ballistic entry systems. The proposed vehicle has greatly improved lateral and cross range capability (e.g., it is capable of reaching the polar regions during less than optimal mission opportunities), is not limited to surface target areas of low elevation, and is less susceptible to problems caused by Martian dust storms. Further, the integrated vehicle has attractive deployment features and allows for a much improved evolutionary path to larger vehicles with greater science capability. Analysis of the vehicle is aided by the development of a Mars Hypersonic Flight Simulator from which flight trajectories are obtained. Atmospheric entry performance of the baseline vehicle is improved by a deceleration skirt and transpiration cooling system which significantly reduce TPS (Thermal Protection System) and flight battery mass. The use of the vehicle is also attractive in that the maturity of the flight systems make it cost-competitive with the development of a conventional low L/D entry system. Finally, the potential application of similar vehicles to other planetary missions is discussed.

NASA's Advanced Space Transportation Hypersonic Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe; McClinton, Charles; Cook, Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

NASA's has established long term goals for access-to-space. NASA's third generation launch systems are to be fully reusable and operational in approximately 25 years. The goals for third generation launch systems are to reduce cost by a factor of 100 and improve safety by a factor of 10,000 over current conditions. The Advanced Space Transportation Program Office (ASTP) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL has the agency lead to develop third generation space transportation technologies. The Hypersonics Investment Area, part of ASTP, is developing the third generation launch vehicle technologies in two main areas, propulsion and airframes. The program's major investment is in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion since it offers the greatest potential for meeting the third generation launch vehicles. The program will mature the technologies in three key propulsion areas, scramjets, rocket-based combined cycle and turbine-based combination cycle. Ground and flight propulsion tests are being planned for the propulsion technologies. Airframe technologies will be matured primarily through ground testing. This paper describes NASA's activities in hypersonics. Current programs, accomplishments, future plans and technologies that are being pursued by the Hypersonics Investment Area under the Advanced Space Transportation Program Office will be discussed.

Seal Technology for Hypersonic Vehicle and Propulsion: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.

2008-01-01

Hypersonic vehicles and propulsion systems pose an extraordinary challenge for structures and materials. Airframes and engines require lightweight, high-temperature materials and structural configurations that can withstand the extreme environment of hypersonic flight. Some of the challenges posed include very high temperatures, heating of the whole vehicle, steady-state and transient localized heating from shock waves, high aerodynamic loads, high fluctuating pressure loads, potential for severe flutter, vibration, and acoustic loads and erosion. Correspondingly high temperature seals are required to meet these aggressive requirements. This presentation reviews relevant seal technology for both heritage (e.g. Space Shuttle, X-15, and X-38) vehicles and presents several seal case studies aimed at providing lessons learned for future hypersonic vehicle seal development. This presentation also reviews seal technology developed for the National Aerospace Plane propulsion systems and presents several seal case studies aimed at providing lessons learned for future hypersonic propulsion seal development.

Engine sizing and integration requirements for hypersonic airbreathing missile applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waltrup, P. J.; Billig, F. S.; Stockbridge, R. D.

1982-03-01

A procedure that provides a rational means for selecting an inlet/combustor configuration for a hypersonic airbreathing missile is presented. The particular problem that is addressed is the design of the sustained engine of a two stage missile that is constrained to be launched from a stowage volume that is either square or circular in cross section. The sustainer engine accelerates from a low altitude separation at Mach 4 and climbs to high altitude for cruise at Mach 8. The results show that a missile with an axisymmetric nose inlet provides a somewhat higher thrust capability and slightly better fuel efficiency than a chin type inlet. Aft entry inlets are shown to have a substantially lower thrust potential and lower engine efficiency. A criterion for determining the maximum contraction ratio of a fixed geometry inlet is established and applied to the exemplary missile designs. Combustor area ratio is examined and found to have a relatively small effect on engine performance for area ratios equal to or larger than that required to obtain maximum thrust at the take-over Mach number.

JANNAF 24th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 36th Combustion Subcommittee Joint Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S. (Editor); Gannaway, Mary T. (Editor)

1999-01-01

Volume 1, the first of three volumes is a compilation of 16 unclassified/unlimited-technical papers presented at the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 24th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 36th Combustion Subcommittee held jointly with the 181 Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee. The meeting was held on 18-21 October 1999 at NASA Kennedy Space Center and The DoubleTree Oceanfront Hotel, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Topics covered include overviews of RBCC and PDE hypersonic technology, Hyper-X propulsion ground testing, development of JP-8 for hypersonic vehicle applications, numerical simulation of dual-mode SJ combustion, V&V of M&S computer codes, MHD SJ and Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) launch vehicle concepts, and Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) propulsion technology development including fundamental investigations, modeling, aerodynamics, operation and performance.

Combustion Efficiency, Flameout Operability Limits and General Design Optimization for Integrated Ramjet-Scramjet Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbagwu, Chukwuka Chijindu

High speed, air-breathing hypersonic vehicles encounter a varied range of engine and operating conditions traveling along cruise/ascent missions at high altitudes and dynamic pressures. Variations of ambient pressure, temperature, Mach number, and dynamic pressure can affect the combustion conditions in conflicting ways. Computations were performed to understand propulsion tradeoffs that occur when a hypersonic vehicle travels along an ascent trajectory. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition methods were applied for the reduction of flamelet chemistry data in an improved combustor model. Two operability limits are set by requirements that combustion efficiency exceed selected minima and flameout be avoided. A method for flameout prediction based on empirical Damkohler number measurements is presented. Operability limits are plotted that define allowable flight corridors on an altitude versus flight Mach number performance map; fixed-acceleration ascent trajectories were considered for this study. Several design rules are also presented for a hypersonic waverider with a dual-mode scramjet engine. Focus is placed on ''vehicle integration" design, differing from previous ''propulsion-oriented" design optimization. The well-designed waverider falls between that of an aircraft (high lift-to-drag ratio) and a rocket (high thrust-to-drag ratio). 84 variations of an X-43-like vehicle were run using the MASIV scramjet reduced order model to examine performance tradeoffs. Informed by the vehicle design study, variable-acceleration trajectory optimization was performed for three constant dynamic pressures ascents. Computed flameout operability limits were implemented as additional constraints to the optimization problem. The Michigan-AFRL Scramjet In-Vehicle (MASIV) waverider model includes finite-rate chemistry, applied scaling laws for 3-D turbulent mixing, ram-scram transition and an empirical value of the flameout Damkohler number. A reduced-order modeling approach is justified

JANNAF 25th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee, 37th Combustion Subcommittee and 1st Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee Joint Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S.; Becker, Dorothy L.

2000-01-01

Volume I, the first of three volumes, is a compilation of 24 unclassified/unlimited-distribution technical papers presented at the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 25th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee, 37th Combustion Subcommittee and 1st Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee (MSS) meeting held jointly with the 19th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee. The meeting was held 13-17 November 2000 at the Naval Postgraduate School and Hyatt Regency Hotel, Monterey, California. Topics covered include: a Keynote Address on Future Combat Systems, a review of the new JANNAF Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee, and technical papers on Hyper-X propulsion development and verification; GTX airbreathing launch vehicles; Hypersonic technology development, including program overviews, fuels for advanced propulsion, ramjet and scramjet research, hypersonic test medium effects; and RBCC engine design and performance, and PDE and UCAV advanced and combined cycle engine technologies.

Nose-to-tail analysis of an airbreathing hypersonic vehicle using an in-house simplified tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscitelli, Filomena; Cutrone, Luigi; Pezzella, Giuseppe; Roncioni, Pietro; Marini, Marco

2017-07-01

SPREAD (Scramjet PREliminary Aerothermodynamic Design) is a simplified, in-house method developed by CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Centre), able to provide a preliminary estimation of the performance of engine/aeroshape for airbreathing configurations. It is especially useful for scramjet engines, for which the strong coupling between the aerothermodynamic (external) and propulsive (internal) flow fields requires real-time screening of several engine/aeroshape configurations and the identification of the most promising one/s with respect to user-defined constraints and requirements. The outcome of this tool defines the base-line configuration for further design analyses with more accurate tools, e.g., CFD simulations and wind tunnel testing. SPREAD tool has been used to perform the nose-to-tail analysis of the LAPCAT-II Mach 8 MR2.4 vehicle configuration. The numerical results demonstrate SPREAD capability to quickly predict reliable values of aero-propulsive balance (i.e., net-thrust) and aerodynamic efficiency in a pre-design phase.

Aeroelastic Analysis of a Trimmed Generic Hypersonic Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nydick, I.; Friedmann, P. P.

1999-01-01

The aeroelastic equations of motion governing a hypersonic vehicle in free flight are derived. The equations of motion for a translating and rotating flexible body using Lagrange's equations in terms of quasi-coordinates are presented. These equations are simplified for the case of a vehicle with pitch and plunge rigid body degrees of freedom and small elastic displacements. The displacements are approximated by a truncated series of the unrestrained mode shapes, which are obtained using equivalent plate theory. Subsequently, the nonlinear equations of motion are linearized about the trim state, which is obtained using a rigid body trim model and steady hypersonic aerodynamics. The appropriate flutter derivatives are calculated from piston theory. Results describing mode shapes, trim behavior, and aeroelastic stability of a generic hypersonic vehicle are presented.

A conceptual design of an unmanned test vehicle using an airbreathing propulsion system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

According to Aviation Week and Space Technology (Nov. 16, 1992), without a redefined approach to the problem of achieving single stage-to-orbit flight, the X-30 program is virtually assured of cancellation. One of the significant design goals of the X-30 program is to achieve single stage to low-earth orbit using airbreathing propulsion systems. In an attempt to avoid cancellation, the NASP Program has decided to design a test vehicle to achieve these goals. This report recommends a conceptual design of an unmanned test vehicle using an airbreathing propulsion system.

Hypersonic propulsion: Status and challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guy, R. Wayne

1990-01-01

Scientists in the U.S. are again focusing on the challenge of hypersonic flight with the proposed National Aerospace Plane (NASP). This renewed interest has led to an expansion of research related to high speed airbreathing propulsion, in particular, the supersonic combustion ramjet, or scramjet. The history is briefly traced of scramjet research in the U.S., with emphasis on NASA sponsored efforts, from the Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) to the current status of today's airframe integrated scramjets. The challenges of scramjet technology development from takeover to orbital speeds are outlined. Existing scramjet test facilities such as NASA Langley's Scramjet Test Complex as well as new high Mach number pulse facilities are discussed. The important partnership role of experimental methods and computational fluid dynamics is emphasized for the successful design of single stage to orbit vehicles.

Hyper-X Vehicle Model - Side View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A side-view of an early desk-top model of NASA's X-43A 'Hyper-X,' or Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, which has been developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic

Hyper-X Vehicle Model - Front View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A front view of an early desk-top model of NASA's X-43A 'Hyper-X,' or Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, which has been developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic

Hyper-X Vehicle Model - Side View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Sleek lines are apparent in this side-view of an early desk-top model of NASA's X-43A 'Hyper-X,' or Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, which has been developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry

Uncertainty Propagation in Hypersonic Vehicle Aerothermoelastic Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamorte, Nicolas Etienne

Hypersonic vehicles face a challenging flight environment. The aerothermoelastic analysis of its components requires numerous simplifying approximations. Identifying and quantifying the effect of uncertainties pushes the limits of the existing deterministic models, and is pursued in this work. An uncertainty quantification framework is used to propagate the effects of identified uncertainties on the stability margins and performance of the different systems considered. First, the aeroelastic stability of a typical section representative of a control surface on a hypersonic vehicle is examined. Variability in the uncoupled natural frequencies of the system is modeled to mimic the effect of aerodynamic heating. Next, the stability of an aerodynamically heated panel representing a component of the skin of a generic hypersonic vehicle is considered. Uncertainty in the location of transition from laminar to turbulent flow and the heat flux prediction is quantified using CFD. In both cases significant reductions of the stability margins are observed. A loosely coupled airframe--integrated scramjet engine is considered next. The elongated body and cowl of the engine flow path are subject to harsh aerothermodynamic loading which causes it to deform. Uncertainty associated with deformation prediction is propagated to the engine performance analysis. The cowl deformation is the main contributor to the sensitivity of the propulsion system performance. Finally, a framework for aerothermoelastic stability boundary calculation for hypersonic vehicles using CFD is developed. The usage of CFD enables one to consider different turbulence conditions, laminar or turbulent, and different models of the air mixture, in particular real gas model which accounts for dissociation of molecules at high temperature. The system is found to be sensitive to turbulence modeling as well as the location of the transition from laminar to turbulent flow. Real gas effects play a minor role in the

Analysis of the Effects of Vitiates on Surface Heat Flux in Ground Tests of Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuda, Vincent; Gaffney, Richard L

2008-01-01

To achieve the high enthalpy conditions associated with hypersonic flight, many ground test facilities burn fuel in the air upstream of the test chamber. Unfortunately, the products of combustion contaminate the test gas and alter gas properties and the heat fluxes associated with aerodynamic heating. The difference in the heating rates between clean air and a vitiated test medium needs to be understood so that the thermal management system for hypersonic vehicles can be properly designed. This is particularly important for advanced hypersonic vehicle concepts powered by air-breathing propulsion systems that couple cooling requirements, fuel flow rates, and combustor performance by flowing fuel through sub-surface cooling passages to cool engine components and preheat the fuel prior to combustion. An analytical investigation was performed comparing clean air to a gas vitiated with methane/oxygen combustion products to determine if variations in gas properties contributed to changes in predicted heat flux. This investigation started with simple relationships, evolved into writing an engineering-level code, and ended with running a series of CFD cases. It was noted that it is not possible to simultaneously match all of the gas properties between clean and vitiated test gases. A study was then conducted selecting various combinations of freestream properties for a vitiated test gas that matched clean air values to determine which combination of parameters affected the computed heat transfer the least. The best combination of properties to match was the free-stream total sensible enthalpy, dynamic pressure, and either the velocity or Mach number. This combination yielded only a 2% difference in heating. Other combinations showed departures of up to 10% in the heat flux estimate.

HASA: Hypersonic Aerospace Sizing Analysis for the Preliminary Design of Aerospace Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harloff, Gary J.; Berkowitz, Brian M.

1988-01-01

A review of the hypersonic literature indicated that a general weight and sizing analysis was not available for hypersonic orbital, transport, and fighter vehicles. The objective here is to develop such a method for the preliminary design of aerospace vehicles. This report describes the developed methodology and provides examples to illustrate the model, entitled the Hypersonic Aerospace Sizing Analysis (HASA). It can be used to predict the size and weight of hypersonic single-stage and two-stage-to-orbit vehicles and transports, and is also relevant for supersonic transports. HASA is a sizing analysis that determines vehicle length and volume, consistent with body, fuel, structural, and payload weights. The vehicle component weights are obtained from statistical equations for the body, wing, tail, thermal protection system, landing gear, thrust structure, engine, fuel tank, hydraulic system, avionics, electral system, equipment payload, and propellant. Sample size and weight predictions are given for the Space Shuttle orbiter and other proposed vehicles, including four hypersonic transports, a Mach 6 fighter, a supersonic transport (SST), a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle, a two-stage Space Shuttle with a booster and an orbiter, and two methane-fueled vehicles.

X-43A Vehicle During Ground Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X' is seen here undergoing ground testing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California in December 1999. The X-43A was developed to research a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only

X-43A Vehicle During Ground Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X' is seen here undergoing ground testing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The X-43A was developed to research a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By

Hyper-X Vehicle Model - Top Rear View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

This aft-quarter model view of NASA's X-43A 'Hyper-X' or Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle shows its sleek, geometric design. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen

Hyper-X Vehicle Model - Top Front View

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A top front view of an early desk-top model of NASA's X-43A 'Hyper-X,' or Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will

Configuration development study of the OSU 1 hypersonic research vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, Matthew D.; Frankhauser, Chris; Zee, Warner; Kosanchick, Melvin, III; Nelson, Nick; Hunt, William

1993-01-01

In an effort to insure the future development of hypersonic cruise aircraft, the possible vehicle configurations were examined to develop a single-stage-to-orbit hypersonic research vehicle (HRV). Based on the needs of hypersonic research and development, the mission goals and requirements are determined. A body type is chosen. Three modes of propulsion and two liquid rocket fuels are compared, followed by the optimization of the body configuration through aerodynamic, weight, and trajectory studies. A cost analysis is included.

Design of a Flush Airdata System (FADS) for the Hypersonic Air Launched Option (HALO) Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Moes, Timothy R.; Deets, Dwain A. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

This paper presents a design study for a pressure based Flush airdata system (FADS) on the Hypersonic Air Launched Option (HALO) Vehicle. The analysis will demonstrate the feasibility of using a pressure based airdata system for the HALO and provide measurement uncertainty estimates along a candidate trajectory. The HALO is a conceived as a man-rated vehicle to be air launched from an SR-71 platform and is proposed as a testbed for an airbreathing hydrogen scramjet. A feasibility study has been performed and indicates that the proposed trajectory is possible with minimal modifications to the existing SR71 vehicle. The mission consists of launching the HALO off the top of an SR-71 at Mach 3 and 80,000 ft. A rocket motor is then used to accelerate the vehicle to the test condition. After the scramjet test is completed the vehicle will glide to a lakebed runway landing. This option provides reusability of the vehicle and scramjet engine. The HALO design will also allow for various scramjet engine and flowpath designs to be flight tested. For the HALO flights, measurements of freestream airdata are considered to be a mission critical to perform gain scheduling and trajectory optimization. One approach taken to obtaining airdata involves measurement of certain parameters such as external atmospheric winds, temperature, etc to estimate the airdata quantities. This study takes an alternate approach. Here the feasibility of obtaining airdata using a pressure-based flush airdata system (FADS) methods is assessed. The analysis, although it is performed using the HALO configuration and trajectory, is generally applicable to other hypersonic vehicles. The method to be presented offers the distinct advantage of inferring total pressure, Mach number, and flow incidence angles, without stagnating the freestream flow. This approach allows for airdata measurements to be made using blunt surfaces and significantly diminishes the heating load at the sensor. In the FADS concept a

Performance Validation Approach for the GTX Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trefny, Charles J.; Roche, Joseph M.

2002-01-01

The primary objective of the GTX effort is to determine whether or not air-breathing propulsion can enable a launch vehicle to achieve orbit in a single stage. Structural weight, vehicle aerodynamics, and propulsion performance must be accurately known over the entire flight trajectory in order to make a credible assessment. Structural, aerodynamic, and propulsion parameters are strongly interdependent, which necessitates a system approach to design, evaluation, and optimization of a single-stage-to-orbit concept. The GTX reference vehicle serves this purpose, by allowing design, development, and validation of components and subsystems in a system context. The reference vehicle configuration (including propulsion) was carefully chosen so as to provide high potential for structural and volumetric efficiency, and to allow the high specific impulse of air-breathing propulsion cycles to be exploited. Minor evolution of the configuration has occurred as analytical and experimental results have become available. With this development process comes increasing validation of the weight and performance levels used in system performance determination. This paper presents an overview of the GTX reference vehicle and the approach to its performance validation. Subscale test rigs and numerical studies used to develop and validate component performance levels and unit structural weights are outlined. The sensitivity of the equivalent, effective specific impulse to key propulsion component efficiencies is presented. The role of flight demonstration in development and validation is discussed.

The NASA hypersonic research engine program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubert, Kennedy F.; Lopez, Henry J.

1992-01-01

An overview is provided of the NASA Hypersonic Research Engine Program. The engine concept is described which was evolved, and the accomplishments of the program are summarized. The program was undertaken as an in-depth program of hypersonic airbreathing propulsion research to provide essential inputs to future prototype engine development and decision making. An airbreathing liquid hydrogen fueled research oriented scramjet was to be developed to certain performance goals. The work was many faceted, required aerodynamic design evaluation, structures development, and development of flight systems such as the fuel and control system, but the main objective was the study of the internal aerothermodynamics of the propulsion system.

Thermodynamic Cycle Analysis of Magnetohydrodynamic-Bypass Airbreathing Hypersonic Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litchford, Ron J.; Bityurin, Valentine A.; Lineberry, John T.

1999-01-01

Established analyses of conventional ramjet/scramjet performance characteristics indicate that a considerable decrease in efficiency can be expected at off-design flight conditions. This can be explained, in large part, by the deterioration of intake mass flow and limited inlet compression at low flight speeds and by the onset of thrust degradation effects associated with increased burner entry temperature at high flight speeds. In combination, these effects tend to impose lower and upper Mach number limits for practical flight. It has been noted, however, that Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy management techniques represent a possible means for extending the flight Mach number envelope of conventional engines. By transferring enthalpy between different stages of the engine cycle, it appears that the onset of thrust degradation may be delayed to higher flight speeds. Obviously, the introduction of additional process inefficiencies is inevitable with this approach, but it is believed that these losses are more than compensated through optimization of the combustion process. The fundamental idea is to use MHD energy conversion processes to extract and bypass a portion of the intake kinetic energy around the burner. We refer to this general class of propulsion system as an MHD-bypass engine. In this paper, we quantitatively assess the performance potential and scientific feasibility of MHD-bypass airbreathing hypersonic engines using ideal gasdynamics and fundamental thermodynamic principles.

Hyper-X Research Vehicle - Artist Concept in Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

An artist's conception of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X' in flight. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will

A review of design issues specific to hypersonic flight vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sziroczak, D.; Smith, H.

2016-07-01

This paper provides an overview of the current technical issues and challenges associated with the design of hypersonic vehicles. Two distinct classes of vehicles are reviewed; Hypersonic Transports and Space Launchers, their common features and differences are examined. After a brief historical overview, the paper takes a multi-disciplinary approach to these vehicles, discusses various design aspects, and technical challenges. Operational issues are explored, including mission profiles, current and predicted markets, in addition to environmental effects and human factors. Technological issues are also reviewed, focusing on the three major challenge areas associated with these vehicles: aerothermodynamics, propulsion, and structures. In addition, matters of reliability and maintainability are also presented. The paper also reviews the certification and flight testing of these vehicles from a global perspective. Finally the current stakeholders in the field of hypersonic flight are presented, summarizing the active programs and promising concepts.

Multi-Objective Trajectory Optimization of a Hypersonic Reconnaissance Vehicle with Temperature Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masternak, Tadeusz J.

This research determines temperature-constrained optimal trajectories for a scramjet-based hypersonic reconnaissance vehicle by developing an optimal control formulation and solving it using a variable order Gauss-Radau quadrature collocation method with a Non-Linear Programming (NLP) solver. The vehicle is assumed to be an air-breathing reconnaissance aircraft that has specified takeoff/landing locations, airborne refueling constraints, specified no-fly zones, and specified targets for sensor data collections. A three degree of freedom scramjet aircraft model is adapted from previous work and includes flight dynamics, aerodynamics, and thermal constraints. Vehicle control is accomplished by controlling angle of attack, roll angle, and propellant mass flow rate. This model is incorporated into an optimal control formulation that includes constraints on both the vehicle and mission parameters, such as avoidance of no-fly zones and coverage of high-value targets. To solve the optimal control formulation, a MATLAB-based package called General Pseudospectral Optimal Control Software (GPOPS-II) is used, which transcribes continuous time optimal control problems into an NLP problem. In addition, since a mission profile can have varying vehicle dynamics and en-route imposed constraints, the optimal control problem formulation can be broken up into several "phases" with differing dynamics and/or varying initial/final constraints. Optimal trajectories are developed using several different performance costs in the optimal control formulation: minimum time, minimum time with control penalties, and maximum range. The resulting analysis demonstrates that optimal trajectories that meet specified mission parameters and constraints can be quickly determined and used for larger-scale operational and campaign planning and execution.

Optimization of the Upper Surface of Hypersonic Vehicle Based on CFD Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, T. Y.; Cui, K.; Hu, S. C.; Wang, X. P.; Yang, G. W.

2011-09-01

For the hypersonic vehicle, the aerodynamic performance becomes more intensive. Therefore, it is a significant event to optimize the shape of the hypersonic vehicle to achieve the project demands. It is a key technology to promote the performance of the hypersonic vehicle with the method of shape optimization. Based on the existing vehicle, the optimization to the upper surface of the Simplified hypersonic vehicle was done to obtain a shape which suits the project demand. At the cruising condition, the upper surface was parameterized with the B-Spline curve method. The incremental parametric method and the reconstruction technology of the local mesh were applied here. The whole flow field was been calculated and the aerodynamic performance of the craft were obtained by the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technology. Then the vehicle shape was optimized to achieve the maximum lift-drag ratio at attack angle 3°, 4° and 5°. The results will provide the reference for the practical design.

Conceptual Study on Hypersonic Turbojet Experimental Vehicle (HYTEX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguchi, Hideyuki; Murakami, Akira; Sato, Tetsuya; Tsuchiya, Takeshi

Pre-cooled turbojet engines have been investigated aiming at realization of reusable space transportation systems and hypersonic airplanes. Evaluation methods of these engine performances have been established based on ground tests. There are some plans on the demonstration of hypersonic propulsion systems. JAXA focused on hypersonic propulsion systems as a key technology of hypersonic transport airplane. Demonstrations of Mach 5 class hypersonic technologies are stated as a development target at 2025 in the long term vision. In this study, systems analyses of hypersonic turbojet experiment (HYTEX) with Mach 5 flight capability is performed. Aerodynamic coefficients are obtained by CFD analyses and wind tunnel tests. Small Pre-cooled turbojet is fabricated and tested using liquid hydrogen as fuel. As a result, characteristics of the baseline vehicle shape is clarified, . and effects of pre-cooling are confirmed at the firing test.

The Role of Formal Experiment Design in Hypersonic Flight System Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClinton, Charles R.; Ferlemann, Shelly M.; Rock, Ken E.; Ferlemann, Paul G.

2002-01-01

Hypersonic airbreathing engine (scramjet) powered vehicles are being considered to replace conventional rocket-powered launch systems. Effective utilization of scramjet engines requires careful integration with the air vehicle. This integration synergistically combines aerodynamic forces with propulsive cycle functions of the engine. Due to the highly integrated nature of the hypersonic vehicle design problem, the large flight envelope, and the large number of design variables, the use of a statistical design approach in design is effective. Modern Design-of-Experiments (MDOE) has been used throughout the Hyper-X program, for both systems analysis and experimental testing. Application of MDOE fall into four categories: (1) experimental testing; (2) studies of unit phenomena; (3) refining engine design; and (4) full vehicle system optimization. The MDOE process also provides analytical models, which are also used to document lessons learned, supplement low-level design tools, and accelerate future studies. This paper will discuss the design considerations for scramjet-powered vehicles, specifics of MDOE utilized for Hyper-X, and present highlights from the use of these MDOE methods within the Hyper-X Program.

A Pre-Mixed Shock-Induced-Combustion Approach to Inlet and Combustor Design for Hypersonic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weidner, John P.

1996-01-01

The need for efficient access to space has created interest in airbreathing propulsion as a means of achieving that goal. The NASP program explored a single-stage-to-orbit approach which could require scramjet airbreathing propulsion out to Mach 16 to 20. Recent interest in global access could require hypersonic cruise engines operating efficiently in the Mach 10 to 12 speed range. A common requirement of both these types of propulsion systems is that they would have to be fully integrated with the aero configuration so that the forebody becomes a part of the external compression inlet and the nozzle expansion is completed on the vehicle aftbody.

X-43A Vehicle During Ground Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This photo shows a close-up, rear view of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X' undergoing ground testing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California in December 1999. The X-43A was developed to research a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology

X-43A/Hyper-X Vehicle Arrives at NASA Dryden

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

A close-up of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X,' in its protective shipping framework as it arrives at the Dryden Flight Research Center in October 1999. The X-43A was developed to research a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only

Conceptual study of space plane powered by hypersonic airbreathing propulsion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maita, Masataka; Ohkami, Yoshiaki; Yamanaka, Tatsuo; Mori, Takashige

1990-10-01

The paper describes the investigations of aerospace plane concept, conducted by the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) of Japan, with particular attention given to a concept which integrates a scram/liquid air cycle engine (LACE) hypersonic propulsion system fueling with slush hydrogen. The key requirements in achieving the space plane using scram/LACE propulsion system are described along with the mission requirements and the vehicle characteristics. Typical outputs of SSTO analysis are presented.

An Overview of the Role of Systems Analysis in NASA's Hypersonics Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Jeffrey S.; Martin John G.; Bowles, Jeffrey V> ; Mehta, Unmeel B.; Snyder, CHristopher A.

2006-01-01

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate recently restructured its Vehicle Systems Program, refocusing it towards understanding the fundamental physics that govern flight in all speed regimes. Now called the Fundamental Aeronautics Program, it is comprised of four new projects, Subsonic Fixed Wing, Subsonic Rotary Wing, Supersonics, and Hypersonics. The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate has charged the Hypersonics Project with having a basic understanding of all systems that travel at hypersonic speeds within the Earth's and other planets atmospheres. This includes both powered and unpowered systems, such as re-entry vehicles and vehicles powered by rocket or airbreathing propulsion that cruise in and accelerate through the atmosphere. The primary objective of the Hypersonics Project is to develop physics-based predictive tools that enable the design, analysis and optimization of such systems. The Hypersonics Project charges the systems analysis discipline team with providing it the decision-making information it needs to properly guide research and technology development. Credible, rapid, and robust multi-disciplinary system analysis processes and design tools are required in order to generate this information. To this end, the principal challenges for the systems analysis team are the introduction of high fidelity physics into the analysis process and integration into a design environment, quantification of design uncertainty through the use of probabilistic methods, reduction in design cycle time, and the development and implementation of robust processes and tools enabling a wide design space and associated technology assessment capability. This paper will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the systems analysis discipline team within the Hypersonics Project as well as the tools, methods, processes, and approach that the team will undertake in order to perform its project designated functions.

Reduced-Order Aerothermoelastic Analysis of Hypersonic Vehicle Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkiewicz, Nathan J.

Design and simulation of hypersonic vehicles require consideration of a variety of disciplines due to the highly coupled nature of the flight regime. In order to capture all of the potential effects on vehicle dynamics, one must consider the aerodynamics, aerodynamic heating, heat transfer, and structural dynamics as well as the interactions between these disciplines. The problem is further complicated by the large computational expense involved in capturing all of these effects and their interactions in a full-order sense. While high-fidelity modeling techniques exist for each of these disciplines, the use of such techniques is computationally infeasible in a vehicle design and control system simulation setting for such a highly coupled problem. Early in the design stage, many iterations of analyses may need to be carried out as the vehicle design matures, thus requiring quick analysis turnaround time. Additionally, the number of states used in the analyses must be small enough to allow for efficient control simulation and design. As a result, alternatives to full-order models must be considered. This dissertation presents a fully coupled, reduced-order aerothermoelastic framework for the modeling and analysis of hypersonic vehicle structures. The reduced-order transient thermal solution is a modal solution based on the proper orthogonal decomposition. The reduced-order structural dynamic model is based on projection of the equations of motion onto a Ritz modal subspace that is identified a priori. The reduced-order models are assembled into a time-domain aerothermoelastic simulation framework which uses a partitioned time-marching scheme to account for the disparate time scales of the associated physics. The aerothermoelastic modeling framework is outlined and the formulations associated with the unsteady aerodynamics, aerodynamic heating, transient thermal, and structural dynamics are outlined. Results demonstrate the accuracy of the reduced-order transient

Static and Hypersonic Experimental Analysis of Impulse Generation in Air-Breathing Laser-Thermal Propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvador, Israel Irone

(98 to 161 mm in diameter), probably due to the more efficient delivery of laser-induced blast wave energy across the 2D model's larger impulse surface area. Next, the hypersonic campaign was carried out, subjecting the 2D model to nominal Mach numbers ranging from 6 to 10. Again, time-dependent surface pressure distributions were recorded together with Schlieren movies of the flow field structure resulting from laser energy deposition. These visualizations of inlet and absorption chamber flowfields, enabled the qualitative analysis of important phenomena impacting laser-propelled hypersonic airbreathing flight. The laser-induced breakdown took an elongated vertically-oriented geometry, occurring off-surface and across the inlet's mid-channel---quite different from the static case in which the energy was deposited very near the shroud under-surface. The shroud under-surface pressure data indicated laser-induced increases of 0.7-0.9 bar with laser pulse energies of ˜170 J, off-shroud induced breakdown condition, and Mach number of 7. The results of this research corroborate the feasibility of laser powered, airbreathing flight with infinite specific impulse (Isp=infinity): i.e., without the need for propellant injection at the laser focus. Additionally, it is shown that further reductions in inlet air working fluid velocity---with attendant increases in static pressure and density---is necessary to generate higher absorption chamber pressure and engine impulse. Finally, building on lessons learned from the present work, the future research plan is laid out for: a) the present 2D model with full inlet forebody, exploring higher laser pulse energies and multi-pulse phenomena; b) a smaller, redesigned 2D model; c) a 254 mm diameter axisymmetric Lightcraft model; and, d) a laser-electromagnetic accelerator model, designed around a 2-Tesla pulsed electromagnet contracted under the present program.

A US History of Airbreathing/Rocket Combined-Cycle (RBCC) Propulsion for Powering Future Aerospace Transports, with a Look Ahead to the Year 2020

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Escher, William J. D.

1999-01-01

A technohistorical and forward-planning overview of U.S. developments in combined airbreathing/rocket propulsion for advanced aerospace vehicle applications is presented. Such system approaches fall into one of two categories: (1) Combination propulsion systems (separate, non-interacting engines installed), and (2) Combined-Cycle systems. The latter, and main subject, comprises a large family of closely integrated engine types, made up of both airbreathing and rocket derived subsystem hardware. A single vehicle-integrated, multimode engine results, one capable of operating efficiently over a very wide speed and altitude range, atmospherically and in space. While numerous combination propulsion systems have reached operational flight service, combined-cycle propulsion development, initiated ca. 1960, remains at the subscale ground-test engine level of development. However, going beyond combination systems, combined-cycle propulsion potentially offers a compelling set of new and unique capabilities. These capabilities are seen as enabling ones for the evolution of Spaceliner class aerospace transportation systems. The following combined-cycle hypersonic engine developments are reviewed: (1) RENE (rocket engine nozzle ejector), (2) Cryojet and LACE, (3) Ejector Ramjet and its derivatives, (4) the seminal NASA NAS7-377 study, (5) Air Force/Marquardt Hypersonic Ramjet, (6) Air Force/Lockheed-Marquardt Incremental Scramjet flight-test project, (7) NASA/Garrett Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE), (8) National Aero-Space Plane (NASP), (9) all past projects; and such current and planned efforts as (10) the NASA ASTP-ART RBCC project, (11) joint CIAM/NASA DNSCRAM flight test,(12) Hyper-X, (13) Trailblazer,( 14) W-Vehicle and (15) Spaceliner 100. Forward planning programmatic incentives, and the estimated timing for an operational Spaceliner powered by combined-cycle engines are discussed.

Investigation of piloting aids for manual control of hypersonic maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raney, David L.; Phillips, Michael R.; Person, Lee H., Jr.

1995-01-01

An investigation of piloting aids designed to provide precise maneuver control for an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle is described. Stringent constraints and nonintuitive high-speed flight effects associated with maneuvering in the hypersonic regime raise the question of whether manual control of such a vehicle should even be considered. The objectives of this research were to determine the extent of manual control that is desirable for a vehicle maneuvering in this regime and to identify the form of aids that must be supplied to the pilot to make such control feasible. A piloted real-time motion-based simulation of a hypersonic vehicle concept was used for this study, and the investigation focused on a single representative cruise turn maneuver. Piloting aids, which consisted of an auto throttle, throttle director, autopilot, flight director, and two head-up display configurations, were developed and evaluated. Two longitudinal control response types consisting of a rate-command/attitude-hold system and a load factor-rate/load-factor-hold system were also compared. The complete set of piloting aids, which consisted of the autothrottle, throttle director, and flight director, improved the average Cooper-Harper flying qualities ratings from 8 to 2.6, even though identical inner-loop stability and control augmentation was provided in all cases. The flight director was determined to be the most critical of these aids, and the cruise turn maneuver was unachievable to adequate performance specifications in the absence of this flight director.

Optimal trajectories for hypersonic launch vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Whittaker, Thomas

1994-01-01

In this paper, we derive a near-optimal guidance law for the ascent trajectory from earth surface to earth orbit of a hypersonic, dual-mode propulsion, lifting vehicle. Of interest are both the optical flight path and the optimal operation of the propulsion system. The guidance law is developed from the energy-state approximation of the equations of motion. Because liquid hydrogen fueled hypersonic aircraft are volume sensitive, as well as weight sensitive, the cost functional is a weighted sum of fuel mass and volume; the weighting factor is chosen to minimize gross take-off weight for a given payload mass and volume in orbit.

Hypersonic drone vehicle design: A multidisciplinary experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

UCLA's Advanced Aeronautic Design group focussed their efforts on design problems of an unmanned hypersonic vehicle. It is felt that a scaled hypersonic drone is necesary to bridge the gap between present theory on hypersonics and the future reality of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) for two reasons: (1) to fulfill a need for experimental data in the hypersonic regime, and (2) to provide a testbed for the scramjet engine which is to be the primary mode of propulsion for the NASP. The group concentrated on three areas of great concern to NASP design: propulsion, thermal management, and flight systems. Problem solving in these areas was directed toward design of the drone with the idea that the same design techniques could be applied to the NASP. A 70 deg swept double-delta wing configuration, developed in the 70's at the NASA Langley, was chosen as the aerodynamic and geometric model for the drone. This vehicle would be air launched from a B-1 at Mach 0.8 and 48,000 feet, rocket boosted by two internal engines to Mach 10 and 100,000 feet, and allowed to cruise under power of the scramjet engine until burnout. It would then return to base for an unpowered landing. Preliminary energy calculations based on flight requirements give the drone a gross launch weight of 134,000 pounds and an overall length of 85 feet.

Nonlinear control of linear parameter varying systems with applications to hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, Zachary Donald

The focus of this dissertation is to design a controller for linear parameter varying (LPV) systems, apply it specifically to air-breathing hypersonic vehicles, and examine the interplay between control performance and the structural dynamics design. Specifically a Lyapunov-based continuous robust controller is developed that yields exponential tracking of a reference model, despite the presence of bounded, nonvanishing disturbances. The hypersonic vehicle has time varying parameters, specifically temperature profiles, and its dynamics can be reduced to an LPV system with additive disturbances. Since the HSV can be modeled as an LPV system the proposed control design is directly applicable. The control performance is directly examined through simulations. A wide variety of applications exist that can be effectively modeled as LPV systems. In particular, flight systems have historically been modeled as LPV systems and associated control tools have been applied such as gain-scheduling, linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), linear fractional transformations (LFT), and mu-types. However, as the type of flight environments and trajectories become more demanding, the traditional LPV controllers may no longer be sufficient. In particular, hypersonic flight vehicles (HSVs) present an inherently difficult problem because of the nonlinear aerothermoelastic coupling effects in the dynamics. HSV flight conditions produce temperature variations that can alter both the structural dynamics and flight dynamics. Starting with the full nonlinear dynamics, the aerothermoelastic effects are modeled by a temperature dependent, parameter varying state-space representation with added disturbances. The model includes an uncertain parameter varying state matrix, an uncertain parameter varying non-square (column deficient) input matrix, and an additive bounded disturbance. In this dissertation, a robust dynamic controller is formulated for a uncertain and disturbed LPV system. The developed

Research on Aeroheating of Hypersonic Reentry Vehicle Base Flow Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xuguo, Qin; Yongtao, Shui; Yonghai, Wang; Gang, Chen; Qiang, Li

2017-09-01

The structure of the base flow of a hypersonic reentry vehicle and the resulting base pressure and heat transfer have been studied by numerical study. The compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved by the finite-volume method. SST k-ω turbulence model is used, and comparisons are made with flight test. Attention was focused on assessing the effects of angle of attack and Mach number. It was found that angle of attack can significantly alter the wake flow structure and reentry vehicle base pressure and heating distributions. The results of the simulation may provide a theoretical basis for the design of the thermal protection system of hypersonic reentry vehicles.

X-43A/Hyper-X Vehicle Arrives at NASA Dryden

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X,' carefully packed in a protective shipping framework, is unloaded from a container after its arrival at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in October 1999. The X-43A was developed to research a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet

X-43A/Hyper-X Vehicle Arrives at NASA Dryden

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

A head-on view of the X-43A Hypersonic Experimental Vehicle, or 'Hyper-X,' in its protective shipping framework as it arrives at the Dryden Flight Research Center in October 1999. The X-43A was developed to research a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry

A Collaborative Analysis Tool for Integrating Hypersonic Aerodynamics, Thermal Protection Systems, and RBCC Engine Performance for Single Stage to Orbit Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanley, Thomas Troy; Alexander, Reginald

1999-01-01

Presented is a computer-based tool that connects several disciplines that are needed in the complex and integrated design of high performance reusable single stage to orbit (SSTO) vehicles. Every system is linked to every other system, as is the case of SSTO vehicles with air breathing propulsion, which is currently being studied by NASA. The deficiencies in the scramjet powered concept led to a revival of interest in Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle (RBCC) propulsion systems. An RBCC propulsion system integrates airbreathing and rocket propulsion into a single engine assembly enclosed within a cowl or duct. A typical RBCC propulsion system operates as a ducted rocket up to approximately Mach 3. At this point the transitions to a ramjet mode for supersonic-to-hypersonic acceleration. Around Mach 8 the engine transitions to a scram4jet mode. During the ramjet and scramjet modes, the integral rockets operate as fuel injectors. Around Mach 10-12 (the actual value depends on vehicle and mission requirements), the inlet is physically closed and the engine transitions to an integral rocket mode for orbit insertion. A common feature of RBCC propelled vehicles is the high degree of integration between the propulsion system and airframe. At high speeds the vehicle forebody is fundamentally part of the engine inlet, providing a compression surface for air flowing into the engine. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and burned. The combusted mixture must be expanded to an area larger than the incoming stream to provide thrust. Since a conventional nozzle would be too large, the entire lower after body of the vehicle is used as an expansion surface. Because of the high external temperatures seen during atmospheric flight, the design of an airbreathing SSTO vehicle requires delicate tradeoffs between engine design, vehicle shape, and thermal protection system (TPS) sizing in order to produce an optimum system in terms of weight (and cost) and maximum performance.

Elevator Sizing, Placement, and Control-Relevant Tradeoffs for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickeson, Jeffrey J.; Rodriguez, Armando A.; Sridharan, Srikanth; Korad, Akshay

2010-01-01

Within this paper, control-relevant vehicle design concepts are examined using a widely used 3 DOF (plus flexibility) nonlinear model for the longitudinal dynamics of a generic carrot-shaped scramjet powered hypersonic vehicle. The impact of elevator size and placement on control-relevant static properties (e.g. level-flight trimmable region, trim controls, Angle of Attack (AOA), thrust margin) and dynamic properties (e.g. instability and right half plane zero associated with flight path angle) are examined. Elevator usage has been examine for a class of typical hypersonic trajectories.

Materials and structures for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tenney, Darrel R.; Lisagor, W. Barry; Dixon, Sidney C.

1988-01-01

Hypersonic vehicles are envisioned to require, in addition to carbon-carbon and ceramic-matrix composities for leading edges heated to above 2000 F, such 600 to 1800 F operating temperature materials as advanced Ti alloys, nickel aluminides, and metal-matrix composited; These possess the necessary low density and high strength and stiffness. The primary design drivers are maximum vehicle heating rate, total heat load, flight envelope, propulsion system type, mission life requirements and liquid hydrogen containment systems. Attention is presently given to aspects of these materials and structures requiring more intensive development.

Concept for a high performance MHD airbreathing-IEC fusion rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froning, H. D.; Miley, G. H.; Nadler, J.; Shaban, Y.; Momota, H.; Burton, E.

2001-02-01

Previous studies have shown that Single-State-to-Orbit (SSTO) vehicle propellant can be reduced by Magnets-Hydro-Dynamic (MHD) processes that minimize airbreathing propulsion losses and propellant consumption during atmospheric flight, and additional reduction in SSTO propellant is enabled by Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion, whose more energetic reactions reduce rocket propellant needs. MHD airbreathing propulsion during an SSTO vehicle's initial atmospheric flight phase and IEC fusion propulsion during its final exo-atmospheric flight phase is therefore being explored. Accomplished work is not yet sufficient for claiming such a vehicle's feasibility. But takeoff and propellant mass for an MHD airbreathing and IEC fusion vehicle could be as much as 25 and 40 percent less than one with ordinary airbreathing and IEC fusion; and as much as 50 and 70 percent less than SSTO takeoff and propellant mass with MHD airbreathing and chemical rocket propulsion. .

Hyper-X Research Vehicle - Artist Concept in Flight with Scramjet Engine Firing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This is an artist's depiction of a Hyper-X research vehicle under scramjet power in free-flight following separation from its booster rocket. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need

eLaunch Hypersonics: An Advanced Launch System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starr, Stanley

2010-01-01

This presentation describes a new space launch system that NASA can and should develop. This approach can significantly reduce ground processing and launch costs, improve reliability, and broaden the scope of what we do in near earth orbit. The concept (not new) is to launch a re-usable air-breathing hypersonic vehicle from a ground based electric track. This vehicle launches a final rocket stage at high altitude/velocity for the final leg to orbit. The proposal here differs from past studies in that we will launch above Mach 1.5 (above transonic pinch point) which further improves the efficiency of air breathing, horizontal take-off launch systems. The approach described here significantly reduces cost per kilogram to orbit, increases safety and reliability of the boost systems, and reduces ground costs due to horizontal-processing. Finally, this approach provides significant technology transfer benefits for our national infrastructure.

Thermal-Mechanical Testing of Hypersonic Vehicle Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, Larry; Stephens, Craig

2007-01-01

A viewgraph presentation describing thermal-mechanical tests on the structures of hypersonic vehicles is shown. The topics include: 1) U.S. Laboratories for Hot Structures Testing; 2) NASA Dryden Flight Loads Laboratory; 3) Hot Structures Test Programs; 4) Typical Sequence for Hot Structures Testing; 5) Current Hot Structures Testing; and 6) Concluding Remarks.

Structural dynamic and aeroelastic considerations for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cazier, F. W., Jr.; Doggett, Robert V., Jr.; Ricketts, Rodney H.

1991-01-01

The specific geometrical, structural, and operational environment characteristics of hypersonic vehicles are discussed with particular reference to aerospace plane type configurations. A discussion of the structural dynamic and aeroelastic phenomena that must be addressed for this class of vehicles is presented. These phenomena are in the aeroservothermoelasticity technical area. Some illustrative examples of recent experimental and analytical work are given. Some examples of current research are pointed out.

New Hypersonic Shock Tunnel at the Laboratory of Aerothermodynamics and Hypersonics Prof. Henry T. Nagamatsu

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toro, P. G. P.; Minucci, M. A. S.; Chanes, J. B. Jr

The new 0.60-m. nozzle exit diameter hypersonic shock tunnel was designed to study advanced air-breathing propulsion system such as supersonic combustion and/or laser technologies. In addition, it may be used for hypersonic flow studies and investigations of the electromagnetic (laser) energy addition for flow control. This new hypersonic shock tunnel was designed and installed at the Laboratory for of Aerothermodynamics and Hypersonics Prof. Henry T. Nagamatsu, IEAv-CTA, Brazil. The design of the tunnel enables relatively long test times, 2-10 milliseconds, suitable for the experiments performed at the laboratory. Free stream Mach numbers ranging from 6 to 25 can be producedmore » and stagnation pressures and temperatures up to 360 atm. and up to 9,000 K, respectively, can be generated. Shadowgraph and schlieren optical techniques will be used for flow visualization.« less

The NASA Glen Research Center's Hypersonic Tunnel Facility. Chapter 16

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woike, Mark R.; Willis, Brian P.

2001-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center's Hypersonic Tunnel Facility (HTF) is a blow-down, freejet wind tunnel that provides true enthalpy flight conditions for Mach numbers of 5, 6, and 7. The Hypersonic Tunnel Facility is unique due to its large scale and use of non-vitiated (clean air) flow. A 3MW graphite core storage heater is used to heat the test medium of gaseous nitrogen to the high stagnation temperatures required to produce true enthalpy conditions. Gaseous oxygen is mixed into the heated test flow to generate the true air simulation. The freejet test section is 1.07m (42 in.) in diameter and 4.3m (14 ft) in length. The facility is well suited for the testing of large scale airbreathing propulsion systems. In this chapter, a brief history and detailed description of the facility are presented along with a discussion of the facility's application towards hypersonic airbreathing propulsion testing.

Combining MHD Airbreathing and Fusion Rocket Propulsion for Earth-to-Orbit Flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froning, H. D.; Miley, G. H.; Luo, Nie; Yang, Yang; Momota, H.; Burton, E.

2005-02-01

Previous studies have shown that Single-State-to-Orbit (SSTO) vehicle propellant can be reduced by Magnets-Hydro-Dynamic (MHD) processes that minimize airbreathing propulsion losses and propellant consumption during atmospheric flight. Similarly additional reduction in SSTO propellant is enabled by Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion, whose more energetic reactions reduce rocket propellant needs. MHD airbreathing propulsion during an SSTO vehicle's initial atmospheric flight phase and IEC fusion propulsion during its final exo-atmospheric flight phase is therefore being explored. Accomplished work is not yet sufficient for claiming such a vehicle's feasibility. But takeoff and propellant mass for an MHD airbreathing and IEC fusion vehicle could be as much as 25 and 40 percent less than one with ordinary airbreathing and IEC fusion; and as much as 50 and 70 percent less than SSTO takeoff and propellant mass with MHD airbreathing and chemical rocket propulsion. Thus this unusual combined cycle engine shows great promise for performance gains beyond contemporary combined-cycle airbreathing engines.

STEM Educators' Integration of Formative Assessment in Teaching and Lesson Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Kimberly A.

Air-breathing hypersonic vehicles, when fully developed, will offer travel in the atmosphere at unprecendented speeds. Capturing their physical behavior by analytical / numerical models is still a major challenge, still limiting the development of controls technology for such vehicles. To study, in an exploratory manner, active control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles, an analtical, simplified, model of a generic hypersonic air-breathing vehicle in flight was developed by researchers at the Air Force Research Labs in Dayton, Ohio, along with control laws. Elevator deflection and fuel-to-air ratio were used as inputs. However, that model is very approximate, and the field of hypersonics still faces many unknowns. This thesis contributes to the study of control of air-breating hypersonic vehicles in a number of ways: First, regarding control laws synthesis, optimal gains are chosen for the previously developed control law alongside an alternate control law modified from existing literature by minimizing the Lyapunov function derivative using Monte Carlo simulation. This is followed by analysis of the robustness of the control laws in the face of system parametric uncertainties using Monte Carlo simulations. The resulting statistical distributions of the commanded response are analyzed, and linear regression is used to determine, via sensitivity analysis, which uncertain parameters have the largest impact on the desired outcome.

A matching approach to communicate through the plasma sheath surrounding a hypersonic vehicle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Xiaotian; Jiang, Binhao, E-mail: jiangbh@hit.edu.cn

2015-06-21

In order to overcome the communication blackout problem suffered by hypersonic vehicles, a matching approach has been proposed for the first time in this paper. It utilizes a double-positive (DPS) material layer surrounding a hypersonic vehicle antenna to match with the plasma sheath enclosing the vehicle. Analytical analysis and numerical results indicate a resonance between the matched layer and the plasma sheath will be formed to mitigate the blackout problem in some conditions. The calculated results present a perfect radiated performance of the antenna, when the match is exactly built between these two layers. The effects of the parameters ofmore » the plasma sheath have been researched by numerical methods. Based on these results, the proposed approach is easier to realize and more flexible to the varying radiated conditions in hypersonic flight comparing with other methods.« less

Development of a non-linear simulation for generic hypersonic vehicles - ASUHS1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salas, Juan; Lovell, T. Alan; Schmidt, David K.

1993-01-01

A nonlinear simulation is developed to model the longitudinal motion of a vehicle in hypersonic flight. The equations of motion pertinent to this study are presented. Analytic expressions for the aerodynamic forces acting on a hypersonic vehicle which were obtained from Newtonian Impact Theory are further developed. The control surface forces are further examined to incorporate vehicle elastic motion. The purpose is to establish feasible equations of motion which combine rigid body, elastic, and aeropropulsive dynamics for use in nonlinear simulations. The software package SIMULINK is used to implement the simulation. Also discussed are issues needing additional attention and potential problems associated with the implementation (with proposed solutions).

Turbojet-type engines for the airbreathing propulsion of reusable winged launchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duparcq, J. L.; Hermant, E.; Scherrer, D.

Combined propulsion systems for hypersonic application have become new challenges for industrial and research organizations. In France, SNECMA and SEP, which have just joined together for a common effort on hypersonics within Hyperspace, and ONERA have been involved, under CNES (French space agency) contracts, in the assessment of new propulsion concepts for reusable winged launchers (SSTO or TSTO). As potential solutions for the airbreathing propulsion, some turbojet-type engines are presented: —the twin spool turbojet or turbofan with reheat —the turbojet with reheat —the twin-duct turbojet ramjet —the precooled turbojet with reheat. All these engines have been sized for a flight Mach number under seven with a cryogenic fuel (liquid hydrogen). Mainly due to total temperature and pressure encountered along the trajectory, the systems will have to withstand severe physical constraints. Coupled with performance and size requirements, like specific thrust and maximum air capture area, these operating conditions have been taken into account in order to select each engine cycle and technical arrangement. Performance and mass criteria make it possible to compare these systems and to emphasize their distinctive features among the propulsion concepts envisioned for the future reusable winged launchers (including airbreathing combined engines under study in France). The first step of the final selection, leading to the best adaptation between the engine and the vehicle, will then be tackled. This will be particularly enhanced by the analysis of potential advantages or technical difficulties, like thrust-to-weight ratio or needs of variable geometry and heat exchangers. The twin-duct turbojet ramjet, for example, is probably one of the best candidates for the first stages of propulsion of a reusable winged launcher.

Hypersonic Vehicle Propulsion System Simplified Model Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stueber, Thomas J.; Raitano, Paul; Le, Dzu K.; Ouzts, Peter

2007-01-01

This document addresses the modeling task plan for the hypersonic GN&C GRC team members. The overall propulsion system modeling task plan is a multi-step process and the task plan identified in this document addresses the first steps (short term modeling goals). The procedures and tools produced from this effort will be useful for creating simplified dynamic models applicable to a hypersonic vehicle propulsion system. The document continues with the GRC short term modeling goal. Next, a general description of the desired simplified model is presented along with simulations that are available to varying degrees. The simulations may be available in electronic form (FORTRAN, CFD, MatLab,...) or in paper form in published documents. Finally, roadmaps outlining possible avenues towards realizing simplified model are presented.

Potential of extended airbreathing operation of a two-stage launch vehicle by scramjet propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoettle, U. M.; Hillesheimer, M.; Rahn, M.

This paper examines the application of scramjet propulsion to extend the ramjet operation of an airbreathing two-stage launch designed for horizontal takeoff and landing. Performance comparisons are made for two alternative propulsion concepts. The mission performance predictions presented are obtained from a multistep optimization procedure employing both trajectory optimization and vehicle design steps to achieve maximum payload capabilities. The simulation results are shown to offer an attractive payload advantage of the scramjet variant over the ramjet powered vehicle.

Computational study of generic hypersonic vehicle flow fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayan, Johnny R.

1994-01-01

The geometric data of the generic hypersonic vehicle configuration included body definitions and preliminary grids for the forebody (nose cone excluded), midsection (propulsion system excluded), and afterbody sections. This data was to be augmented by the nose section geometry (blunt conical section mated with the noncircular cross section of the forebody initial plane) along with a grid and a detailed supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) geometry (inlet and combustor) which should be merged with the nozzle portion of the afterbody geometry. The solutions were to be obtained by using a Navier-Stokes (NS) code such as TUFF for the nose portion, a parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) solver such as the UPS and STUFF codes for the forebody, a NS solver with finite rate hydrogen-air chemistry capability such as TUFF and SPARK for the scramjet and a suitable solver (NS or PNS) for the afterbody and external nozzle flows. The numerical simulation of the hypersonic propulsion system for the generic hypersonic vehicle is the major focus of this entire work. Supersonic combustion ramjet is such a propulsion system, hence the main thrust of the present task has been to establish a solution procedure for the scramjet flow. The scramjet flow is compressible, turbulent, and reacting. The fuel used is hydrogen and the combustion process proceeds at a finite rate. As a result, the solution procedure must be capable of addressing such flows.

A concept of a hypersonic flight experiment of a winged vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirouzu, Masao; Watanabe, Shigeya

A concept of a flight experiment using a winged hypersonic research vehicle is proposed by the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) as one of the flight experiment series preceding to the development of HOPE (H-II Orbiting Plane). The present paper describes the purpose of the experiment, the outline of the flight, the configuration and aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle, and items of experiment and measurement. The present experiment is to acquire experience on the development and the flight of a hypersonic winged vehicle, in contrast to the ballistic flight of the OREX (Orbital Reentry Experiment) and to collect flight data for validation of tests and simulations on the ground. The vehicle of about 1.5 tons will be launched by a two-stage version of the J-I. The vehicle will be separated at an altitude of 70-80 km at a velocity of Mach 18-20, and inserted to the reentry trajectory of HOPE. The vehicle will be decelerated by parachutes and splash into the ocean south of Japan, where it will be recovered.

Detailed modeling of electron emission for transpiration cooling of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanquist, Kyle M.; Hara, Kentaro; Boyd, Iain D.

2017-02-01

Electron transpiration cooling (ETC) is a recently proposed approach to manage the high heating loads experienced at the sharp leading edges of hypersonic vehicles. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to investigate the feasibility of ETC in a hypersonic environment. A modeling approach is presented for ETC, which includes developing the boundary conditions for electron emission from the surface, accounting for the space-charge limit effects of the near-wall plasma sheath. The space-charge limit models are assessed using 1D direct-kinetic plasma sheath simulations, taking into account the thermionically emitted electrons from the surface. The simulations agree well with the space-charge limit theory proposed by Takamura et al. for emitted electrons with a finite temperature, especially at low values of wall bias, which validates the use of the theoretical model for the hypersonic CFD code. The CFD code with the analytical sheath models is then used for a test case typical of a leading edge radius in a hypersonic flight environment. The CFD results show that ETC can lower the surface temperature of sharp leading edges of hypersonic vehicles, especially at higher velocities, due to the increase in ionized species enabling higher electron heat extraction from the surface. The CFD results also show that space-charge limit effects can limit the ETC reduction of surface temperatures, in comparison to thermionic emission assuming no effects of the electric field within the sheath.

Heat-Pipe-Cooled Leading Edges for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.

2006-01-01

Heat pipes can be used to effectively cool wing leading edges of hypersonic vehicles. . Heat-pipe leading edge development. Design validation heat pipe testing confirmed design. Three heat pipes embedded and tested in C/C. Single J-tube heat pipe fabricated and testing initiated. HPCLE work is currently underway at several locations.

Airbreathing Acceleration Toward Earth Orbit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitehead, J C

As flight speed increases, aerodynamic drag rises more sharply than the availability of atmospheric oxygen. The ratio of oxygen mass flux to dynamic pressure cannot be improved by changing altitude. The maximum possible speed for airbreathing propulsion is limited by the ratio of air capture area to vehicle drag area, approximately Mach 6 at equal areas. Simulation of vehicle acceleration shows that the use of atmospheric oxygen offers a significant potential for minimizing onboard consumables at low speeds. These fundamental calculations indicate that a practical airbreathing launch vehicle would accelerate to near steady-state speed while consuming only onboard fuel, thenmore » transition to rocket propulsion. It is suggested that an aircraft carrying a rocket-propelled vehicle to approximately Mach 5 could be a realistic technical goal toward improving access to orbit.« less

Flight Test Experiment Design for Characterizing Stability and Control of Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morelli, Eugene A.

2008-01-01

A maneuver design method that is particularly well-suited for determining the stability and control characteristics of hypersonic vehicles is described in detail. Analytical properties of the maneuver design are explained. The importance of these analytical properties for maximizing information content in flight data is discussed, along with practical implementation issues. Results from flight tests of the X-43A hypersonic research vehicle (also called Hyper-X) are used to demonstrate the excellent modeling results obtained using this maneuver design approach. A detailed design procedure for generating the maneuvers is given to allow application to other flight test programs.

Design of Modular, Shape-transitioning Inlets for a Conical Hypersonic Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gollan, Rowan J.; Smart, Michael K.

2010-01-01

For a hypersonic vehicle, propelled by scramjet engines, integration of the engines and airframe is highly desirable. Thus, the forward capture shape of the engine inlet should conform to the vehicle body shape. Furthermore, the use of modular engines places a constraint on the shape of the inlet sidewalls. Finally, one may desire a combustor cross- section shape that is different from that of the inlet. These shape constraints for the inlet can be accommodated by employing a streamline-tracing and lofting technique. This design technique was developed by Smart for inlets with a rectangular-to-elliptical shape transition. In this paper, we generalise that technique to produce inlets that conform to arbitrary shape requirements. As an example, we show the design of a body-integrated hypersonic inlet on a winged-cone vehicle, typical of what might be used in a three-stage orbital launch system. The special challenge of inlet design for this conical vehicle at an angle-of-attack is also discussed. That challenge is that the bow shock sits relatively close to the vehicle body.

Flight simulator for hypersonic vehicle and a study of NASP handling qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ntuen, Celestine A.; Park, Eui H.; Deeb, Joseph M.; Kim, Jung H.

1992-01-01

The research goal of the Human-Machine Systems Engineering Group was to study the existing handling quality studies in aircraft with sonic to supersonic speeds and power in order to understand information requirements needed for a hypersonic vehicle flight simulator. This goal falls within the NASA task statements: (1) develop flight simulator for hypersonic vehicle; (2) study NASP handling qualities; and (3) study effects of flexibility on handling qualities and on control system performance. Following the above statement of work, the group has developed three research strategies. These are: (1) to study existing handling quality studies and the associated aircraft and develop flight simulation data characterization; (2) to develop a profile for flight simulation data acquisition based on objective statement no. 1 above; and (3) to develop a simulator and an embedded expert system platform which can be used in handling quality experiments for hypersonic aircraft/flight simulation training.

Modification of NASA Langley 8 foot high temperature tunnel to provide a unique national research facility for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, H. N.; Wieting, A. R.

1984-01-01

A planned modification of the NASA Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel to make it a unique national research facility for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems is described, and some of the ongoing supporting research for that modification is discussed. The modification involves: (1) the addition of an oxygen-enrichment system which will allow the methane-air combustion-heated test stream to simulate air for propulsion testing; and (2) supplemental nozzles to expand the test simulation capability from the current nominal Mach number to 7.0 include Mach numbers 3.0, 4.5, and 5.0. Detailed design of the modifications is currently underway and the modified facility is scheduled to be available for tests of large scale propulsion systems by mid 1988.

Advanced Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-01-01

An artist's rendering of the air-breathing, hypersonic X-43B, the third and largest of NASA's Hyper-X series flight demonstrators, which could fly later this decade. Revolutionizing the way we gain access to space is NASA's primary goal for the Hypersonic Investment Area, managed for NASA by the Advanced Space Transportation Program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The Hypersonic Investment area, which includes leading-edge partners in industry and academia, will support future generation reusable vehicles and improved access to space. These technology demonstrators, intended for flight testing by decade's end, are expected to yield a new generation of vehicles that routinely fly about 100,000 feet above Earth's surface and reach sustained speeds in excess of Mach 5 (3,750 mph), the point at which "supersonic" flight becomes "hypersonic" flight. The flight demonstrators, the Hyper-X series, will be powered by air-breathing rocket or turbine-based engines, and ram/scramjets. Air-breathing engines, known as combined-cycle systems, achieve their efficiency gains over rocket systems by getting their oxygen for combustion from the atmosphere, as opposed to a rocket that must carry its oxygen. Once a hypersonic vehicle has accelerated to more than twice the speed of sound, the turbine or rockets are turned off, and the engine relies solely on oxygen in the atmosphere to burn fuel. When the vehicle has accelerated to more than 10 to 15 times the speed of sound, the engine converts to a conventional rocket-powered system to propel the craft into orbit or sustain it to suborbital flight speed. NASA's series of hypersonic flight demonstrators includes three air-breathing vehicles: the X-43A, X-43B and X-43C.

A comparative study of turbulence models in predicting hypersonic inlet flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapoor, Kamlesh

1993-01-01

A computational study has been conducted to evaluate the performance of various turbulence models. The NASA P8 inlet, which represents cruise condition of a typical hypersonic air-breathing vehicle, was selected as a test case for the study; the PARC2D code, which solves the full two dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, was used. Results are presented for a total of six versions of zero- and two-equation turbulence models. Zero-equation models tested are the Baldwin-Lomax model, the Thomas model, and a combination of the two. Two-equation models tested are low-Reynolds number models (the Chien model and the Speziale model) and a high-Reynolds number model (the Launder and Spalding model).

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Image of Hyper-X Research Vehicle at Mach 7 with Engine Operating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This computational fluid dynamics (CFD) image shows the Hyper-X vehicle at a Mach 7 test condition with the engine operating. The solution includes both internal (scramjet engine) and external flow fields, including the interaction between the engine exhaust and vehicle aerodynamics. The image illustrates surface heat transfer on the vehicle surface (red is highest heating) and flowfield contours at local Mach number. The last contour illustrates the engine exhaust plume shape. This solution approach is one method of predicting the vehicle performance, and the best method for determination of vehicle structural, pressure and thermal design loads. The Hyper-X program is an ambitious series of experimental flights to expand the boundaries of high-speed aeronautics and develop new technologies for space access. When the first of three aircraft flies, it will be the first time a non-rocket engine has powered a vehicle in flight at hypersonic speeds--speeds above Mach 5, equivalent to about one mile per second or approximately 3,600 miles per hour at sea level. Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly

Robust stabilization control based on guardian maps theory for a longitudinal model of hypersonic vehicle.

PubMed

Liu, Yanbin; Liu, Mengying; Sun, Peihua

2014-01-01

A typical model of hypersonic vehicle has the complicated dynamics such as the unstable states, the nonminimum phases, and the strong coupling input-output relations. As a result, designing a robust stabilization controller is essential to implement the anticipated tasks. This paper presents a robust stabilization controller based on the guardian maps theory for hypersonic vehicle. First, the guardian maps theories are provided to explain the constraint relations between the open subsets of complex plane and the eigenvalues of the state matrix of closed-loop control system. Then, a general control structure in relation to the guardian maps theories is proposed to achieve the respected design demands. Furthermore, the robust stabilization control law depending on the given general control structure is designed for the longitudinal model of hypersonic vehicle. Finally, a simulation example is provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

A parametric sensitivity study for single-stage-to-orbit hypersonic vehicles using trajectory optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovell, T. Alan; Schmidt, D. K.

1994-03-01

The class of hypersonic vehicle configurations with single stage-to-orbit (SSTO) capability reflect highly integrated airframe and propulsion systems. These designs are also known to exhibit a large degree of interaction between the airframe and engine dynamics. Consequently, even simplified hypersonic models are characterized by tightly coupled nonlinear equations of motion. In addition, hypersonic SSTO vehicles present a major system design challenge; the vehicle's overall mission performance is a function of its subsystem efficiencies including structural, aerodynamic, propulsive, and operational. Further, all subsystem efficiencies are interrelated, hence, independent optimization of the subsystems is not likely to lead to an optimum design. Thus, it is desired to know the effect of various subsystem efficiencies on overall mission performance. For the purposes of this analysis, mission performance will be measured in terms of the payload weight inserted into orbit. In this report, a trajectory optimization problem is formulated for a generic hypersonic lifting body for a specified orbit-injection mission. A solution method is outlined, and results are detailed for the generic vehicle, referred to as the baseline model. After evaluating the performance of the baseline model, a sensitivity study is presented to determine the effect of various subsystem efficiencies on mission performance. This consists of performing a parametric analysis of the basic design parameters, generating a matrix of configurations, and determining the mission performance of each configuration. Also, the performance loss due to constraining the total head load experienced by the vehicle is evaluated. The key results from this analysis include the formulation of the sizing problem for this vehicle class using trajectory optimization, characteristics of the optimal trajectories, and the subsystem design sensitivities.

A parametric sensitivity study for single-stage-to-orbit hypersonic vehicles using trajectory optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovell, T. Alan; Schmidt, D. K.

1994-01-01

The class of hypersonic vehicle configurations with single stage-to-orbit (SSTO) capability reflect highly integrated airframe and propulsion systems. These designs are also known to exhibit a large degree of interaction between the airframe and engine dynamics. Consequently, even simplified hypersonic models are characterized by tightly coupled nonlinear equations of motion. In addition, hypersonic SSTO vehicles present a major system design challenge; the vehicle's overall mission performance is a function of its subsystem efficiencies including structural, aerodynamic, propulsive, and operational. Further, all subsystem efficiencies are interrelated, hence, independent optimization of the subsystems is not likely to lead to an optimum design. Thus, it is desired to know the effect of various subsystem efficiencies on overall mission performance. For the purposes of this analysis, mission performance will be measured in terms of the payload weight inserted into orbit. In this report, a trajectory optimization problem is formulated for a generic hypersonic lifting body for a specified orbit-injection mission. A solution method is outlined, and results are detailed for the generic vehicle, referred to as the baseline model. After evaluating the performance of the baseline model, a sensitivity study is presented to determine the effect of various subsystem efficiencies on mission performance. This consists of performing a parametric analysis of the basic design parameters, generating a matrix of configurations, and determining the mission performance of each configuration. Also, the performance loss due to constraining the total head load experienced by the vehicle is evaluated. The key results from this analysis include the formulation of the sizing problem for this vehicle class using trajectory optimization, characteristics of the optimal trajectories, and the subsystem design sensitivities.

Control Relevant Modeling and Design of Scramjet-Powered Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickeson, Jeffrey James

This report provides an overview of scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicle modeling and control challenges. Such vehicles are characterized by unstable non-minimum phase dynamics with significant coupling and low thrust margins. Recent trends in hypersonic vehicle research are summarized. To illustrate control relevant design issues and tradeoffs, a generic nonlinear 3DOF longitudinal dynamics model capturing aero-elastic-propulsive interactions for wedge-shaped vehicle is used. Limitations of the model are discussed and numerous modifications have been made to address control relevant needs. Two different baseline configurations are examined over a two-stage to orbit ascent trajectory. The report highlights how vehicle level-flight static (trim) and dynamic properties change over the trajectory. Thermal choking constraints are imposed on control system design as a direct consequence of having a finite FER margin. The implication of this state-dependent nonlinear FER margin constraint, the right half plane (RHP) zero, and lightly damped flexible modes, on control system bandwidth (BW) and FPA tracking has been discussed. A control methodology has been proposed that addresses the above dynamics while providing some robustness to modeling uncertainty. Vehicle closure (the ability to fly a trajectory segment subject to constraints) is provided through a proposed vehicle design methodology. The design method attempts to use open loop metrics whenever possible to design the vehicle. The design method is applied to a vehicle/control law closed loop nonlinear simulation for validation. The 3DOF longitudinal modeling results are validated against a newly released NASA 6DOF code.

NASA R and T aerospace plane vehicles: Progress and plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dixon, S. C.

1985-01-01

Progress made in key technologies such as materials, structures, aerothermodynamics, hypersonic aerodynamics, and hypersonic airbreathing propulsion are reported. Advances were made in more generic, areas such as active controls, flight computer hardware and software, and interdisciplinary analytical design methodology. These technology advances coupled with the development of and experiences with the Space Shuttle make feasible aerospace plane-type vehicles that meet the more demanding requirements of various DOD missions and/or an all-weather Shuttle II with reduced launch costs. Technology needs and high payoff technologies, and the technology advancements in propulsion, control-configured-vehicles, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, aerothermal loads, and materials and structures were studied. The highest payoff technologies of materials and structures including thermal-structural analysis and high temperature test techniques are emphasized. The high priority technology of propulsion, and plans, of what remains to be done rather than firm program commitments, are briefly discussed.

Optimal trajectories for hypersonic launch vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Whittaker, Thomas

1992-01-01

In this paper, we derive a near-optimal guidance law for the ascent trajectory from Earth surface to Earth orbit of a hypersonic, dual-mode propulsion, lifting vehicle. Of interest are both the optimal flight path and the optimal operation of the propulsion system. The guidance law is developed from the energy-state approximation of the equations of motion. The performance objective is a weighted sum of fuel mass and volume, with the weighting factor selected to give minimum gross take-off weight for a specific payload mass and volume.

Hyper-X Research Vehicle - Artist Concept Mounted on Pegasus Rocket Attached to B-52 Launch Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This artist's concept depicts the Hyper-X research vehicle riding on a booster rocket prior to being launched by the Dryden Flight Research Center's B-52 at about 40,000 feet. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry

Wave combustors for trans-atmospheric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menees, Gene P.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Adelman, Henry G.; Cambier, Jean-Luc

1989-01-01

A performance analysis is given of a conceptual transatmospheric vehicle (TAV). The TAV is powered by a an oblique detonation wave engine (ODWE). The ODWE is an airbreathing hypersonic propulsion system which utilizes shock and detonation waves to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion in supersonic flow. In this wave combustor concept, an oblique shock wave in the combustor can act as a flameholder by increasing the pressure and temperature of the air-fuel mixture, thereby decreasing the ignition delay. If the oblique shock is sufficiently strong, then the combustion front and the shock wave can couple into a detonation wave. In this case, combustion occurs almost instantaneously in a thin zone behind the wave front. The result is a shorter lighter engine compared to the scramjet. The ODWE-powered hypersonic vehicle performance is compared to that of a scramjet-powered vehicle. Among the results outlined, it is found that the ODWE trades a better engine performance above Mach 15 for a lower performance below Mach 15. The overall higher performance of the ODWE results in a 51,000-lb weight savings and a higher payload weight fraction of approximately 12 percent.

Robust Stabilization Control Based on Guardian Maps Theory for a Longitudinal Model of Hypersonic Vehicle

PubMed Central

Liu, Mengying; Sun, Peihua

2014-01-01

A typical model of hypersonic vehicle has the complicated dynamics such as the unstable states, the nonminimum phases, and the strong coupling input-output relations. As a result, designing a robust stabilization controller is essential to implement the anticipated tasks. This paper presents a robust stabilization controller based on the guardian maps theory for hypersonic vehicle. First, the guardian maps theories are provided to explain the constraint relations between the open subsets of complex plane and the eigenvalues of the state matrix of closed-loop control system. Then, a general control structure in relation to the guardian maps theories is proposed to achieve the respected design demands. Furthermore, the robust stabilization control law depending on the given general control structure is designed for the longitudinal model of hypersonic vehicle. Finally, a simulation example is provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods. PMID:24795535

Solution-Space Screening of a Hypersonic Endurance Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chudoba, Bernd; Coleman, Gary; Oza, Amit; Gonzalez, Lex; Czysz, Paul

2012-01-01

This report documents a parametric sizing study performed to develop a program strategy for research and development and procurement of a feasible next-generation hypersonic air-breathing endurance demonstrator. Overall project focus has been on complementing technical and managerial decision-making during the earliest conceptual design phase towards minimization of operational, technical, and managerial risks.

Materials Development for Hypersonic Flight Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.; Dirling, Ray; Croop, Harold; Fry, Timothy J.; Frank, Geoffrey J.

2006-01-01

The DARPA/Air Force Falcon program is planning to flight test several hypersonic technology vehicles (HTV) in the next several years. A Materials Integrated Product Team (MIPT) was formed to lead the development of key thermal protection system (TPS) and hot structures technologies. The technologies being addressed by the MIPT are in the following areas: 1) less than 3000 F leading edges, 2) greater than 3000 F refractory composite materials, 3) high temperature multi-layer insulation, 4) acreage TPS, and 5) high temperature seals. Technologies being developed in each of these areas are discussed in this paper.

NASA's Integrated Space Transportation Plan — 3 rd generation reusable launch vehicle technology update

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Stephen; Hueter, Uwe

2003-08-01

NASA's Integrated Space Transportation Plan (ISTP) calls for investments in Space Shuttle safety upgrades, second generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) advanced development and third generation RLV and in-space research and technology. NASA's third generation launch systems are to be fully reusable and operation by 2025. The goals for third generation launch systems are to reduce cost by a factor of 100 and improve safety by a factor of 10,000 over current systems. The Advanced Space Transportation Program Office (ASTP) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL has the agency lead to develop third generation space transportation technologies. The Hypersonics Investment Area, part of ASTP, is developing the third generation launch vehicle technologies in two main areas, propulsion and airframes. The program's major investment is in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion since it offers the greatest potential for meeting the third generation launch vehicles. The program will mature the technologies in three key propulsion areas, scramjets, rocket-based combined cycle and turbine-based combination cycle. Ground and flight propulsion tests are being planned for the propulsion technologies. Airframe technologies will be matured primarily through ground testing. This paper describes NASA's activities in hypersonics. Current programs, accomplishments, future plans and technologies that are being pursued by the Hypersonics Investment Area under the Advanced Space Transportation Program Office will be discussed.

A comparison of hypersonic vehicle flight and prediction results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iliff, Kenneth W.; Shafer, Mary F.

1995-01-01

Aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic comparisons between flight and ground test for four hypersonic vehicles are discussed. The four vehicles are the X-15, the Reentry F, the Sandia Energetic Reentry Vehicle Experiment (SWERVE), and the Space Shuttle. The comparisons are taken from papers published by researchers active in the various programs. Aerodynamic comparisons include reaction control jet interaction on the Space Shuttle. Various forms of heating including catalytic, boundary layer, shock interaction and interference, and vortex impingement are compared. Predictions were significantly exceeded for the heating caused by vortex impingement (on the Space Shuttle OMS pods) and for heating caused by shock interaction and interference on the X-15 and the Space Shuttle. Predictions of boundary-layer state were in error on the X-15, the SWERVE, and the Space Shuttle vehicles.

The benefits of in-flight LOX collection for airbreathing space boosters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurice, Lourdes Q.; Leingang, John L.; Carreiro, Louis R.

1992-12-01

In-flight LOX collection using a propulsion fluid system known as ACES (Air Collection and Enrichment System) yields large reductions in launch weights of airbreathing space boosters. The role of the ACES system is to acquire and store liquid oxygen en route to orbit for rocket use beyond the airbreathing envelope. Earth-to-orbit capability is achieved without carrying liquid oxygen from take-off or relying on scramjets. The superiority of ACES type space boosters over their LOX-carrying counterparts has been thoroughly documented in the past. This paper extends that work by presenting a direct comparison between single-stage and two-stage ACES and scramjet powered vehicles carrying similar payloads. ACES vehicles are shown to be weight competitive with scramjet powered vehicles, and require airbreathing function only up to Mach 5 to 8.

Hypersonic aerospace vehicle leading edge cooling using heat pipe, transpiration and film cooling techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modlin, James Michael

An investigation was conducted to study the feasibility of cooling hypersonic vehicle leading edge structures exposed to severe aerodynamic surface heat fluxes using a combination of liquid metal heat pipes and surface mass transfer cooling techniques. A generalized, transient, finite difference based hypersonic leading edge cooling model was developed that incorporated these effects and was demonstrated on an assumed aerospace plane-type wing leading edge section and a SCRAMJET engine inlet leading edge section. The hypersonic leading edge cooling model was developed using an existing, experimentally verified heat pipe model. Two applications of the hypersonic leading edge cooling model were examined. An assumed aerospace plane-type wing leading edge section exposed to a severe laminar, hypersonic aerodynamic surface heat flux was studied. A second application of the hypersonic leading edge cooling model was conducted on an assumed one-quarter inch nose diameter SCRAMJET engine inlet leading edge section exposed to both a transient laminar, hypersonic aerodynamic surface heat flux and a type 4 shock interference surface heat flux. The investigation led to the conclusion that cooling leading edge structures exposed to severe hypersonic flight environments using a combination of liquid metal heat pipe, surface transpiration, and film cooling methods appeared feasible.

Hypersonic missile propulsion system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kazmar, R.R.

1998-11-01

Pratt and Whitney is developing the technology for hypersonic components and engines. A supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) database was developed using hydrogen fueled propulsion systems for space access vehicles and serves as a point of departure for the current development of hydrocarbon scramjets. The Air Force Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) Program has put programs in place to develop the technologies necessary to demonstrate the operability, performance and structural durability of an expendable, liquid hydrocarbon fueled scramjet system that operates from Mach 4 to 8. This program will culminate in a flight type engine test at representative flight conditions. The hypersonic technologymore » base that will be developed and demonstrated under HyTech will establish the foundation to enable hypersonic propulsion systems for a broad range of air vehicle applications from missiles to space access vehicles. A hypersonic missile flight demonstration is planned in the DARPA Affordable Rapid Response Missile Demonstrator (ARRMD) program in 2001.« less

Pegasus hypersonic flight research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curry, Robert E.; Meyer, Robert R., Jr.; Budd, Gerald D.

1992-01-01

Hypersonic aeronautics research using the Pegasus air-launched space booster is described. Two areas are discussed in the paper: previously obtained results from Pegasus flights 1 and 2, and plans for future programs. Proposed future research includes boundary-layer transition studies on the airplane-like first stage and also use of the complete Pegasus launch system to boost a research vehicle to hypersonic speeds. Pegasus flight 1 and 2 measurements were used to evaluate the results of several analytical aerodynamic design tools applied during the development of the vehicle as well as to develop hypersonic flight-test techniques. These data indicated that the aerodynamic design approach for Pegasus was adequate and showed that acceptable margins were available. Additionally, the correlations provide insight into the capabilities of these analytical tools for more complex vehicles in which design margins may be more stringent. Near-term plans to conduct hypersonic boundary-layer transition studies are discussed. These plans involve the use of a smooth metallic glove at about the mid-span of the wing. Longer-term opportunities are proposed which identify advantages of the Pegasus launch system to boost large-scale research vehicles to the real-gas hypersonic flight regime.

Aeroelasticity, Aerothermoelasticity and Aeroelastic Scaling of Hypersonic Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

P. Friedmann Frangois-Xavier Bagnoud Professor Phone 734-763-2354; FAX 734-763-0578; Email peretzf@umich.edu Co-Principal Investigator: Kenneth G...34 order pimon theory - -- -- - C - uter. corne ! - -- v - -- tiner. refined80000 ’Z-". n .,- l- 70000 70000 6 110000 30000 F 20000 10000 2.5 5 7,5 10 12.5...hypersonic vehicle, calculated using 3rd order piston theory and Euler aerodynamics -- 3"• V o-der pistom theory . - ---- Euk-r, col-sc - -- 7

An Overview of the NASA FAP Hypersonics Project Airbreathing Propulsion Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auslender, A. H.; Suder, Kenneth L.; Thomas, Scott R.

2009-01-01

The propulsion research portfolio of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Fundamental Aeronautics Program Hypersonics Project encompasses a significant number of technical tasks that are aligned to achieve mastery and intellectual stewardship of the core competencies in the hypersonic-flight regime. An overall coordinated programmatic and technical effort has been structured to advance the state-of-the-art, via both experimental and analytical efforts. A subset of the entire hypersonics propulsion research portfolio is presented in this overview paper. To this end, two programmatic research disciplines are discussed; namely, (1) the Propulsion Discipline, including three associated research elements: the X-51A partnership, the HIFiRE-2 partnership, and the Durable Combustor Rig, and (2) the Turbine-Based Combine Cycle Discipline, including three associated research elements: the Combined Cycle Engine Large Scale Inlet Mode Transition Experiment, the small-scale Inlet Mode Transition Experiment, and the High-Mach Fan Rig.

Airframe-integrated propulsion system for hypersonic cruise vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, R. A.; Huber, P. W.

1978-01-01

The paper describes a new hydrogen-burning airframe-integrated scramjet concept which offers good potential for efficient hypersonic cruise vehicles. The characteristics of the engine which assure good performance are extensive engine-airframe integration, fixed geometry, low cooling, and control of heat release in the supersonic combustor by mixed modes of fuel injection from the combustor entrance. The present paper describes the concept and presents results from inlet tests, direct-connect combustor tests, and tests of two subscale boiler-plate research engines currently underway under conditions which simulate flight at Mach 4 and 7. It is concluded that this engine concept has the potential for high thrust and efficiency, low drag and weight, low cooling requirement, and application to a wide range of vehicle sizes.

Dynamic Testing of the NASA Hypersonic Project Combined Cycle Engine Testbed for Mode Transition Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2011-01-01

NASA is interested in developing technology that leads to more routine, safe, and affordable access to space. Access to space using airbreathing propulsion systems has potential to meet these objectives based on Airbreathing Access to Space (AAS) system studies. To this end, the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program (FAP) Hypersonic Project is conducting fundamental research on a Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) propulsion system. The TBCC being studied considers a dual flow-path inlet system. One flow-path includes variable geometry to regulate airflow to a turbine engine cycle. The turbine cycle provides propulsion from take-off to supersonic flight. The second flow-path supports a dual-mode scramjet (DMSJ) cycle which would be initiated at supersonic speed to further accelerate the vehicle to hypersonic speed. For a TBCC propulsion system to accelerate a vehicle from supersonic to hypersonic speed, a critical enabling technology is the ability to safely and effectively transition from the turbine to the DMSJ-referred to as mode transition. To experimentally test methods of mode transition, a Combined Cycle Engine (CCE) Large-scale Inlet testbed was designed with two flow paths-a low speed flow-path sized for a turbine cycle and a high speed flow-path designed for a DMSJ. This testbed system is identified as the CCE Large-Scale Inlet for Mode Transition studies (CCE-LIMX). The test plan for the CCE-LIMX in the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) 10- by 10-ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel (10x10 SWT) is segmented into multiple phases. The first phase is a matrix of inlet characterization (IC) tests to evaluate the inlet performance and establish the mode transition schedule. The second phase is a matrix of dynamic system identification (SysID) experiments designed to support closed-loop control development at mode transition schedule operating points for the CCE-LIMX. The third phase includes a direct demonstration of controlled mode transition using a closed loop control

Hypersonic MHD Propulsion System Integration for the Mercury Lightcraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myrabo, L. N.; Rosa, R. J.

2004-03-01

Introduced herein are the design, systems integration, and performance analysis of an exotic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) slipstream accelerator engine for a single-occupant ``Mercury'' lightcraft. This ultra-energetic, laser-boosted vehicle is designed to ride a `tractor beam' into space, transmitted from a future orbital network of satellite solar power stations. The lightcraft's airbreathing combined-cycle engine employs a rotary pulsed detonation thruster mode for lift-off & landing, and an MHD slipstream accelerator mode at hypersonic speeds. The latter engine transforms the transatmospheric acceleration path into a virtual electromagnetic `mass-driver' channel; the hypersonic momentum exchange process (with the atmosphere) enables engine specific impulses in the range of 6000 to 16,000 seconds, and propellant mass fractions as low as 10%. The single-stage-to-orbit, highly reusable lightcraft can accelerate at 3 Gs into low Earth orbit with its throttle just barely beyond `idle' power, or virtually `disappear' at 30 G's and beyond. The objective of this advanced lightcraft design is to lay the technological foundations for a safe, very low cost (e.g., 1000X below chemical rockets) air and space transportation for human life in the mid-21st Century - a system that will be completely `green' and independent of Earth's limited fossil fuel reserves.

Hypersonic research engine/aerothermodynamic integration model, experimental results. Volume 1: Mach 6 component integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, E. H., Jr.; Mackley, E. A.

1976-01-01

The NASA Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) Project was initiated for the purpose of advancing the technology of airbreathing propulsion for hypersonic flight. A large component (inlet, combustor, and nozzle) and structures development program was encompassed by the project. The tests of a full-scale (18 in. diameter cowl and 87 in. long) HRE concept, designated the Aerothermodynamic Integration Model (AIM), at Mach numbers of 5, 6, and 7. Computer program results for Mach 6 component integration tests are presented.

Center of Excellence for Hypersonics Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-25

detailed simulations of actual combustor configurations, and ultimately for the optimization of hypersonic air - breathing propulsion system flow paths... vehicle development programs. The Center engaged leading experts in experimental and computational analysis of hypersonic flows to provide research...advanced hypersonic vehicles and space access systems will require significant advances in the design methods and ground testing techniques to ensure

Modeling of Electron Transpiration Cooling for Leading Edges of Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanquist, Kyle Matthew

The development of aeronautics has been largely driven by the passion to fly faster. From the flight of the Wright Flyer that flew 48 km/hr to the recent advances in hypersonic flight, most notably NASA's X-43A that flew at over 3 km/s, the velocity of flight has steadily increased. However, as these hypersonic speeds are reached and increased, contradicting aerothermodynamic design requirements present themselves. For example, a hypersonic cruise vehicle requires sharp leading edges to decrease the drag in order to maximize the range. However, the aerodynamic performance gains obtained by having a sharp leading edge come at the cost of very high, localized heating rates. There is currently no ideal way to manage these heating loads for sustained hypersonic flight, especially as flight velocities continue to increase. An approach that has been recently proposed involves using thermo-electric materials on these sharp leading edges to manage the heating loads. When exposed to high convective heating rates, these materials emit a current of electrons that leads to a cooling effect of the surface of the vehicle called electron transpiration cooling (ETC). This dissertation focuses on developing a modeling approach to investigate this phenomenon. The research includes developing and implementing an approach for ETC into a computational fluid dynamics code for simulation of hypersonic flow that accounts for electron emission from the surface. Models for space-charge-limited emission are also developed and implemented in order to accurately determine the level of emission from the surface. This work involves developing analytic models and assessing them using a direct-kinetic plasma sheath solver. Electric field effects are also implemented in the modeling approach, which accounts for forced diffusion and Joule heating. Finally, the modeling approach is coupled to a material response code in order to model the heat transfer into the material surface. Using this modeling

Airbreathing space boosters using in-flight oxidizer collection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurice, Lourdes Q.; Leingang, John L.; Carreiro, Louis R.

1992-07-01

A condensed historical review of the development of a propulsion fluid system known as ACES (Air Collection and Enrichment System) is presented. The role of the ACES system is to acquire and store liquid oxygen en route to orbit for rocket use beyond the airbreathing envelope. Earth-to-orbit capability is achieved without carrying liquid oxygen from take-off or relying on scramjets. The performance advantages of using ACES is mathematically formulated. Results from a recent vehicle study aimed at comparing ACES and Sanger type (LOX carrying) propulsion schemes are presented. The payload fractions achievable with ACES are shown to be superior to those of Sanger type vehicles and competitive with scramjet-powered space launch vehicles without relying on airbreathing propulsion beyond the speed of conventional turboramjet engines.

Hypersonic flight performance improvements by overfueled ramjet combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachs, G.; Bayer, R.; Lederer, R.; Schaber, R.

1991-12-01

The performance characteristics of hypersonic airbreathing engines are examined with emphasis on the effect of overfueled combustion on thrust and specific fuel-consumption, as well as on the combustion temperature, real gas effects, and pollution due to exhaust gas. It is shown that overfueled ramjet combustion can provide a means for improving flight performance at hypersonic speed and, consequently, reduce the mission fuel burn and the propulsion system weight. It is also shown that, in the separation flight maneuver, the separation condition for the upper stage can be improved by overfueled ramjet combustion of the first stage, making it possible to increase the payload which the upper stage can deliver into orbit. The flight mechanics modeling considerations are presented.

High-speed aerodynamic design of space vehicle and required hypersonic wind tunnel facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakakibara, Seizou; Hozumi, Kouichi; Soga, Kunio; Nomura, Shigeaki

Problems associated with the aerodynamic design of space vehicles with emphasis of the role of hypersonic wind tunnel facilities in the development of the vehicle are considered. At first, to identify wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) requirements, operational environments are postulated for hypervelocity vehicles. Typical flight corridors are shown with the associated flow density: real gas effects, low density flow, and non-equilibrium flow. Based on an evaluation of these flight regimes and consideration of the operational requirements, the wind tunnel testing requirements for the aerodynamic design are examined. Then, the aerodynamic design logic and optimization techniques to develop and refine the configurations in a traditional phased approach based on the programmatic design of space vehicle are considered. Current design methodology for the determination of aerodynamic characteristics for designing the space vehicle, i.e., (1) ground test data, (2) numerical flow field solutions and (3) flight test data, are also discussed. Based on these considerations and by identifying capabilities and limits of experimental and computational methods, the role of a large conventional hypersonic wind tunnel and the high enthalpy tunnel and the interrelationship of the wind tunnels and CFD methods in actual aerodynamic design and analysis are discussed.

Supercomputer modeling of flow past hypersonic flight vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermakov, M. K.; Kryukov, I. A.

2017-02-01

A software platform for MPI-based parallel solution of the Navier-Stokes (Euler) equations for viscous heat-conductive compressible perfect gas on 3-D unstructured meshes is developed. The discretization and solution of the Navier-Stokes equations are constructed on generalized S.K. Godunov’s method and the second order approximation in space and time. Developed software platform allows to carry out effectively flow past hypersonic flight vehicles simulations for the Mach numbers 6 and higher, and numerical meshes with up to 1 billion numerical cells and with up to 128 processors.

Hypersonic entry vehicle state estimation using nonlinearity-based adaptive cubature Kalman filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Tao; Xin, Ming

2017-05-01

Guidance, navigation, and control of a hypersonic vehicle landing on the Mars rely on precise state feedback information, which is obtained from state estimation. The high uncertainty and nonlinearity of the entry dynamics make the estimation a very challenging problem. In this paper, a new adaptive cubature Kalman filter is proposed for state trajectory estimation of a hypersonic entry vehicle. This new adaptive estimation strategy is based on the measure of nonlinearity of the stochastic system. According to the severity of nonlinearity along the trajectory, the high degree cubature rule or the conventional third degree cubature rule is adaptively used in the cubature Kalman filter. This strategy has the benefit of attaining higher estimation accuracy only when necessary without causing excessive computation load. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed adaptive filter exhibits better performance than the conventional third-degree cubature Kalman filter while maintaining the same performance as the uniform high degree cubature Kalman filter but with lower computation complexity.

Minimum weight passive insulation requirements for hypersonic cruise vehicles.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, M. D.

1972-01-01

Analytical solutions are derived for two representative cases of the transient heat conduction equation to determine the minimum weight requirements for passive insulation systems of hypersonic cruise vehicles. The cases discussed are the wet wall case with the interior wall temperature held to that of the boiling point of the fuel throughout the flight, and the dry wall case where the heat transferred through the insulation is absorbed by the interior structure whose temperature is allowed to rise.

Multidisciplinary Modeling Software for Analysis, Design, and Optimization of HRRLS Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spradley, Lawrence W.; Lohner, Rainald; Hunt, James L.

2011-01-01

The concept for Highly Reliable Reusable Launch Systems (HRRLS) under the NASA Hypersonics project is a two-stage-to-orbit, horizontal-take-off / horizontal-landing, (HTHL) architecture with an air-breathing first stage. The first stage vehicle is a slender body with an air-breathing propulsion system that is highly integrated with the airframe. The light weight slender body will deflect significantly during flight. This global deflection affects the flow over the vehicle and into the engine and thus the loads and moments on the vehicle. High-fidelity multi-disciplinary analyses that accounts for these fluid-structures-thermal interactions are required to accurately predict the vehicle loads and resultant response. These predictions of vehicle response to multi physics loads, calculated with fluid-structural-thermal interaction, are required in order to optimize the vehicle design over its full operating range. This contract with ResearchSouth addresses one of the primary objectives of the Vehicle Technology Integration (VTI) discipline: the development of high-fidelity multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization methods and tools for HRRLS vehicles. The primary goal of this effort is the development of an integrated software system that can be used for full-vehicle optimization. This goal was accomplished by: 1) integrating the master code, FEMAP, into the multidiscipline software network to direct the coupling to assure accurate fluid-structure-thermal interaction solutions; 2) loosely-coupling the Euler flow solver FEFLO to the available and proven aeroelasticity and large deformation (FEAP) code; 3) providing a coupled Euler-boundary layer capability for rapid viscous flow simulation; 4) developing and implementing improved Euler/RANS algorithms into the FEFLO CFD code to provide accurate shock capturing, skin friction, and heat-transfer predictions for HRRLS vehicles in hypersonic flow, 5) performing a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computation on an HRRLS

CFD for hypersonic propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis A.

1991-01-01

An overview is given of research activity on the application of computational fluid dynamics (CDF) for hypersonic propulsion systems. After the initial consideration of the highly integrated nature of air-breathing hypersonic engines and airframe, attention is directed toward computations carried out for the components of the engine. A generic inlet configuration is considered in order to demonstrate the highly three dimensional viscous flow behavior occurring within rectangular inlets. Reacting flow computations for simple jet injection as well as for more complex combustion chambers are then discussed in order to show the capability of viscous finite rate chemical reaction computer simulations. Finally, the nozzle flow fields are demonstrated, showing the existence of complex shear layers and shock structure in the exhaust plume. The general issues associated with code validation as well as the specific issue associated with the use of CFD for design are discussed. A prognosis for the success of CFD in the design of future propulsion systems is offered.

CFD for hypersonic propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis A.

1990-01-01

An overview is given of research activity on the application of computational fluid dynamics (CDF) for hypersonic propulsion systems. After the initial consideration of the highly integrated nature of air-breathing hypersonic engines and airframe, attention is directed toward computations carried out for the components of the engine. A generic inlet configuration is considered in order to demonstrate the highly three dimensional viscous flow behavior occurring within rectangular inlets. Reacting flow computations for simple jet injection as well as for more complex combustion chambers are then discussed in order to show the capability of viscous finite rate chemical reaction computer simulations. Finally, the nozzle flow fields are demonstrated, showing the existence of complex shear layers and shock structure in the exhaust plume. The general issues associated with code validation as well as the specific issue associated with the use of CFD for design are discussed. A prognosis for the success of CFD in the design of future propulsion systems is offered.

Prediction of forces and moments for hypersonic flight vehicle control effectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maughmer, Mark D.; Long, Lyle N.; Pagano, Peter J.

1991-01-01

Developing methods of predicting flight control forces and moments for hypersonic vehicles, included a preliminary assessment of subsonic/supersonic panel methods and hypersonic local flow inclination methods for such predictions. While these findings clearly indicate the usefulness of such methods for conceptual design activities, deficiencies exist in some areas. Thus, a second phase of research was proposed in which a better understanding is sought for the reasons of the successes and failures of the methods considered, particularly for the cases at hypersonic Mach numbers. To obtain this additional understanding, a more careful study of the results obtained relative to the methods used was undertaken. In addition, where appropriate and necessary, a more complete modeling of the flow was performed using well proven methods of computational fluid dynamics. As a result, assessments will be made which are more quantitative than those of phase 1 regarding the uncertainty involved in the prediction of the aerodynamic derivatives. In addition, with improved understanding, it is anticipated that improvements resulting in better accuracy will be made to the simple force and moment prediction.

Wave combustors for trans-atmospheric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menees, Gene P.; Adelman, Henry G.; Cambier, Jean-Luc; Bowles, Jeffrey V.

1989-01-01

The Wave Combustor is an airbreathing hypersonic propulsion system which utilizes shock and detonation waves to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion in supersonic flow. In this concept, an oblique shock wave in the combustor can act as a flameholder by increasing the pressure and temperature of the air-fuel mixture and thereby decreasing the ignition delay. If the oblique shock is sufficiently strong, then the combustion front and the shock wave can couple into a detonation wave. In this case, combustion occurs almost instantaneously in a thin zone behind the wave front. The result is a shorter, lighter engine compared to the scramjet. This engine, which is called the Oblique Detonation Wave Engine (ODWE), can then be utilized to provide a smaller, lighter vehicle or to provide a higher payload capability for a given vehicle weight. An analysis of the performance of a conceptual trans-atmospheric vehicle powered by an ODWE is given here.

The application of dual fuel /JP-LH2/ for hypersonic cruise vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weidner, J. P.

1978-01-01

The possibility of utilizing jet fuel (JP) stored primarily in the wings of hydrogen-fueled hypersonic cruise vehicles has been evaluated and compared to the performance of all hydrogen-fueled aircraft. Parametric investigations of wing loading, thrust-to-weight ratio, payload size and vehicle size are presented. Results indicate improvements in performance for a wide range of potential payload sizes, particularly when in-flight refueling of the JP fuel is considered as a means of increasing range and mission flexibility.

Electromagnetic shielding of thermal protection system for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albano, M.; Micheli, D.; Gradoni, G.; Morles, R. B.; Marchetti, M.; Moglie, F.; Mariani Primiani, V.

2013-06-01

The numerical simulation and the measurement of electromagnetic shielding at microwave frequencies of thermal protection system for hypersonic vehicles is presented using nested reverberation chamber. An example of a possible thermal protection system for a re-entry vehicle is presented. This system based on carbon material is electromagnetically characterized. The characterization takes into account not only the materials but also the final assembly configuration of the thermal protection system. The frequency range is 2-8 GHz. The results of measurements and simulations show that the microwave shielding effectiveness of carbon materials is above 60 dB for a single tile and that the tile inter-distance is able to downgrade the shielding effectiveness on the average to about 40 dB.

X-33 Hypersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Kelly J.; Nowak, Robert J.; Thompson, Richard A.; Hollis, Brian R.; Prabhu, Ramadas K.

1999-01-01

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, under a cooperative agreement with NASA, will design, build, and fly the X-33, a half-scale prototype of a rocket-based, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO), reusable launch vehicle (RLV). A 0.007-scale model of the X-33 604BOO02G configuration was tested in four hypersonic facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center to examine vehicle stability and control characteristics and to populate the aerodynamic flight database for the hypersonic regime. The vehicle was found to be longitudinally controllable with less than half of the total body flap deflection capability across the angle of attack range at both Mach 6 and Mach 10. Al these Mach numbers, the vehicle also was shown to be longitudinally stable or neutrally stable for typical (greater than 20 degrees) hypersonic flight attitudes. This configuration was directionally unstable and the use of reaction control jets (RCS) will be necessary to control the vehicle at high angles of attack in the hypersonic flight regime. Mach number and real gas effects on longitudinal aerodynamics were shown to be small relative to X-33 control authority.

X-33 Hypersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Kelly J.; Nowak, Robert J.; Thompson, Richard A.; Hollis, Brian R.; Prabhu, Ramadas K.

1999-01-01

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, under a cooperative agreement with NASA, will build and fly the X-33, a half-scale prototype of a rocket-based, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO), reusable launch vehicle (RLV). A 0.007-scale model of the X-33 604B0002G configuration was tested in four hypersonic facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center to examine vehicle stability and control characteristics and to populate an aerodynamic flight database i n the hypersonic regime. The vehicle was found to be longitudinally controllable with less than half of the total body flap deflection capability across the angle of attack range at both Mach 6 and Mach 10. At these Mach numbers, the vehicle also was shown to be longitudinally stable or neutrally stable for typical (greater than 20 degrees) hypersonic flight attitudes. This configuration was directionally unstable and the use of reaction control jets (RCS) will be necessary to control the vehicle at high angles of attack in the hypersonic flight regime. Mach number and real gas effects on longitudinal aerodynamics were shown to be small relative to X-33 control authority.

Structures and materials technology issues for reusable launch vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dixon, S. C.; Tenney, D. R.; Rummler, D. R.; Wieting, A. R.; Bader, R. M.

1985-01-01

Projected space missions for both civil and defense needs require significant improvements in structures and materials technology for reusable launch vehicles: reductions in structural weight compared to the Space Shuttle Orbiter of up to 25% or more, a possible factor of 5 or more increase in mission life, increases in maximum use temperature of the external surface, reusable containment of cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen, significant reductions in operational costs, and possibly less lead time between technology readiness and initial operational capability. In addition, there is increasing interest in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion for launch and transmospheric vehicles, and such systems require regeneratively cooled structure. The technology issues are addressed, giving brief assessments of the state-of-the-art and proposed activities to meet the technology requirements in a timely manner.

A hypersonic research vehicle to develop scramjet engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregorek, G. M.; Reuss, R. L.

1990-01-01

Four student design teams produced conceptual designs for a research vehicle to develop the supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) engines necessary for efficient hypersonic flight. This research aircraft would provide flight test data for prototype scramjets that is not available in groundbased test facilities. The design specifications call for a research aircraft to be launched from a carrier aircraft at 40,000 feet and a Mach number of 0.8. The aircraft must accelerate to Mach 6 while climbing to a 100,000 foot altitude and then ignite the experimental scramjet engines for acceleration to Mach 10. The research vehicle must then be recovered for another flight. The students responded with four different designs, two piloted waverider configurations, and two unmanned vehicles, one with a blended body-wing configuration, the other with a delta wing shape. All aircraft made use of an engine database provided by the General Electric Aircraft Engine Group; both turbofan ramjet and scramjet engine performance using liquid hydrogen fuel was available. Explained here are the students' conceptual designs and the aerodynamic and propulsion concepts that made their designs feasible.

Evaluation of an Ejector Ramjet Based Propulsion System for Air-Breathing Hypersonic Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Scott R.; Perkins, H. Douglas; Trefny, Charles J.

1997-01-01

A Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine system is designed to combine the high thrust to weight ratio of a rocket along with the high specific impulse of a ramjet in a single, integrated propulsion system. This integrated, combined cycle propulsion system is designed to provide higher vehicle performance than that achievable with a separate rocket and ramjet. The RBCC engine system studied in the current program is the Aerojet strutjet engine concept, which is being developed jointly by a government-industry team as part of the Air Force HyTech program pre-PRDA activity. The strutjet is an ejector-ramjet engine in which small rocket chambers are embedded into the trailing edges of the inlet compression struts. The engine operates as an ejector-ramjet from take-off to slightly above Mach 3. Above Mach 3 the engine operates as a ramjet and transitions to a scramjet at high Mach numbers. For space launch applications the rockets would be re-ignited at a Mach number or altitude beyond which air-breathing propulsion alone becomes impractical. The focus of the present study is to develop and demonstrate a strutjet flowpath using hydrocarbon fuel at up to Mach 7 conditions. Freejet tests of a candidate flowpath for this RBCC engine were conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center's Hypersonic Tunnel Facility between July and September 1996. This paper describes the engine flowpath and installation, outlines the primary objectives of the program, and describes the overall results of this activity. Through this program 15 full duration tests, including 13 fueled tests were made. The first major achievement was the further demonstration of the HTF capability. The facility operated at conditions up to 1950 K and 7.34 MPa, simulating approximately Mach 6.6 flight. The initial tests were unfueled and focused on verifying both facility and engine starting. During these runs additional aerodynamic appliances were incorporated onto the facility diffuser to enhance starting

Efficient Numerical Simulation of Aerothermoelastic Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klock, Ryan J.

Hypersonic vehicles operate in a high-energy flight environment characterized by high dynamic pressures, high thermal loads, and non-equilibrium flow dynamics. This environment induces strong fluid, thermal, and structural dynamics interactions that are unique to this flight regime. If these vehicles are to be effectively designed and controlled, then a robust and intuitive understanding of each of these disciplines must be developed not only in isolation, but also when coupled. Limitations on scaling and the availability of adequate test facilities mean that physical investigation is infeasible. Ever growing computational power offers the ability to perform elaborate numerical simulations, but also has its own limitations. The state of the art in numerical simulation is either to create ever more high-fidelity physics models that do not couple well and require too much processing power to consider more than a few seconds of flight, or to use low-fidelity analytical models that can be tightly coupled and processed quickly, but do not represent realistic systems due to their simplifying assumptions. Reduced-order models offer a middle ground by distilling the dominant trends of high-fidelity training solutions into a form that can be quickly processed and more tightly coupled. This thesis presents a variably coupled, variable-fidelity, aerothermoelastic framework for the simulation and analysis of high-speed vehicle systems using analytical, reduced-order, and surrogate modeling techniques. Full launch-to-landing flights of complete vehicles are considered and used to define flight envelopes with aeroelastic, aerothermal, and thermoelastic limits, tune in-the-loop flight controllers, and inform future design considerations. A partitioned approach to vehicle simulation is considered in which regions dominated by particular combinations of processes are made separate from the overall solution and simulated by a specialized set of models to improve overall processing

Impact of Martian atmosphere parameter uncertainties on entry vehicles aerodynamic for hypersonic rarefied conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Huang; Xu-hong, Jin; Jun-ming, Lv; Xiao-li, Cheng

2016-11-01

An attempt has been made to analyze impact of Martian atmosphere parameter uncertainties on entry vehicle aerodynamics for hypersonic rarefied conditions with a DSMC code. The code has been validated by comparing Viking vehicle flight data with present computational results. Then, by simulating flows around the Mars Science Laboratory, the impact of errors of free stream parameter uncertainties on aerodynamics is investigated. The validation results show that the present numerical approach can show good agreement with the Viking flight data. The physical and chemical properties of CO2 has strong impact on aerodynamics of Mars entry vehicles, so it is necessary to make proper corrections to the data obtained with air model in hypersonic rarefied conditions, which is consistent with the conclusions drawn in continuum regime. Uncertainties of free stream density and velocity weakly influence aerodynamics and pitching moment. However, aerodynamics appears to be little influenced by free stream temperature, the maximum error of what is below 0.5%. Center of pressure position is not sensitive to free stream parameters.

Nonlinear fractional order proportion-integral-derivative active disturbance rejection control method design for hypersonic vehicle attitude control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jia; Wang, Lun; Cai, Guobiao; Qi, Xiaoqiang

2015-06-01

Near space hypersonic vehicle model is nonlinear, multivariable and couples in the reentry process, which are challenging for the controller design. In this paper, a nonlinear fractional order proportion integral derivative (NFOPIλDμ) active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) strategy based on a natural selection particle swarm (NSPSO) algorithm is proposed for the hypersonic vehicle flight control. The NFOPIλDμ ADRC method consists of a tracking-differentiator (TD), an NFOPIλDμ controller and an extended state observer (ESO). The NFOPIλDμ controller designed by combining an FOPIλDμ method and a nonlinear states error feedback control law (NLSEF) is to overcome concussion caused by the NLSEF and conversely compensate the insufficiency for relatively simple and rough signal processing caused by the FOPIλDμ method. The TD is applied to coordinate the contradiction between rapidity and overshoot. By attributing all uncertain factors to unknown disturbances, the ESO can achieve dynamic feedback compensation for these disturbances and thus reduce their effects. Simulation results show that the NFOPIλDμ ADRC method can make the hypersonic vehicle six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear model track desired nominal signals accurately and fast, has good stability, dynamic properties and strong robustness against external environmental disturbances.

Evaluation of an Ejector Ramjet Based Propulsion System for Air-Breathing Hypersonic Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Scott R.; Perkins, H. Douglas; Trefny, Charles J.

1997-01-01

A Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine system is designed to combine the high thrust to weight ratio of a rocket along with the high specific impulse of a ramjet in a single, integrated propulsion system. This integrated, combined cycle propulsion system is designed to provide higher vehicle performance than that achievable with a separate rocket and ramjet. The RBCC engine system studied in the current program is the Aerojet strutjet engine concept, which is being developed jointly by a government-industry team as part of the Air Force HyTech program pre-PRDA activity. The strutjet is an ejector-ramjet engine in which small rocket chambers are embedded into the trailing edges of the inlet compression struts. The engine operates as an ejector-ramjet from takeoff to slightly above Mach 3. Above Mach 3 the engine operates as a ramjet and transitions to a scramjet at high Mach numbers. For space launch applications the rockets would be re-ignited at a Mach number or altitude beyond which air-breathing propulsion alone becomes impractical. The focus of the present study is to develop and demonstrate a strutjet flowpath using hydrocarbon fuel at up to Mach 7 conditions.

Prediction of forces and moments for hypersonic flight vehicle control effectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maughmer, Mark D.; Long, Lyle N.; Guilmette, Neal; Pagano, Peter

1993-01-01

This research project includes three distinct phases. For completeness, all three phases of the work are briefly described in this report. The goal was to develop methods of predicting flight control forces and moments for hypersonic vehicles which could be used in a preliminary design environment. The first phase included a preliminary assessment of subsonic/supersonic panel methods and hypersonic local flow inclination methods for such predictions. While these findings clearly indicated the usefulness of such methods for conceptual design activities, deficiencies exist in some areas. Thus, a second phase of research was conducted in which a better understanding was sought for the reasons behind the successes and failures of the methods considered, particularly for the cases at hypersonic Mach numbers. This second phase involved using computational fluid dynamics methods to examine the flow fields in detail. Through these detailed predictions, the deficiencies in the simple surface inclination methods were determined. In the third phase of this work, an improvement to the surface inclination methods was developed. This used a novel method for including viscous effects by modifying the geometry to include the viscous/shock layer.

Ablative thermal management structural material on the hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shortland, H.; Tsai, C.

A hypersonic vehicle is designed to fly at high Mach number in the earth's atmosphere that will result in higher aerodynamic heating loads on specific areas of the vehicle. A thermal protection system is required for these areas that may exceed the operating temperature limit of structural materials. This paper delineates the application of ablative material as the passive type of thermal protection system for the nose or wing leading edges. A simplified quasi-steady-state one-dimensional computer model was developed to evaluate the performance and thermal design of a leading edge. The detailed description of the governing mathematical equations and results are presented. This model provides a quantitative information to support the design estimate, performance optimization, and assess preliminary feasibility of using ablation as a design approach.

Design and Fabrication of the ISTAR Direct-Connect Combustor Experiment at the NASA Hypersonic Tunnel Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jin-Ho; Krivanek, Thomas M.

2005-01-01

The Integrated Systems Test of an Airbreathing Rocket (ISTAR) project was a flight demonstration project initiated to advance the state of the art in Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) propulsion development. The primary objective of the ISTAR project was to develop a reusable air breathing vehicle and enabling technologies. This concept incorporated a RBCC propulsion system to enable the vehicle to be air dropped at Mach 0.7 and accelerated up to Mach 7 flight culminating in a demonstration of hydrocarbon scramjet operation. A series of component experiments was planned to reduce the level of risk and to advance the technology base. This paper summarizes the status of a full scale direct connect combustor experiment with heated endothermic hydrocarbon fuels. This is the first use of the NASA GRC Hypersonic Tunnel facility to support a direct-connect test. The technical and mechanical challenges involved with adapting this facility, previously used only in the free-jet configuration, for use in direct connect mode will be also described.

A Collaborative Analysis Tool for Integrated Hypersonic Aerodynamics, Thermal Protection Systems, and RBCC Engine Performance for Single Stage to Orbit Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanley, Thomas Troy; Alexander, Reginald; Landrum, Brian

2000-01-01

Presented is a computer-based tool that connects several disciplines that are needed in the complex and integrated design of high performance reusable single stage to orbit (SSTO) vehicles. Every system is linked to every other system, as is the case of SSTO vehicles with air breathing propulsion, which is currently being studied by NASA. An RBCC propulsion system integrates airbreathing and rocket propulsion into a single engine assembly enclosed within a cowl or duct. A typical RBCC propulsion system operates as a ducted rocket up to approximately Mach 3. Then there is a transition to a ramjet mode for supersonic-to-hypersonic acceleration. Around Mach 8 the engine transitions to a scramjet mode. During the ramjet and scramjet modes, the integral rockets operate as fuel injectors. Around Mach 10-12 (the actual value depends on vehicle and mission requirements), the inlet is physically closed and the engine transitions to an integral rocket mode for orbit insertion. A common feature of RBCC propelled vehicles is the high degree of integration between the propulsion system and airframe. At high speeds the vehicle forebody is fundamentally part of the engine inlet, providing a compression surface for air flowing into the engine. The compressed air is mixed with fuel and burned. The combusted mixture must be expanded to an area larger than the incoming stream to provide thrust. Since a conventional nozzle would be too large, the entire lower after body of the vehicle is used as an expansion surface. Because of the high external temperatures seen during atmospheric flight, the design of an airbreathing SSTO vehicle requires delicate tradeoffs between engine design, vehicle shape, and thermal protection system (TPS) sizing in order to produce an optimum system in terms of weight (and cost) and maximum performance. To adequately determine the performance of the engine/vehicle, the Hypersonic Flight Inlet Model (HYFIM) module was designed to interface with the RBCC

Validation of engineering methods for predicting hypersonic vehicle controls forces and moments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maughmer, M.; Straussfogel, D.; Long, L.; Ozoroski, L.

1991-01-01

This work examines the ability of the aerodynamic analysis methods contained in an industry standard conceptual design code, the Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System (APAS II), to estimate the forces and moments generated through control surface deflections from low subsonic to high hypersonic speeds. Predicted control forces and moments generated by various control effectors are compared with previously published wind-tunnel and flight-test data for three vehicles: the North American X-15, a hypersonic research airplane concept, and the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Qualitative summaries of the results are given for each force and moment coefficient and each control derivative in the various speed ranges. Results show that all predictions of longitudinal stability and control derivatives are acceptable for use at the conceptual design stage.

Buckling analysis and test correlation of hat stiffened panels for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Percy, Wendy C.; Fields, Roger A.

1990-01-01

The paper discusses the design, analysis, and test of hat stiffened panels subjected to a variety of thermal and mechanical load conditions. The panels were designed using data from structural optimization computer codes and finite element analysis. Test methods included the grid shadow moire method and a single gage force stiffness method. The agreement between the test data and analysis provides confidence in the methods that are currently being used to design structures for hypersonic vehicles. The agreement also indicates that post buckled strength may potentially be used to reduce the vehicle weight.

Dynamic interactions between hypersonic vehicle aerodynamics and propulsion system performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flandro, G. A.; Roach, R. L.; Buschek, H.

1992-01-01

Described here is the development of a flexible simulation model for scramjet hypersonic propulsion systems. The primary goal is determination of sensitivity of the thrust vector and other system parameters to angle of attack changes of the vehicle. Such information is crucial in design and analysis of control system performance for hypersonic vehicles. The code is also intended to be a key element in carrying out dynamic interaction studies involving the influence of vehicle vibrations on propulsion system/control system coupling and flight stability. Simple models are employed to represent the various processes comprising the propulsion system. A method of characteristics (MOC) approach is used to solve the forebody and external nozzle flow fields. This results in a very fast computational algorithm capable of carrying out the vast number of simulation computations needed in guidance, stability, and control studies. The three-dimensional fore- and aft body (nozzle) geometry is characterized by the centerline profiles as represented by a series of coordinate points and body cross-section curvature. The engine module geometry is represented by an adjustable vertical grid to accommodate variations of the field parameters throughout the inlet and combustor. The scramjet inlet is modeled as a two-dimensional supersonic flow containing adjustable sidewall wedges and multiple fuel injection struts. The inlet geometry including the sidewall wedge angles, the number of injection struts, their sweepback relative to the vehicle reference line, and strut cross-section are user selectable. Combustion is currently represented by a Rayleigh line calculation including corrections for variable gas properties; improved models are being developed for this important element of the propulsion flow field. The program generates (1) variation of thrust magnitude and direction with angle of attack, (2) pitching moment and line of action of the thrust vector, (3) pressure and temperature

Method and system for control of upstream flowfields of vehicle in supersonic or hypersonic atmospheric flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daso, Endwell O. (Inventor); Pritchett, II, Victor E. (Inventor); Wang, Ten-See (Inventor); Farr, Rebecca Ann (Inventor)

2012-01-01

The upstream flowfield of a vehicle traveling in supersonic or hypersonic atmospheric flight is actively controlled using attribute(s) experienced by the vehicle. Sensed attribute(s) include pressure along the vehicle's outer mold line, temperature along the vehicle's outer mold line, heat flux along the vehicle's outer mold line, and/or local acceleration response of the vehicle. A non-heated, non-plasma-producing gas is injected into an upstream flowfield of the vehicle from at least one surface location along the vehicle's outer mold line. The pressure of the gas so-injected is adjusted based on the attribute(s) so-sensed.

Rapid near-optimal trajectory generation and guidance law development for single-stage-to-orbit airbreathing vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calise, A. J.; Flandro, G. A.; Corban, J. E.

1990-01-01

General problems associated with on-board trajectory optimization, propulsion system cycle selection, and with the synthesis of guidance laws were addressed for an ascent to low-earth-orbit of an air-breathing single-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The NASA Generic Hypersonic Aerodynamic Model Example and the Langley Accelerator aerodynamic sets were acquired and implemented. Work related to the development of purely analytic aerodynamic models was also performed at a low level. A generic model of a multi-mode propulsion system was developed that includes turbojet, ramjet, scramjet, and rocket engine cycles. Provisions were made in the dynamic model for a component of thrust normal to the flight path. Computational results, which characterize the nonlinear sensitivity of scramjet performance to changes in vehicle angle of attack, were obtained and incorporated into the engine model. Additional trajectory constraints were introduced: maximum dynamic pressure; maximum aerodynamic heating rate per unit area; angle of attack and lift limits; and limits on acceleration both along and normal to the flight path. The remainder of the effort focused on required modifications to a previously derived algorithm when the model complexity cited above was added. In particular, analytic switching conditions were derived which, under appropriate assumptions, govern optimal transition from one propulsion mode to another for two cases: the case in which engine cycle operations can overlap, and the case in which engine cycle operations are mutually exclusive. The resulting guidance algorithm was implemented in software and exercised extensively. It was found that the approximations associated with the assumed time scale separation employed in this work are reasonable except over the Mach range from roughly 5 to 8. This phenomenon is due to the very large thrust capability of scramjets in this Mach regime when sized to meet the requirement for ascent to orbit. By accounting for flight path

Adaptive integral dynamic surface control of a hypersonic flight vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aslam Butt, Waseem; Yan, Lin; Amezquita S., Kendrick

2015-07-01

In this article, non-linear adaptive dynamic surface air speed and flight path angle control designs are presented for the longitudinal dynamics of a flexible hypersonic flight vehicle. The tracking performance of the control design is enhanced by introducing a novel integral term that caters to avoiding a large initial control signal. To ensure feasibility, the design scheme incorporates magnitude and rate constraints on the actuator commands. The uncertain non-linear functions are approximated by an efficient use of the neural networks to reduce the computational load. A detailed stability analysis shows that all closed-loop signals are uniformly ultimately bounded and the ? tracking performance is guaranteed. The robustness of the design scheme is verified through numerical simulations of the flexible flight vehicle model.

Design Study of Wafer Seals for Future Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunlap, Patrick H.; Finkbeiner, Joshua R.; Steinetz, Bruce M.; DeMange, Jeffrey J.

2005-01-01

Future hypersonic vehicles require high temperature, dynamic seals in advanced hypersonic engines and on the vehicle airframe to seal the perimeters of movable panels, flaps, and doors. Current seals do not meet the demanding requirements of these applications, so NASA Glenn Research Center is developing improved designs to overcome these shortfalls. An advanced ceramic wafer seal design has shown promise in meeting these needs. Results from a design of experiments study performed on this seal revealed that several installation variables played a role in determining the amount of leakage past the seals. Lower leakage rates were achieved by using a tighter groove width around the seals, a higher seal preload, a tighter wafer height tolerance, and a looser groove length. During flow testing, a seal activating pressure acting behind the wafers combined with simulated vibrations to seat the seals more effectively against the sealing surface and produce lower leakage rates. A seal geometry study revealed comparable leakage for full-scale wafers with 0.125 and 0.25 in. thicknesses. For applications in which lower part counts are desired, fewer 0.25-in.-thick wafers may be able to be used in place of 0.125-in.-thick wafers while achieving similar performance. Tests performed on wafers with a rounded edge (0.5 in. radius) in contact with the sealing surface resulted in flow rates twice as high as those for wafers with a flat edge. Half-size wafers had leakage rates approximately three times higher than those for full-size wafers.

Analysis of a hypersonic waverider research vehicle with a hydrocarbon scramjet engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molvik, Gregory A.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Huynh, Loc C.

1993-01-01

The results of a feasibility study of a hypersonic waverider research vehicle with a hydrocarbon scramjet engine are presented. The integrated waverider/scramjet geometry is first optimized with a vehicle synthesis code to produce a maximum product of the lift-to-drag ratio and the cycle specific impulse, hence cruise range. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is then employed to provide a nose-to-tail analysis of the system at the on-design conditions. Some differences are noted between the results of the two analysis techniques. A comparison of experimental, engineering analysis and CFD results on a waverider forebody are also included for validation.

HYPERDATA - BASIC HYPERSONIC DATA AND EQUATIONS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackall, D.

1994-01-01

In an effort to place payloads into orbit at the lowest possible costs, the use of air-breathing space-planes, which reduces the need to carry the propulsion system oxidizer, has been examined. As this approach would require the space-plane to fly at hypersonic speeds for periods of time much greater than that required by rockets, many factors must be considered when analyzing its benefits. The Basic Hypersonic Data and Equations spreadsheet provides data gained from three analyses of a space-plane's performance. The equations used to perform the analyses are derived from Newton's second law of physics (i.e. force equals mass times acceleration); the derivation is included. The first analysis is a parametric study of some basic factors affecting the ability of a space-plane to reach orbit. This step calculates the fraction of fuel mass to the total mass of the space-plane at takeoff. The user is able to vary the altitude, the heating value of the fuel, the orbital gravity, and orbital velocity. The second analysis calculates the thickness of a spherical fuel tank, while assuming all of the mass of the vehicle went into the tank's shell. This provides a first order analysis of how much material results from a design where the fuel represents a large portion of the total vehicle mass. In this step, the user is allowed to vary the values for gross weight, material density, and fuel density. The third analysis produces a ratio of gallons of fuel per total mass for various aircraft. It shows that the volume of fuel required by the space-plane relative to the total mass is much larger for a liquid hydrogen space-plane than any other vehicle made. This program is a spreadsheet for use on Macintosh series computers running Microsoft Excel 3.0. The standard distribution medium for this package is a 3.5 inch 800K Macintosh format diskette. Documentation is included in the price of the program. Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Microsoft is a

Retooling CFD for hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwoyer, Douglas L.; Kutler, Paul; Povinelli, Louis A.

1987-01-01

The CFD facility requirements of hypersonic aircraft configuration design development are different from those thus far employed for reentry vehicle design, because (1) the airframe and the propulsion system must be fully integrated to achieve the desired performance; (2) the vehicle must be reusable, with minimum refurbishment requirements between flights; and (3) vehicle performance must be optimized for a wide range of Mach numbers. An evaluation is presently made of flow resolution within shock waves, transition and turbulence phenomenon tractability, chemical reaction modeling, and hypersonic boundary layer transition, with state-of-the-art CFD.

A methodology for hypersonic transport technology planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Repic, E. M.; Olson, G. A.; Milliken, R. J.

1973-01-01

A systematic procedure by which the relative economic value of technology factors affecting design, configuration, and operation of a hypersonic cruise transport can be evaluated is discussed. Use of the methodology results in identification of first-order economic gains potentially achievable by projected advances in each of the definable, hypersonic technologies. Starting with a baseline vehicle, the formulas, procedures and forms which are integral parts of this methodology are developed. A demonstration of the methodology is presented for one specific hypersonic vehicle system.

CFD applications in hypersonic flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, T. A.

1992-01-01

Design studies are underway for a variety of hypersonic flight vehicles. The National Aero-Space Plane will provide a reusable, single-stage-to-orbit capability for routine access to low earth orbit. Flight-capable satellites will dip into the atmosphere to maneuver to new orbits, while planetary probes will decelerate at their destination by atmospheric aerobraking. To supplement limited experimental capabilities in the hypersonic regime, CFD is being used to analyze the flow about these configurations. The governing equations include fluid dynamic as well as chemical species equations, which are solved with robust upwind differencing schemes. Examples of CFD applications to hypersonic vehicles suggest an important role this technology will play in the development of future aerospace systems. The computational resources needed to obtain solutions are large, but various strategies are being exploited to reduce the time required for complete vehicle simulations.

Launch vehicles of the future - Earth to near-earth space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keyworth, G. A., II

Attention is given to criteria for launch vehicles of the future, namely, cost, flexibility of payload size, and routine access to space. The National Aerospace Plane (NASP), an airplane designed to achieve hypersonic speeds using a sophisticated air-breathing engine, is argued to meet these criteria. Little additional oxygen is needed to enter low-earth orbit, and it will return to an airport runway under powered flight. Cost estimates for a NASP-derived vehicle are two to five million dollars for a payload of 20,000 to 30,000 pounds to orbit. For the Shuttle, a comparable payload is nominally about 150 million dollars. NASP estimates for the new single-stage-to-orbit designs are substantially lower than existing launch costs. The NASP also offers fast turnaround and minimal logistics. Access to virtually all near-earth orbits will be provided as well.

Control-Relevant Modeling, Analysis, and Design for Scramjet-Powered Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Armando A.; Dickeson, Jeffrey J.; Sridharan, Srikanth; Benavides, Jose; Soloway, Don; Kelkar, Atul; Vogel, Jerald M.

2009-01-01

Within this paper, control-relevant vehicle design concepts are examined using a widely used 3 DOF (plus flexibility) nonlinear model for the longitudinal dynamics of a generic carrot-shaped scramjet powered hypersonic vehicle. Trade studies associated with vehicle/engine parameters are examined. The impact of parameters on control-relevant static properties (e.g. level-flight trimmable region, trim controls, AOA, thrust margin) and dynamic properties (e.g. instability and right half plane zero associated with flight path angle) are examined. Specific parameters considered include: inlet height, diffuser area ratio, lower forebody compression ramp inclination angle, engine location, center of gravity, and mass. Vehicle optimizations is also examined. Both static and dynamic considerations are addressed. The gap-metric optimized vehicle is obtained to illustrate how this control-centric concept can be used to "reduce" scheduling requirements for the final control system. A classic inner-outer loop control architecture and methodology is used to shed light on how specific vehicle/engine design parameter selections impact control system design. In short, the work represents an important first step toward revealing fundamental tradeoffs and systematically treating control-relevant vehicle design.

Australian Air Breathing Propulsion Research for Hypersonic, Beamed Energy-Propelled Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froning, David

2010-05-01

A three year laser-propelled vehicle analysis and design investigation has been begun in June, 2009 by Faculty and graduate students at the University of Adelaide under a Grant/Cooperative Agreement Award to the University of Adelaide by the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD). The major objectives of thsis investigation are: (a) development of hypersonic, air breathing "lightcraft" with innovative air inlets that enable acceptable airflow capture and combustion, and acceptable cowl-lip heating rates during hot, high-speed, high angle-of-attack hypersonic flight; (b) yest of the most promising lightcraft and inlet design in the high power laser beam that is part of the shock tunnel facility at CTO Instituto in Brazil; and (c) plan a series of laser guided and propelled flights that achieve supersonic or higher speed at the Woomera Test Facility (WTF) in South Australia—using the existing WTF launching and tracking facilities and sponsor-provided laser pointing and tracking and illumination systems.

Global strike hypersonic weapons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Mark J.

2017-11-01

Beginning in the 1940's, the United States has pursued the development of hypersonic technologies, enabling atmospheric flight in excess of five times the speed of sound. Hypersonic flight has application to a range of military and civilian applications, including commercial transport, space access, and various weapons and sensing platforms. A number of flight tests of hypersonic vehicles have been conducted by countries around the world, including the United States, Russia, and China, that could lead the way to future hypersonic global strike weapon systems. These weapons would be especially effective at penetrating conventional defenses, and could pose a significant risk to national security.

Fitting aerodynamics and propulsion into the puzzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Patrick J.; Whitehead, Allen H., Jr.; Chapman, Gary T.

1987-01-01

The development of an airbreathing single-stage-to-orbit vehicle, in particular the problems of aerodynamics and propulsion integration, is examined. The boundary layer transition on constant pressure surfaces at hypersonic velocities, and the effects of noise on the transition are investigated. The importance of viscosity, real-gas effects, and drag at hypersonic speeds is discussed. A propulsion system with sufficient propulsive lift to enhance the performance of the vehicle is being developed. The difficulties of engine-airframe integration are analyzed.

Development Activities on Airbreathing Combined Cycle Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McArthur, J. Craig; Lyles, Garry (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Contents include the following: Advanced reusable transportation(ART); aerojet and rocketdyne tests, RBCC focused concept flowpaths,fabricate flight weigh, test select components, document ART project, Istar (Integrated system test of an airbreathing rocket); combined cycle propulsion testbed;hydrocarbon demonstrator tracebility; Istar engine system and vehicle system closure study; and Istar project planning.

Employment of hypersonic glide vehicles: Proposed criteria for use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Olguin, Abel

Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs) are a type of reentry vehicle that couples the high speed of ballistic missiles with the maneuverability of aircraft. The HGV has been in development since the 1970s, and its technology falls under the category of Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS) weapons. As noted by James M. Acton, a senior associate in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment, CPGS is a “missile in search of a mission.” With the introduction of any significant new military capability, a doctrine for use—including specifics regarding how, when and where it would be used, as well as tactics,more » training and procedures—must be clearly defined and understood by policy makers, military commanders, and planners. In this paper, benefits and limitations of the HGV are presented. Proposed criteria and four scenarios illustrate a possible method for assessing when to use an HGV.« less

Experimental And Numerical Investigation Of Aerothermal Characteristics Of The IXV Hypersonic Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paris, S.; Charbonnier, D.; Tran, D.

2011-05-01

The main results of the aerothermodynamic hypersonic characterization of Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV), by means of both CFD simulations and wind tunnel measurements, have been reported and analyzed. In the framework of ESA FLPP Program, the VKI (Von Karman Institute) was in charge of an experimental test campaign for the consolidation of the aerothermal database in cold hypersonic regime. The tests campaign has been carried out at VKI Free Piston Longshot wind tunnel at mach 14. The numerical simulations have been performed for VKI wind tunnel conditions by CFSE with the in-house NSMB flow solver (Navier-Stokes Multi-Blocks 3D), the goal being to support the procedure of extrapolation-to-flight of the measurements and the general aerothermal characterization. Laminar, transitional and fully turbulent flows have been computed, with air considered as an ideal gas, for the wind tunnel tests numerical rebuilding. A detailed comparison of all measured and predicted hypersonic relevant phenomena and parameters (surface pressure and heat flux) is reported in the paper, together with a detailed description of configuration, freestream conditions, model attitude effects and flap deflection effect. The detailed analyze of the experimental and numerical data gives information on the nature of the flow on the body and on the flaps for the most critical configuration

JANNAF Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 35th Combustion Subcommittee Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S. (Editor); Gannaway, Mary T. (Editor); Rognan, Melanie (Editor)

1998-01-01

This document, CPIA Publication 682, Volume 1, is a compilation of 5 unclassified/unlimited technical papers (approved for public release) which were presented at the 1 998 meeting of the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee (APS) and Combustion Subcommittee (CS) held jointly with the Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS). The meeting was held on 7-11 December 1998 at Raytheon Systems Company and the Marriott Hotel, Tucson, AZ. Topics covered include HyTech technology development, hydrocarbon fuel development for hypersonic applications, pulse detonation propulsion system development and arc heaters for direct-connect scramjet testing.

Advances in hypersonic vehicle synthesis with application to studies of advanced thermal protection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the work entitled 'Advances in Hypersonic Vehicle Synthesis with Application to Studies of Advanced Thermal Protection Systems.' The effort was in two areas: (1) development of advanced methods of trajectory and propulsion system optimization; and (2) development of advanced methods of structural weight estimation. The majority of the effort was spent in the trajectory area.

Airbreathing engine selection criteria for SSTO propulsion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohkami, Yoshiaki; Maita, Masataka

1995-02-01

This paper presents airbreathing engine selection criteria to be applied to the propulsion system of a Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO). To establish the criteria, a relation among three major parameters, i.e., delta-V capability, weight penalty, and effective specific impulse of the engine subsystem, is derived as compared to these parameters of the LH2/LOX rocket engine. The effective specific impulse is a function of the engine I(sub sp) and vehicle thrust-to-drag ratio which is approximated by a function of the vehicle velocity. The weight penalty includes the engine dry weight, cooling subsystem weight. The delta-V capability is defined by the velocity region starting from the minimum operating velocity up to the maximum velocity. The vehicle feasibility is investigated in terms of the structural and propellant weights, which requires an iteration process adjusting the system parameters. The system parameters are computed by iteration based on the Newton-Raphson method. It has been concluded that performance in the higher velocity region is extremely important so that the airbreathing engines are required to operate beyond the velocity equivalent to the rocket engine exhaust velocity (approximately 4500 m/s).

Advanced Guidance and Control for Hypersonics and Space Access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, John M.; Hall, Charles E.; Mulqueen, John A.; Jones, Robert E.

2003-01-01

Advanced guidance and control (AG&C) technologies are critical for meeting safety, reliability, and cost requirements for the next generation of reusable launch vehicle (RLV), whether it is fully rocket-powered or has air- breathing components. This becomes clear upon examining the number of expendable launch vehicle failures in the recent past where AG&C technologies could have saved a RLV with the same failure mode, the additional vehicle problems where t h i s technology applies, and the costs and time associated with mission design with or without all these failure issues. The state-of-the-art in guidance and control technology, as well as in computing technology, is the point where we can look to the possibility of being able to safely return a RLV in any situation where it can physically be recovered. This paper outlines reasons for AWC, current technology efforts, and the additional work needed for making this goal a reality. There are a number of approaches to AG&C that have the potential for achieving the desired goals. For some of these methods, we compare the results of tests designed to demonstrate the achievement of the goals. Tests up to now have been focused on rocket-powered vehicles; application to hypersonic air-breathers is planned. We list the test cases used to demonstrate that the desired results are achieved, briefly describe an automated test scoring method, and display results of the tests. Some of the technology components have reached the maturity level where they are ready for application to a new vehicle concept, while others are not far along in development.

Hypersonic Vehicle Trajectory Optimization and Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balakrishnan, S. N.; Shen, J.; Grohs, J. R.

1997-01-01

Two classes of neural networks have been developed for the study of hypersonic vehicle trajectory optimization and control. The first one is called an 'adaptive critic'. The uniqueness and main features of this approach are that: (1) they need no external training; (2) they allow variability of initial conditions; and (3) they can serve as feedback control. This is used to solve a 'free final time' two-point boundary value problem that maximizes the mass at the rocket burn-out while satisfying the pre-specified burn-out conditions in velocity, flightpath angle, and altitude. The second neural network is a recurrent network. An interesting feature of this network formulation is that when its inputs are the coefficients of the dynamics and control matrices, the network outputs are the Kalman sequences (with a quadratic cost function); the same network is also used for identifying the coefficients of the dynamics and control matrices. Consequently, we can use it to control a system whose parameters are uncertain. Numerical results are presented which illustrate the potential of these methods.

Multidisciplinary aeroelastic analysis of a generic hypersonic vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, K. K.; Petersen, K. L.

1993-01-01

This paper presents details of a flutter and stability analysis of aerospace structures such as hypersonic vehicles. Both structural and aerodynamic domains are discretized by the common finite element technique. A vibration analysis is first performed by the STARS code employing a block Lanczos solution scheme. This is followed by the generation of a linear aerodynamic grid for subsequent linear flutter analysis within subsonic and supersonic regimes of the flight envelope; the doublet lattice and constant pressure techniques are employed to generate the unsteady aerodynamic forces. Flutter analysis is then performed for several representative flight points. The nonlinear flutter solution is effected by first implementing a CFD solution of the entire vehicle. Thus, a 3-D unstructured grid for the entire flow domain is generated by a moving front technique. A finite element Euler solution is then implemented employing a quasi-implicit as well as an explicit solution scheme. A novel multidisciplinary analysis is next effected that employs modal and aerodynamic data to yield aerodynamic damping characteristics. Such analyses are performed for a number of flight points to yield a large set of pertinent data that define flight flutter characteristics of the vehicle. This paper outlines the finite-element-based integrated analysis procedures in detail, which is followed by the results of numerical analyses of flight flutter simulation.

NASA Hypersonic Propulsion: Overview of Progress from 1995 to 2005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cikanek, Harry A., III; Bartolotta, Paul A.; Klem, Mark D.; Rausch, Vince L.

2007-01-01

Hypersonic propulsion work supported by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration had a primary focus on Space Transportation during the period from 1995 to 2005. The framework for these advances was established by policy and pursued with substantial funding. Many noteworthy advances were made, highlighted by the pinnacle flights of the X-43. This paper reviews and summarizes the programs and accomplishments of this era. The accomplishments are compared to the goals and objectives to lend an overarching perspective to what was achieved. At least dating back to the early days of the Space Shuttle program, NASA has had the objective of reducing the cost of access to space and concurrently improving safety and reliability. National Space Transportation Policy in 1994 coupled with a base of prior programs such as the National Aerospace Plane and the need to look beyond the Space Shuttle program set the stage for NASA to pursue Space Transportation Advances. Programs defined to pursue the advances represented a broad approach addressing classical rocket propulsion as well as airbreathing propulsion in various combinations and forms. The resulting portfolio of activities included systems analysis and design studies, discipline research and technology, component technology development, propulsion system ground test demonstration and flight demonstration. The types of propulsion systems that were pursued by these programs included classical rocket engines, "aerospike" rocket engines, high performance rocket engines, scram jets, rocket based combined cycles, and turbine based combined cycles. Vehicle architectures included single and two stage vehicles. Either single types of propulsion systems or combinations of the basic propulsion types were applied to both single and two stage vehicle design concepts. Some of the propulsion system design concepts were built and tested at full scale, large scale and small scale. Many flight demonstrators were

A study of upwind schemes on the laminar hypersonic heating predictions for the reusable space vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Feng; Sun, Di; Zuo, Guang

2018-06-01

With the rapid development of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Accurate computing hypersonic heating is in a high demand for the design of the new generation reusable space vehicle to conduct deep space exploration. In the past years, most researchers try to solve this problem by concentrating on the choice of the upwind schemes or the definition of the cell Reynolds number. However, the cell Reynolds number dependencies and limiter dependencies of the upwind schemes, which are of great importance to their performances in hypersonic heating computations, are concerned by few people. In this paper, we conduct a systematic study on these properties respectively. Results in our test cases show that SLAU (Simple Low-dissipation AUSM-family) is with a much higher level of accuracy and robustness in hypersonic heating predictions. Also, it performs much better in terms of the limiter dependency and the cell Reynolds number dependency.

Development and validation of purged thermal protection systems for liquid hydrogen fuel tanks of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helenbrook, R. D.; Colt, J. Z.

1977-01-01

An economical, lightweight, safe, efficient, reliable, and reusable insulation system was developed for hypersonic cruise vehicle hydrogen fuel tanks. Results indicate that, a nitrogen purged, layered insulation system with nonpermeable closed-cell insulation next to the cryogenic tank and a high service temperature fibrous insulation surrounding it, is potentially an attractive solution to the insulation problem. For the postulated hypersonic flight the average unit weight of the purged insulation system (including insulation, condensate and fuel boil off) is 6.31 kg/sq m (1.29 psf). Limited cyclic tests of large specimens of closed cell polymethacrylimide foam indicate it will withstand the expected thermal cycle.

A Comparison of Active and Passive Methods for Control of Hypersonic Boundary Layers on Airbreathing Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Scott A.; Nowak, Robert J.

2003-01-01

Active and passive methods for control of hypersonic boundary layers have been experimentally examined in NASA Langley Research Center wind tunnels on a Hyper-X model. Several configurations for forcing transition using passive discrete roughness elements and active mass addition, or blowing, methods were compared in two hypersonic facilities, the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air and the 31-Inch Mach 10 Air tunnels. Heat transfer distributions, obtained via phosphor thermography, shock system details, and surface streamline patterns were measured on a 0.333-scale model of the Hyper-X forebody. The comparisons between the active and passive methods for boundary layer control were conducted at test conditions that nearly match the nominal Mach 7 flight trajectory of an angle-of-attack of 2-deg and length Reynolds number of 5.6 million. For the passive roughness examination, the primary parametric variation was a range of trip heights within the calculated boundary layer thickness for several trip concepts. The prior passive roughness study resulted in a swept ramp configuration being selected for the Mach 7 flight vehicle that was scaled to be roughly 0.6 of the calculated boundary layer thickness. For the active jet blowing study, the blowing manifold pressure was systematically varied for each configuration, while monitoring the mass flow, to determine the jet penetration height with schlieren and transition movement with the phosphor system for comparison to the passive results. All the blowing concepts tested were adequate for providing transition onset near the trip location with manifold stagnation pressures on the order of 40 times the model static pressure or higher.

Nozzle design study for a quasi-axisymmetric scramjet-powered vehicle at Mach 7.9 flight conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanimizu, Katsuyoshi; Mee, David J.; Stalker, Raymond J.; Jacobs, Peter A.

2013-09-01

A nozzle shape optimization study for a quasi-axisymmetric scramjet has been performed for a Mach 7.9 operating condition with hydrogen fuel, aiming at the application of a hypersonic airbreathing vehicle. In this study, the nozzle geometry which is parameterized by a set of design variables, is optimized for the single objective of maximum net thrust using an in-house CFD solver for inviscid flowfields with a simple force prediction methodology. The combustion is modelled using a simple chemical reaction code. The effects of the nozzle design on the overall vehicle performance are discussed. For the present geometry, net thrust is achieved for the optimized vehicle design. The results of the nozzle-optimization study show that performance is limited by the nozzle area ratio that can be incorporated into the vehicle without leading to too large a base diameter of the vehicle and increasing the external drag of the vehicle. This study indicates that it is very difficult to achieve positive thrust at Mach 7.9 using the basic geometry investigated.

A trajectory design method via target practice for air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xue; Yang, Ming; Ning, Guodong; Wang, Songyan; Chao, Tao

2017-11-01

There are strong coupling interactions between aerodynamics and scramjet, this kind of aircraft also has multiple restrictions, such as the range and difference of dynamic pressure, airflow, and fuel. On the one hand, we need balance the requirement between maneuverability of vehicle and stabilization of scramjet. On the other hand, we need harmonize the change of altitude and the velocity. By describing aircraft's index system of climbing capability, acceleration capability, the coupling degree in aerospace, this paper further propose a rapid design method which based on target practice. This method aimed for reducing the coupling degree, it depresses the coupling between aircraft and engine in navigation phase, satisfy multiple restriction conditions to leave some control buffer and create good condition for control implementation. According to the simulation, this method could be used for multiple typical fly commissions such as climbing, acceleration or both.

Preliminary scramjet design for hypersonic airbreathing missile application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, C. H.

1983-01-01

A conceptual design study of a scramjet engine was conducted for a hypersonic surface to air missile (HYSAM). The definition of the engine was based upon the requirements of accelerating the HYSAM from Mach 4 at 20,000 feet to Mach 6 at 100,000 feet and the cruise conditions at Mach 6. The resulting external and internal environmental conditions were used by various engineering disciplines performing design, stress and heat transfer analysis. A detailed structural analysis was conducted along with an indepth thermal analysis. Structurally all the components within the system exhibit positive margins of safety. A feasible concept was defined which uses state-of-the-art materials and existing TMC technology. The engine basically consists of a three dimensional carbon/carbon combustor/nozzle secured to an FS-85 columbium inlet. The carbon/carbon liner is sheathed with carbon felt insulation to thermally protect the FS-85 structure and skin. The thermal analysis of the engine indicates that a thermally viable configuration exists.

Analytical and computational investigations of a magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) energy-bypass system for supersonic gas turbine engines to enable hypersonic flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benyo, Theresa Louise

Historically, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has used rocket-powered vehicles as launch vehicles for access to space. A familiar example is the Space Shuttle launch system. These vehicles carry both fuel and oxidizer onboard. If an external oxidizer (such as the Earth's atmosphere) is utilized, the need to carry an onboard oxidizer is eliminated, and future launch vehicles could carry a larger payload into orbit at a fraction of the total fuel expenditure. For this reason, NASA is currently researching the use of air-breathing engines to power the first stage of two-stage-to-orbit hypersonic launch systems. Removing the need to carry an onboard oxidizer leads also to reductions in total vehicle weight at liftoff. This in turn reduces the total mass of propellant required, and thus decreases the cost of carrying a specific payload into orbit or beyond. However, achieving hypersonic flight with air-breathing jet engines has several technical challenges. These challenges, such as the mode transition from supersonic to hypersonic engine operation, are under study in NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program. One propulsion concept that is being explored is a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy- bypass generator coupled with an off-the-shelf turbojet/turbofan. It is anticipated that this engine will be capable of operation from takeoff to Mach 7 in a single flowpath without mode transition. The MHD energy bypass consists of an MHD generator placed directly upstream of the engine, and converts a portion of the enthalpy of the inlet flow through the engine into electrical current. This reduction in flow enthalpy corresponds to a reduced Mach number at the turbojet inlet so that the engine stays within its design constraints. Furthermore, the generated electrical current may then be used to power aircraft systems or an MHD accelerator positioned downstream of the turbojet. The MHD accelerator operates in reverse of the MHD generator, re-accelerating the

X-43A Undergoing Controlled Radio Frequency Testing in the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards Ai

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

The X-43A Hypersonic Experimental (Hyper-X) Vehicle hangs suspended in the cavernous Benefield Aenechoic Facility at Edwards Air Force Base during radio frequency tests in January 2000. Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need to carry oxygen, future hypersonic vehicles will be able to carry heavier payloads. Another unique aspect of the X-43A vehicle is the airframe integration

Flow analysis and design optimization methods for nozzle-afterbody of a hypersonic vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baysal, O.

1992-01-01

This report summarizes the methods developed for the aerodynamic analysis and the shape optimization of the nozzle-afterbody section of a hypersonic vehicle. Initially, exhaust gases were assumed to be air. Internal-external flows around a single scramjet module were analyzed by solving the 3D Navier-Stokes equations. Then, exhaust gases were simulated by a cold mixture of Freon and Ar. Two different models were used to compute these multispecies flows as they mixed with the hypersonic airflow. Surface and off-surface properties were successfully compared with the experimental data. The Aerodynamic Design Optimization with Sensitivity analysis was then developed. Pre- and postoptimization sensitivity coefficients were derived and used in this quasi-analytical method. These coefficients were also used to predict inexpensively the flow field around a changed shape when the flow field of an unchanged shape was given. Starting with totally arbitrary initial afterbody shapes, independent computations were converged to the same optimum shape, which rendered the maximum axial thrust.

Hypersonic Flight Test Windows for Technology Development Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

used. 2.1 Propulsion and Controls Test Window The technologies dealing with scramjet propulsion (inlets, fuel injection, etc.) and hypersonic ...AFRL-RQ-WP-TM-2013-0260 HYPERSONIC FLIGHT TEST WINDOWS FOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TESTING Barry M. Hellman Vehicle Technology Branch...DATES COVERED (From - To) November 2013 Final 01 November 2013 – 25 November 2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE HYPERSONIC FLIGHT TEST WINDOWS FOR

Basic materials and structures aspects for hypersonic transport vehicles (HTV)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinheil, E.; Uhse, W.

A Mach 5 transport design is used to illustrate structural concepts and criteria for materials selections and also key technologies that must be followed in the areas of computational methods, materials and construction methods. Aside from the primary criteria of low weight, low costs, and conceivable risks, a number of additional requirements must be met, including stiffness and strength, corrosion resistance, durability, and a construction adequate for inspection, maintenance and repair. Current aircraft construction requirements are significantly extended for hypersonic vehicles. Additional consideration is given to long-duration temperature resistance of the airframe structure, the integration of large-volume cryogenic fuel tanks, computational tools, structural design, polymer matrix composites, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Constrained Aerothermodynamic Design of Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gally, Tom; Campbell, Dick

2002-01-01

An investigation was conducted into possible methods of incorporating a hypersonic design capability with aerothermodynamic constraints into the CDISC aerodynamic design tool. The work was divided into two distinct phases: develop relations between surface curvature and hypersonic pressure coefficient which are compatible with CDISC's direct-iterative design method; and explore and implement possible methods of constraining the heat transfer rate over all or portions of the design surface. The main problem in implementing this method has been the weak relationship between surface shape and pressure coefficient at the stagnation point and the need to design around the surface blunt leading edge where there is a slope singularity. The final results show that some success has been achieved, but further improvements are needed.

X-43A hypersonic research aircraft mated to its modified Pegasus booster rocket.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The first of three X-43A hypersonic research aircraft was mated to its modified Pegasus booster rocket in late January at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. FIRST X-43A MATED TO BOOSTER -- The first of three X-43A hypersonic research aircraft was mated to its modified Pegasus booster rocket in late January at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. Mating of the X-43A and its specially-designed adapter to the first stage of the booster rocket marks a major milestone in the Hyper-X hypersonic research program. The 12-foot, unpiloted research vehicle was developed and built by MicroCraft Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., for NASA. The booster, built by Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va., will accelerate the X-43A after the X-43A booster 'stack' is air-launched from NASA's venerable NB-52 mothership. The X-43A will separate from the rocket at a predetermined altitude and speed and fly a pre-programmed trajectory, conducting aerodynamic and propulsion experiments until it impacts into the Pacific Ocean. Three research flights are planned, two at Mach 7 and one at Mach 10 (seven and 10 times the speed of sound respectively) with the first tentatively scheduled for early summer of 2001. The X-43A is powered by a revolutionary supersonic-combustion ramjet ('scramjet') engine, and will use the underbody of the aircraft to form critical elements of the engine. The forebody shape helps compress the intake airflow, while the aft section acts as a nozzle to direct thrust. The X-43A flights will be the first actual flight tests of an aircraft powered by an air-breathing scramjet engine.

International Conference on Hypersonic Flight in the 21st Century, 1st, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, Sept. 20-23, 1988, Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higbea, Mary E.; Vedda, James A.

The present conference on the development status of configurational concepts and component technologies for hypersonic-cruise and transatmospheric vehicles discusses topics relating to the U.S. National Aerospace Plane program, ESA-planned aerospace vehicles, Japanese spaceplane concepts, the integration of hypersonic aircraft into existing infrastructures, hypersonic airframe designs, hypersonic avionics and cockpit AI systems, hypersonic-regime CFD techniques, the economics of hypersonic vehicles, and possible legal implications of hypersonic flight. Also discussed are Soviet spaceplane concepts, propulsion systems involving laser power sources and hypervelocity launch technologies, and the management of support systems operations for hypersonic vehicles.

Computational Aerothermodynamic Design Issues for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gnoffo, Peter A.; Weilmuenster, K. James; Hamilton, H. Harris, II; Olynick, David R.; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

2005-01-01

A brief review of the evolutionary progress in computational aerothermodynamics is presented. The current status of computational aerothermodynamics is then discussed, with emphasis on its capabilities and limitations for contributions to the design process of hypersonic vehicles. Some topics to be highlighted include: (1) aerodynamic coefficient predictions with emphasis on high temperature gas effects; (2) surface heating and temperature predictions for thermal protection system (TPS) design in a high temperature, thermochemical nonequilibrium environment; (3) methods for extracting and extending computational fluid dynamic (CFD) solutions for efficient utilization by all members of a multidisciplinary design team; (4) physical models; (5) validation process and error estimation; and (6) gridding and solution generation strategies. Recent experiences in the design of X-33 will be featured. Computational aerothermodynamic contributions to Mars Path finder, METEOR, and Stardust (Comet Sample return) will also provide context for this discussion. Some of the barriers that currently limit computational aerothermodynamics to a predominantly reactive mode in the design process will also be discussed, with the goal of providing focus for future research.

Computational Aerothermodynamic Design Issues for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olynick, David R.; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

2004-01-01

A brief review of the evolutionary progress in computational aerothermodynamics is presented. The current status of computational aerothermodynamics is then discussed, with emphasis on its capabilities and limitations for contributions to the design process of hypersonic vehicles. Some topics to be highlighted include: (1) aerodynamic coefficient predictions with emphasis on high temperature gas effects; (2) surface heating and temperature predictions for thermal protection system (TPS) design in a high temperature, thermochemical nonequilibrium environment; (3) methods for extracting and extending computational fluid dynamic (CFD) solutions for efficient utilization by all members of a multidisciplinary design team; (4) physical models; (5) validation process and error estimation; and (6) gridding and solution generation strategies. Recent experiences in the design of X-33 will be featured. Computational aerothermodynamic contributions to Mars Pathfinder, METEOR, and Stardust (Comet Sample return) will also provide context for this discussion. Some of the barriers that currently limit computational aerothermodynamics to a predominantly reactive mode in the design process will also be discussed, with the goal of providing focus for future research.

Computational Aerothermodynamic Design Issues for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gnoffo, Peter A.; Weilmuenster, K. James; Hamilton, H. Harris, II; Olynick, David R.; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

1997-01-01

A brief review of the evolutionary progress in computational aerothermodynamics is presented. The current status of computational aerothermodynamics is then discussed, with emphasis on its capabilities and limitations for contributions to the design process of hypersonic vehicles. Some topics to be highlighted include: (1) aerodynamic coefficient predictions with emphasis on high temperature gas effects; (2) surface heating and temperature predictions for thermal protection system (TPS) design in a high temperature, thermochemical nonequilibrium environment; (3) methods for extracting and extending computational fluid dynamic (CFD) solutions for efficient utilization by all members of a multidisciplinary design team; (4) physical models; (5) validation process and error estimation; and (6) gridding and solution generation strategies. Recent experiences in the design of X-33 will be featured. Computational aerothermodynamic contributions to Mars Pathfinder, METEOR, and Stardust (Comet Sample return) will also provide context for this discussion. Some of the barriers that currently limit computational aerothermodynamics to a predominantly reactive mode in the design process will also be discussed, with the goal of providing focus for future research.

Hypersonic vehicle simulation model: Winged-cone configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaughnessy, John D.; Pinckney, S. Zane; Mcminn, John D.; Cruz, Christopher I.; Kelley, Marie-Louise

1990-01-01

Aerodynamic, propulsion, and mass models for a generic, horizontal-takeoff, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) configuration are presented which are suitable for use in point mass as well as batch and real-time six degree-of-freedom simulations. The simulations can be used to investigate ascent performance issues and to allow research, refinement, and evaluation of integrated guidance/flight/propulsion/thermal control systems, design concepts, and methodologies for SSTO missions. Aerodynamic force and moment coefficients are given as functions of angle of attack, Mach number, and control surface deflections. The model data were estimated by using a subsonic/supersonic panel code and a hypersonic local surface inclination code. Thrust coefficient and engine specific impulse were estimated using a two-dimensional forebody, inlet, nozzle code and a one-dimensional combustor code and are given as functions of Mach number, dynamic pressure, and fuel equivalence ratio. Rigid-body mass moments of inertia and center of gravity location are functions of vehicle weight which is in turn a function of fuel flow.

Mach 6 flow field surveys beneath the forebody of an airbreathing missile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, P. J.; Hunt, J. L.

1986-01-01

Wall static, local stream static, and pitot pressure surveys were made on the windward side of a hypersonic airbreathing missile at full-scale length Reynolds numbers. In the inviscid part of the flow field, the experimental massflow ratios agreed with trends predicted by a three-dimensional method-of-characteristics solution. At a longitudinal station 3.5 diameters downstrea of the nose, the boundary layer was transitional or turbulent at zero incidence but became laminar as the angle of attack increased. The bell-shaped distribution of the boundary layer across the width of the body affected the mass flow distribution out to the bow shock and decreased the mass flow available the engine inlet.

An Airbreathing Launch Vehicle Design with Turbine-Based Low-Speed Propulsion and Dual Mode Scramjet High-Speed Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, P. L.; Bouchard, K. A.; Vause, R. F.; Pinckney, S. Z.; Ferlemann, S. M.; Leonard, C. P.; Taylor, L. W., III; Robinson, J. S.; Martin, J. G.; Petley, D. H.

1999-01-01

Airbreathing launch vehicles continue to be a subject of great interest in the space access community. In particular, horizontal takeoff and horizontal landing vehicles are attractive with their airplane-like benefits and flexibility for future space launch requirements. The most promising of these concepts involve airframe integrated propulsion systems, in which the external undersurface of the vehicle forms part of the propulsion flowpath. Combining of airframe and engine functions in this manner involves all of the design disciplines interacting at once. Design and optimization of these configurations is a most difficult activity, requiring a multi-discipline process to analytically resolve the numerous interactions among the design variables. This paper describes the design and optimization of one configuration in this vehicle class, a lifting body with turbine-based low-speed propulsion. The integration of propulsion and airframe, both from an aero-propulsive and mechanical perspective are addressed. This paper primarily focuses on the design details of the preferred configuration and the analyses performed to assess its performance. The integration of both low-speed and high-speed propulsion is covered. Structural and mechanical designs are described along with materials and technologies used. Propellant and systems packaging are shown and the mission-sized vehicle weights are disclosed.

Hypersonic laminar turbulent transition on circular cones and scramjet forebodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Steven P.

2004-02-01

Laminar-turbulent transition in hypersonic boundary layers has a dramatic effect on heat transfer, skin friction, and separation. This effect is critical to reentry vehicles and airbreathing cruise vehicles, yet the physics of the transition process is not yet well enough understood to be used for predictive purposes. The literature for transition on circular cones and scramjet forebodies is reviewed, from an experimental point of view. Ground experiments, emphasized here, nearly always suffer from ambiguity caused by operating in the presence of high levels of facility noise. Measurements of the instabilities leading to transition reduce much of this ambiguity, and thus these instability measurements are emphasized. A number of transition measurements have also provided good control of extraneous effects, and several of these measurements are compared in detail. Small bluntness always delays transition on smooth cones at zero angle of attack (AOA), while large bluntness creates a change in mechanism that again moves transition forwards. For smooth cones at AOA with small or negligible bluntness, transition is always leeside-forward and windside-aft, although the movement with AOA is tunnel and geometry dependent. For cones with large bluntness, transition becomes windside forward and leeside aft. In both cases, nosetip roughness may be involved in the trend reversal. Reliable prediction of the trend reversal conditions is one of many topics requiring additional research. The limited existing database for transition on scramjet-vehicle forebodies is also reviewed, along with the literature for transition in the compression corners that are often a part of such forebody designs.

High temperature heat exchangers for gas turbines and future hypersonic air breathing propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avran, Patrick; Bernard, Pierre

After surveying the results of ONERA's investigations to date of metallic and ceramic heat exchangers applicable to automotive and aircraft powerplants, which are primarily of finned-tube counterflow configuration, attention is given to the influence of heat-exchanger effectiveness on fuel consumption and exchanger dimensions and weight. Emphasis is placed on the results of studies of cryogenic heat exchangers used by airbreathing hypersonic propulsion systems. The numerical codes developed by ONERA for the modeling of heat exchanger thermodynamics are evaluated.

On the boundary conditions on a shock wave for hypersonic flow around a descent vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golomazov, M. M.; Ivankov, A. A.

2013-12-01

Stationary hypersonic flow around a descent vehicle is examined by considering equilibrium and nonequilibrium reactions. We study how physical-chemical processes and shock wave conditions for gas species influence the shock-layer structure. It is shown that conservation conditions of species on the shock wave cause high-temperature and concentration gradients in the shock layer when we calculate spacecraft deceleration trajectory in the atmosphere at 75 km altitude.

Scramjet nozzle design and analysis as applied to a highly integrated hypersonic research airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Small, W. J.; Weidner, J. P.; Johnston, P. J.

1974-01-01

The configuration and performance of the propulsion system for the hypersonic research vehicle are discussed. A study of the interactions between propulsion and aerodynamics of the highly integrated vehicle was conducted. The hypersonic research vehicle is configured to test the technology of structural and thermal protection systems concepts and the operation of the propulsion system under true flight conditions for most of the hypersonic flight regime. The subjects considered are: (1) research vehicle and scramjet engine configurations to determine fundamental engine sizing constraints, (2) analytical methods for computing airframe and propulsion system components, and (3) characteristics of a candidate nozzle to investigate vehicle stability and acceleration performance.

Advanced aeroservoelastic stabilization techniques for hypersonic flight vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, Samuel Y.; Cheng, Peter Y.; Myers, Thomas T.; Klyde, David H.; Magdaleno, Raymond E.; Mcruer, Duane T.

1992-01-01

Advanced high performance vehicles, including Single-Stage-To-Orbit (SSTO) hypersonic flight vehicles, that are statically unstable, require higher bandwidth flight control systems to compensate for the instability resulting in interactions between the flight control system, the engine/propulsion dynamics, and the low frequency structural modes. Military specifications, such as MIL-F-9490D and MIL-F-87242, tend to limit treatment of structural modes to conventional gain stabilization techniques. The conventional gain stabilization techniques, however, introduce low frequency effective time delays which can be troublesome from a flying qualities standpoint. These time delays can be alleviated by appropriate blending of gain and phase stabilization techniques (referred to as Hybrid Phase Stabilization or HPS) for the low frequency structural modes. The potential of using HPS for compensating structural mode interaction was previously explored. It was shown that effective time delay was significantly reduced with the use of HPS; however, the HPS design was seen to have greater residual response than a conventional gain stablized design. Additional work performed to advance and refine the HPS design procedure, to further develop residual response metrics as a basis for alternative structural stability specifications, and to develop strategies for validating HPS design and specification concepts in manned simulation is presented. Stabilization design sensitivity to structural uncertainties and aircraft-centered requirements are also assessed.

Flow analysis and design optimization methods for nozzle afterbody of a hypersonic vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baysal, Oktay

1991-01-01

This report summarizes the methods developed for the aerodynamic analysis and the shape optimization of the nozzle-afterbody section of a hypersonic vehicle. Initially, exhaust gases were assumed to be air. Internal-external flows around a single scramjet module were analyzed by solving the three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. Then, exhaust gases were simulated by a cold mixture of Freon and Argon. Two different models were used to compute these multispecies flows as they mixed with the hypersonic airflow. Surface and off-surface properties were successfully compared with the experimental data. In the second phase of this project, the Aerodynamic Design Optimization with Sensitivity analysis (ADOS) was developed. Pre and post optimization sensitivity coefficients were derived and used in this quasi-analytical method. These coefficients were also used to predict inexpensively the flow field around a changed shape when the flow field of an unchanged shape was given. Starting with totally arbitrary initial afterbody shapes, independent computations were converged to the same optimum shape, which rendered the maximum axial thrust.

Performance evaluations of oxidation-resistant carbon-carbon composites in simulated hypersonic vehicle environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, D. M.; Maahs, H. G.; Ohlhorst, C. W.; Vaughn, W. L.; Martin, R. H.

1989-01-01

An evaluation is made of the oxidation-protection requirements of carbon-carbon composite (CCC) structural components in a hypersonic vehicle aerothermodynamic environment, where maximum test temperatures in air are of the order of 2800 F, and pressures range from 0.03 to 1.0 atm. The specimens were exposed to high humidity between tests. Attention was given to the effects of coating composition and thickness, and of substrate architecture and surface preparation, on the oxidation resistance of CCCs. Both surface preparation and coating chemistry have a profound effect on coating adherence and longevity.

Local and System Level Considerations for Plasma-Based Techniques in Hypersonic Flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchomel, Charles; Gaitonde, Datta

2007-01-01

The harsh environment encountered due to hypersonic flight, particularly when air-breathing propulsion devices are utilized, poses daunting challenges to successful maturation of suitable technologies. This has spurred the quest for revolutionary solutions, particularly those exploiting the fact that air under these conditions can become electrically conducting either naturally or through artificial enhancement. Optimized development of such concepts must emphasize not only the detailed physics by which the fluid interacts with the imposed electromagnetic fields, but must also simultaneously identify system level issues integration and efficiencies that provide the greatest leverage. This paper presents some recent advances at both levels. At the system level, an analysis is summarized that incorporates the interdependencies occurring between weight, power and flow field performance improvements. Cruise performance comparisons highlight how one drag reduction device interacts with the vehicle to improve range. Quantified parameter interactions allow specification of system requirements and energy consuming technologies that affect overall flight vehicle performance. Results based on on the fundamental physics are presented by distilling numerous computational studies into a few guiding principles. These highlight the complex non-intuitive relationships between the various fluid and electromagnetic fields, together with thermodynamic considerations. Generally, energy extraction is an efficient process, while the reverse is accompanied by significant dissipative heating and inefficiency. Velocity distortions can be detrimental to plasma operation, but can be exploited to tailor flows through innovative electromagnetic configurations.

Structural Design of Dual-Mode Ramjets and Associated System Issues (Conception structurale des statoreacteurs mixtes et defis systeme associes)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Institute PAO Protection Against Oxidation RBCC Rocket Based Combined Cycle RSL Reusable Space Launchers SSTO Single Stage to Orbit TOW Take-Off Weight...Orbit) or Single Stage To Orbit ( SSTO ) vehicles, or other kind of hypersonic vehicles. For example, in the scope of the French PREPHA program, the...study of a generic SSTO vehicle led to conclusion that the best type of airbreathing engine could be the dual-mode ramjet (subsonic then supersonic

Euler Calculations at Off-Design Conditions for an Inlet of Inward Turning RBCC-SSTO Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takashima, N.; Kothari, A. P.

1998-01-01

The inviscid performance of an inward turning inlet design is calculated computationally for the first time. Hypersonic vehicle designs based on the inward turning inlets have been shown analytically to have increased effective specific impulse and lower heat load than comparably designed vehicles with two-dimensional inlets. The inward turning inlets are designed inversely from inviscid stream surfaces of known flow fields. The computational study is performed on a Mach 12 inlet design to validate the performance predicted by the design code (HAVDAC) and calculate its off-design Mach number performance. The three-dimensional Euler equations are solved for Mach 4, 8, and 12 using a software package called SAM, which consists of an unstructured mesh generator (SAMmesh), a three-dimensional unstructured mesh flow solver (SAMcfd), and a CAD-based software (SAMcad). The computed momentum averaged inlet throat pressure is within 6% of the design inlet throat pressure. The mass-flux at the inlet throat is also within 7 % of the value predicted by the design code thereby validating the accuracy of the design code. The off-design Mach number results show that flow spillage is minimal, and the variation in the mass capture ratio with Mach number is comparable to an ideal 2-D inlet. The results from the inviscid flow calculations of a Mach 12 inward turning inlet indicate that the inlet design has very good on and off-design performance which makes it a promising design candidate for future air-breathing hypersonic vehicles.

Design Evolution and Performance Characterization of the GTX Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle Inlet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeBonis, J. R.; Steffen, C. J., Jr.; Rice, T.; Trefny, C. J.

2002-01-01

The design and analysis of a second version of the inlet for the GTX rocket-based combine-cycle launch vehicle is discussed. The previous design did not achieve its predicted performance levels due to excessive turning of low-momentum comer flows and local over-contraction due to asymmetric end-walls. This design attempts to remove these problems by reducing the spike half-angle to 10- from 12-degrees and by implementing true plane of symmetry end-walls. Axisymmetric Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations using both perfect gas and real gas, finite rate chemistry, assumptions were performed to aid in the design process and to create a comprehensive database of inlet performance. The inlet design, which operates over the entire air-breathing Mach number range from 0 to 12, and the performance database are presented. The performance database, for use in cycle analysis, includes predictions of mass capture, pressure recovery, throat Mach number, drag force, and heat load, for the entire Mach range. Results of the computations are compared with experimental data to validate the performance database.

Heat Transfer Analysis of Thermal Protection Structures for Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Chen; Wang, Zhijin; Hou, Tianjiao

2017-11-01

This research aims to develop an analytical approach to study the heat transfer problem of thermal protection systems (TPS) for hypersonic vehicles. Laplace transform and integral method are used to describe the temperature distribution through the TPS subject to aerodynamic heating during flight. Time-dependent incident heat flux is also taken into account. Two different cases with heat flux and radiation boundary conditions are studied and discussed. The results are compared with those obtained by finite element analyses and show a good agreement. Although temperature profiles of such problems can be readily accessed via numerical simulations, analytical solutions give a greater insight into the physical essence of the heat transfer problem. Furthermore, with the analytical approach, rapid thermal analyses and even thermal optimization can be achieved during the preliminary TPS design.

NASA's hypersonic fluid and thermal physics program (Aerothermodynamics)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, R. A.; Hunt, J. L.

1985-01-01

This survey paper gives an overview of NASA's hypersonic fluid and thermal physics program (recently renamed aerothermodynamics). The purpose is to present the elements of, example results from, and rationale and projection for this program. The program is based on improving the fundamental understanding of aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic flow phenomena over hypersonic vehicles in the continuum, transitional, and rarefied flow regimes. Vehicle design capabilities, computational fluid dynamics, computational chemistry, turbulence modeling, aerothermal loads, orbiter flight data analysis, orbiter experiments, laser photodiagnostics, and facilities are discussed.

Research in robust control for hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calise, A. J.

1994-01-01

The research during the third reporting period focused on fixed order robust control design for hypersonic vehicles. A new technique was developed to synthesize fixed order H(sub infinity) controllers. A controller canonical form is imposed on the compensator structure and a homotopy algorithm is employed to perform the controller design. Various reduced order controllers are designed for a simplified version of the hypersonic vehicle model used in our previous studies to demonstrate the capabilities of the code. However, further work is needed to investigate the issue of numerical ill-conditioning for large order systems and to make the numerical approach more reliable.

Aerothermodynamics of expert ballistic vehicle at hypersonic speeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharitonov, A. M.; Adamov, N. P.; Chirkashenko, V. F.; Mazhul, I. I.; Shpak, S. I.; Shiplyuk, A. N.; Vasenyov, L. G.; Zvegintsev, V. I.; Muylaert, J. M.

2012-01-01

The European EXPErimental Re-entry Test bed (EXPERT) vehicle is intended for studying various basic phenomena, such as the boundary-layer transition on blunted bodies, real gas effects during shock wave/boundary layer interaction, and effect of surface catalycity. Another task is to develop methods for recalculating the results of windtunnel experiments to flight conditions. The EXPERT program implies large-scale preflight research, in particular, various calculations with the use of advanced numerical methods, experimental studies of the models in various wind tunnels, and comparative analysis of data obtained for possible extrapolation of data to in-flight conditions. The experimental studies are performed in various aerodynamic centers of Europe and Russia under contracts with ESA-ESTEC. In particular, extensive experiments are performed at the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI, Belgium) and also at the DLR aerospace center in Germany. At ITAM SB RAS, the experimental studies of the EXPERT model characteristic were performed under ISTC Projects 2109, 3151, and 3550, in the T-313 supersonic wind tunnel and AT-303 hypersonic wind tunnel.

A survey of heating and turbulent boundary layer characteristics of several hypersonic research aircraft configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawing, P. L.

1981-01-01

Four of the configurations investigated during a proposed NASA-Langley hypersonic research aircraft program were selected for phase-change-paint heat-transfer testing and forebody boundary layer pitot surveys. In anticipation of future hypersonic aircraft, both published and unpublished data and results are reviewed and presented with the purpose of providing a synoptic heat-transfer data base from the research effort. Engineering heat-transfer predictions are compared with experimental data on both a global and a local basis. The global predictions are shown to be sufficient for purposes of configuration development, and even the local predictions can be adequate when interpreted in light of the proper flow field. In that regard, cross flow in the forebody boundary layers was examined for significant heating and aerodynamic effect on the scramjet engines. A design philosophy which evolved from the research airplane effort is used to design a forebody shape that produces thin, uniform, forebody boundary layers on a hypersonic airbreathing missile. Finally, heating/boundary layer phenomena which are not predictable with state-of-the-art knowledge and techniques are shown and discussed.

The second X-43A hypersonic research vehicle, mounted under the right wing of the B-52B launch aircraft, viewed from the B-52 cockpit

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-27

The second X-43A hypersonic research vehicle, mounted under the right wing of the B-52B launch aircraft, viewed from the B-52 cockpit. The crew is working on closing out the research vehicle, preparing it for flight.

Aerodynamic Characteristics of Two Waverider-Derived Hypersonic Cruise Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, Charles E., Jr.; Huebner, Lawrence D.; Finley, Dennis B.

1996-01-01

An evaluation was made on the effects of integrating the required aircraft components with hypersonic high-lift configurations known as waveriders to create hypersonic cruise vehicles. Previous studies suggest that waveriders offer advantages in aerodynamic performance and propulsion/airframe integration (PAI) characteristics over conventional non-waverider hypersonic shapes. A wind-tunnel model was developed that integrates vehicle components, including canopies, engine components, and control surfaces, with two pure waverider shapes, both conical-flow-derived waveriders for a design Mach number of 4.0. Experimental data and limited computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions were obtained over a Mach number range of 1.6 to 4.63. The experimental data show the component build-up effects and the aerodynamic characteristics of the fully integrated configurations, including control surface effectiveness. The aerodynamic performance of the fully integrated configurations is not comparable to that of the pure waverider shapes, but is comparable to previously tested hypersonic models. Both configurations exhibit good lateral-directional stability characteristics.

Global Sliding Mode Control for the Bank-to-Turn of Hypersonic Glide Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Yu, Y. F.; Yan, P. P.; Fan, Y. H.; Guo, X. W.

2017-03-01

The technology of Bank-to-Turn has been recognized as an attractive direction due to their significance for the control of hypersonic glide vehicle. Strong coupling existing among pitch, yaw and roll channel was a great challenge for banking to turn, and thus a novel global sliding mode controller was designed for hypersonic glider in this paper. Considering the coupling among channels as interference, we can use invariance principle of sliding mode motion to realize the decoupling control. The global sliding mode control system could eliminate the stage of reaching, which can lead to the realization of whole systematic process decoupling control. When the global sliding mode factor was designed, a minimum norm pole assignment method of the sliding mode matrix was introduced to improve the robustness of the system. The method of continuity of symbolic function was adopted to overcome the chatter, which furtherly modify the transient performance of the system. The simulation results show that this method has good performance of three channel decoupling control and guidance command tracking. And it can meet the requirements of the dynamic performance of the system.

A ceramic matrix composite thermal protection system for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riccitiello, Salvatore R.; Love, Wendell L.; Pitts, William C.

1993-01-01

The next generation of hypersonic vehicles (NASP, SSTO) that require reusable thermal protection systems will experience acreage surface temperatures in excess of 1100 C. More important, they will experience a more severe physical environment than the Space Shuttle due to non-pristine launching and landing conditions. As a result, maintenance, inspection, and replacement factors must be more thoroughly incorporated into the design of the TPS. To meet these requirements, an advanced thermal protection system was conceived, designated 'TOPHAT'. This system consists of a toughened outer ceramic matrix composite (CMC) attached to a rigid reusable surface insulator (RSI) which is directly bonded to the surface. The objective of this effort was to evaluate this concept in an aeroconvective environment, to determine the effect of impacts to the CMC material, and to compare the results with existing thermal protection systems.

CFD on hypersonic flow geometries with aeroheating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohail, Muhammad Amjad; Chao, Yan; Hui, Zhang Hui; Ullah, Rizwan

2012-11-01

The hypersonic flowfield around a blunted cone and cone-flare exhibits some of the major features of the flows around space vehicles, e.g. a detached bow shock in the stagnation region and the oblique shock wave/boundary layer interaction at the cone-flare junction. The shock wave/boundary layer interaction can produce a region of separated flow. This phenomenon may occur, for example, at the upstream-facing corner formed by a deflected control surface on a hypersonic entry vehicle, where the length of separation has implications for control effectiveness. Computational fluid-dynamics results are presented to show the flowfield around a blunted cone and cone-flare configurations in hypersonic flow with separation. This problem is of particular interest since it features most of the aspects of the hypersonic flow around planetary entry vehicles. The region between the cone and the flare is particularly critical with respect to the evaluation of the surface pressure and heat flux with aeroheating. Indeed, flow separation is induced by the shock wave boundary layer interaction, with subsequent flow reattachment, that can dramatically enhance the surface heat transfer. The exact determination of the extension of the recirculation zone is a particularly delicate task for numerical codes. Laminar flow and turbulent computations have been carried out using a full Navier-Stokes solver, with freestream conditions provided by the experimental data obtained at Mach 6, 8, and 16.34 wind tunnel. The numerical results are compared with the measured pressure and surface heat flux distributions in the wind tunnel and a good agreement is found, especially on the length of the recirculation region and location of shock waves. The critical physics of entropy layer, boundary layers, boundary layers and shock wave interaction and flow behind shock are properly captured and elaborated.. Hypersonic flows are characterized by high Mach number and high total enthalpy. An elevated

Trim drag reduction concepts for horizontal takeoff single-stage-to-Orbit vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaughnessy, John D.; Gregory, Irene M.

1991-01-01

The results of a study to investigate concepts for minimizing trim drag of horizontal takeoff single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicles are presented. A generic hypersonic airbreathing conical configuration was used as the subject aircraft. The investigation indicates that extreme forward migration of the aerodynamic center as the vehicle accelerates to orbital velocities causes severe aerodynamic instability and trim moments that must be counteracted. Adequate stability can be provided by active control of elevons and rudder, but use of elevons to produce trim moments results in excessive trim drag and fuel consumption. To alleviate this problem, two solution concepts are examined. Active control of the center of gravity (COG) location to track the aerodynamic center decreases trim moment requirements, reduces elevon deflections, and leads to significant fuel savings. Active control of the direction of the thrust vector produces required trim moments, reduces elevon deflections, and also results in significant fuel savings. It is concluded that the combination of active flight control to provide stabilization, (COG) position control to minimize trim moment requirements, and thrust vectoring to generate required trim moments has the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption during ascent to orbit of horizontal takeoff SSTO vehicles.

The NASA Hyper-X Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, Delman C., Jr.; Reubush, Daivd E.; McClinton, Charles R.; Rausch, Vincent L.; Crawford, J. Larry

1997-01-01

This paper provides an overview of NASA's Hyper-X Program; a focused hypersonic technology effort designed to move hypersonic, airbreathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment. This paper presents an overview of the flight test program, research objectives, approach, schedule and status. Substantial experimental database and concept validation have been completed. The program is currently concentrating on the first, Mach 7, vehicle development, verification and validation in preparation for wind-tunnel testing in 1998 and flight testing in 1999. Parallel to this effort the Mach 5 and 10 vehicle designs are being finalized. Detailed analytical and experimental evaluation of the Mach 7 vehicle at the flight conditions is nearing completion, and will provide a database for validation of design methods once flight test data are available.

Hypersonic structures: An aerodynamicist's perspective, or one man's dream is another man's nightmare

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watts, J. D.; Jackson, L. R.; Hunt, J. L.

1978-01-01

The relationship between hypersonic aerodynamic and structural design is reviewed. The evolution of the hypersonic vehicle design is presented. Propulsion systems, structural materials, and fuels are emphasized.

Uncertainty Assessment of Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics Prediction Capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bose, Deepak; Brown, James L.; Prabhu, Dinesh K.; Gnoffo, Peter; Johnston, Christopher O.; Hollis, Brian

2011-01-01

The present paper provides the background of a focused effort to assess uncertainties in predictions of heat flux and pressure in hypersonic flight (airbreathing or atmospheric entry) using state-of-the-art aerothermodynamics codes. The assessment is performed for four mission relevant problems: (1) shock turbulent boundary layer interaction on a compression corner, (2) shock turbulent boundary layer interaction due a impinging shock, (3) high-mass Mars entry and aerocapture, and (4) high speed return to Earth. A validation based uncertainty assessment approach with reliance on subject matter expertise is used. A code verification exercise with code-to-code comparisons and comparisons against well established correlations is also included in this effort. A thorough review of the literature in search of validation experiments is performed, which identified a scarcity of ground based validation experiments at hypersonic conditions. In particular, a shortage of useable experimental data at flight like enthalpies and Reynolds numbers is found. The uncertainty was quantified using metrics that measured discrepancy between model predictions and experimental data. The discrepancy data is statistically analyzed and investigated for physics based trends in order to define a meaningful quantified uncertainty. The detailed uncertainty assessment of each mission relevant problem is found in the four companion papers.

Evaluation of on-board hydrogen storage methods for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akyurtlu, Ates; Akyurtlu, J. F.; Adeyiga, A. A.; Perdue, Samara; Northam, G. B.

1989-01-01

Hydrogen is the foremost candidate as a fuel for use in high speed transport. Since any aircraft moving at hypersonic speeds must have a very slender body, means of decreasing the storage volume requirements below that for liquid hydrogen are needed. The total performance of the hypersonic plane needs to be considered for the evaluation of candidate fuel and storage systems. To accomplish this, a simple model for the performance of a hypersonic plane is presented. To allow for the use of different engines and fuels during different phases of flight, the total trajectory is divided into three phases: subsonic-supersonic, hypersonic and rocket propulsion phase. The fuel fraction for the first phase is found be a simple energy balance using an average thrust to drag ratio for this phase. The hypersonic flight phase is investigated in more detail by taking small altitude increments. This approach allowed the use of flight profiles other than the constant dynamic pressure flight. The effect of fuel volume on drag, structural mass and tankage mass was introduced through simplified equations involving the characteristic dimension of the plane. The propellant requirement for the last phase is found by employing the basic rocket equations. The candidate fuel systems such as the cryogenic fuel combinations and solid and liquid endothermic hydrogen generators are first screened thermodynamically with respect to their energy densities and cooling capacities and then evaluated using the above model.

Hypersonic drone design: A multidisciplinary experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Efforts were focused on design problems of an unmanned hypersonic vehicle. It is felt that a scaled hypersonic drone is necessary to bridge the gap between present theory on hypersonics and the future reality of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) for two reasons: to fulfill a need for experimental data in the hypersonic regime, and to provide a testbed for the scramjet engine which is to be the primary mode of propulsion for the NASP. Three areas of great concern to NASP design were examined: propulsion, thermal management, and flight systems. Problem solving in these areas was directed towards design of the drone with the idea that the same design techniques could be applied to the NASP. A seventy degree swept double delta wing configuration, developed in the 70's at NASA Langley, was chosen as the aerodynamic and geometric model for the drone. This vehicle would be air-launched from a B-1 at Mach 0.8 and 48,000 feet, rocket boosted by two internal engines to Mach 10 and 100,000 feet, and allowed to cruise under power of the scramjet engine until burnout. It would then return to base for an unpowered landing. Preliminary energy calculations based upon the flight requirements give the drone a gross launch weight of 134,000 lb. and an overall length of 85 feet.

Structural analysis and sizing of stiffened, metal matrix composite panels for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collier, Craig S.

1992-01-01

The present method for strength and stability analyses of stiffened, fiber-reinforced composite panels to be used in hypersonic vehicle structures is of great generality, and can be linked with planar finite-element analysis (FEA). Nonlinear temperature and load-dependent material data for each laminate are used to 'build-up' the stiffened panel's membrane, bending, and membrane-bending coupling stiffness terms, as well as thermal coefficients. The resulting, FEA-solved thermomechanical forces and moments are used to calculate strain at any location in the panel; this allows an effective ply-by-ply orthotropic strength analysis to be conducted, together with orthotropic instability checks for each laminated segment of the cross-section.

CFD analysis of hypersonic, chemically reacting flow fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, T. A.

1993-01-01

Design studies are underway for a variety of hypersonic flight vehicles. The National Aero-Space Plane will provide a reusable, single-stage-to-orbit capability for routine access to low earth orbit. Flight-capable satellites will dip into the atmosphere to maneuver to new orbits, while planetary probes will decelerate at their destination by atmospheric aerobraking. To supplement limited experimental capabilities in the hypersonic regime, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is being used to analyze the flow about these configurations. The governing equations include fluid dynamic as well as chemical species equations, which are being solved with new, robust numerical algorithms. Examples of CFD applications to hypersonic vehicles suggest an important role this technology will play in the development of future aerospace systems. The computational resources needed to obtain solutions are large, but solution adaptive grids, convergence acceleration, and parallel processing may make run times manageable.

A ceramic matrix composite thermal protection system for hypersonic vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riccitiello, S.R.; Love, W.L.; Pitts, W.C.

1993-07-01

The next generation of hypersonic vehicles (NASP, SSTO) that require reusable thermal protection systems will experience acreage surface temperatures in excess of 1100 C. More important, they will experience a more severe physical environment than the Space Shuttle due to non-pristine launching and landing conditions. As a result, maintenance, inspection, and replacement factors must be more thoroughly incorporated into the design of the TPS. To meet these requirements, an advanced thermal protection system was conceived, designated 'TOPHAT'. This system consists of a toughened outer ceramic matrix composite (CMC) attached to a rigid reusable surface insulator (RSI) which is directly bondedmore » to the surface. The objective of this effort was to evaluate this concept in an aeroconvective environment, to determine the effect of impacts to the CMC material, and to compare the results with existing thermal protection systems. 10 refs.« less

The Syracuse University Center for Training and Research in Hypersonics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaGraff, John; Blankson, Isaiah (Technical Monitor); Robinson, Stephen K. (Technical Monitor); Walsh, Michael J. (Technical Monitor); Anderson, Griffin Y. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

In Fall 1993, NASA Headquarters established Centers for Hypersonics at the University of Maryland, the University of Texas-Arlington, and Syracuse University. These centers are dedicated to research and education in hypersonic technologies and have the objective of educating the next generation of engineers in this critical field. At the Syracuse University Center for Hypersonics this goal is being realized by focusing resources to: Provide an environment in which promising undergraduate students can learn the fundamental engineering principles of hypersonics so that they may make a seamless transition to graduate study and research in this field; Provide graduate students with advanced training in hypersonics and an opportunity to interact with leading authorities in the field in both research and instructional capacities; and Perform fundamental research in areas that will impact hypersonic vehicle design and development.

Simulation of hypersonic scramjet exhaust. [pressure distribution on afterbody/nozzle sections of vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oman, R. A.; Foreman, K. M.; Leng, J.; Hopkins, H. B.

1975-01-01

A plan and some preliminary analysis for the accurate simulation of pressure distributions on the afterbody/nozzle portions of a hypersonic scramjet vehicle are described. The objectives fulfilled were to establish the standards of similitude for a hydrogen/air scramjet exhaust interacting with a vehicle afterbody, determine an experimental technique for validation of the procedures that will be used in conventional wind tunnel facilities, suggest a program of experiments for proof of the concept, and explore any unresolved problems in the proposed simulation procedures. It is shown that true enthalpy, Reynolds number, and nearly exact chemistry can be provided in the exhaust flow for the flight regime from Mach 4 to 10 by a detonation tube simulation. A detailed discussion of the required similarity parameters leads to the conclusion that substitute gases can be used as the simulated exhaust gas in a wind tunnel to achieve the correct interaction forces and moments.

Hyper-X Stage Separation: Background and Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reubush, David E.

1999-01-01

This paper provides an overview of stage separation activities for NASA's Hyper-X program; a focused hypersonic technology effort designed to move hypersonic, airbreathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment. This paper presents an account of the development of the current stage separation concept, highlights of wind tunnel experiments and computational fluid dynamics investigations being conducted to define the separation event, results from ground tests of separation hardware, schedule and status. Substantial work has been completed toward reducing the risk associated with stage separation.

An engineering code to analyze hypersonic thermal management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vangriethuysen, Valerie J.; Wallace, Clark E.

1993-01-01

Thermal loads on current and future aircraft are increasing and as a result are stressing the energy collection, control, and dissipation capabilities of current thermal management systems and technology. The thermal loads for hypersonic vehicles will be no exception. In fact, with their projected high heat loads and fluxes, hypersonic vehicles are a prime example of systems that will require thermal management systems (TMS) that have been optimized and integrated with the entire vehicle to the maximum extent possible during the initial design stages. This will not only be to meet operational requirements, but also to fulfill weight and performance constraints in order for the vehicle to takeoff and complete its mission successfully. To meet this challenge, the TMS can no longer be two or more entirely independent systems, nor can thermal management be an after thought in the design process, the typical pervasive approach in the past. Instead, a TMS that was integrated throughout the entire vehicle and subsequently optimized will be required. To accomplish this, a method that iteratively optimizes the TMS throughout the vehicle will not only be highly desirable, but advantageous in order to reduce the manhours normally required to conduct the necessary tradeoff studies and comparisons. A thermal management engineering computer code that is under development and being managed at Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, is discussed. The primary goal of the code is to aid in the development of a hypersonic vehicle TMS that has been optimized and integrated on a total vehicle basis.

Assessment of nonequilibrium radiation computation methods for hypersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, Surendra

1993-01-01

The present understanding of shock-layer radiation in the low density regime, as appropriate to hypersonic vehicles, is surveyed. Based on the relative importance of electron excitation and radiation transport, the hypersonic flows are divided into three groups: weakly ionized, moderately ionized, and highly ionized flows. In the light of this division, the existing laboratory and flight data are scrutinized. Finally, an assessment of the nonequilibrium radiation computation methods for the three regimes in hypersonic flows is presented. The assessment is conducted by comparing experimental data against the values predicted by the physical model.

Arc-heated gas flow experiments for hypersonic propulsion applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roseberry, Christopher Matthew

Although hydrogen is an attractive fuel for a hypersonic air-breathing vehicle in terms of reaction rate, flame temperature, and energy content per unit mass, the substantial tank volume required to store hydrogen imposes a drag penalty to performance that tends to offset these advantages. An alternative approach is to carry a hydrocarbon fuel and convert it on-board into a hydrogen-rich gas mixture to be injected into the engine combustors. To investigate this approach, the UTA Arc-Heated Wind Tunnel facility was modified to run on methane rather than the normally used nitrogen. Previously, this facility was extensively developed for the purpose of eventually performing experiments simulating scramjet engine flow along a single expansion ramp nozzle (SERN) in addition to more generalized applications. This formidable development process, which involved modifications to every existing subsystem along with the incorporation of new subsystems, is described in detail. Fortunately, only a minor plumbing reconfiguration was required to prepare the facility for the fuel reformation research. After a failure of the arc heater power supply, a 5.6 kW plasma-cutting torch was modified in order to continue the arc pyrolysis experiments. The outlet gas flow from the plasma torch was sampled and subsequently analyzed using gas chromatography. The experimental apparatus converted the methane feedstock almost completely into carbon, hydrogen and acetylene. A high yield of hydrogen, consisting of a product mole fraction of roughly 0.7, was consistently obtained. Unfortunately, the energy consumption of the apparatus was too excessive to be feasible for a flight vehicle. However, other researchers have pyrolyzed hydrocarbons using electric arcs with much less power input per unit mass.

Research in robust control for hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calise, A. J.

1993-01-01

The research during the second reporting period has focused on robust control design for hypersonic vehicles. An already existing design for the Hypersonic Winged-Cone Configuration has been enhanced. Uncertainty models for the effects of propulsion system perturbations due to angle of attack variations, structural vibrations, and uncertainty in control effectiveness were developed. Using H(sub infinity) and mu-synthesis techniques, various control designs were performed in order to investigate the impact of these effects on achievable robust performance.

Power-on performance predictions for a complete generic hypersonic vehicle configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, Bradford C.

1991-01-01

The Compressible Navier-Stokes (CNS) code was developed to compute external hypersonic flow fields. It has been applied to various hypersonic external flow applications. Here, the CNS code was modified to compute hypersonic internal flow fields. Calculations were performed on a Mach 18 sidewall compression inlet and on the Lewis Mach 5 inlet. The use of the ARC3D diagonal algorithm was evaluated for internal flows on the Mach 5 inlet flow. The initial modifications to the CNS code involved generalization of the boundary conditions and the addition of viscous terms in the second crossflow direction and modifications to the Baldwin-Lomax turbulence model for corner flows.

Hyper-X Program Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClinton, Charles R.; Rausch, Vincent L.; Sitz, Joel; Reukauf, Paul

2001-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the objectives and status of the Hyper-X program, which is tailored to move hypersonic, airbreathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment. The first Hyper-X research vehicle (HXRV), designated X-43, is being prepared at the Dryden Flight Research Center for flight at Mach 7. Extensive risk reduction activities for the first flight are completed, and non-recurring design activities for the Mach 10 X-43 (3rd flight) are nearing completion. The Mach 7 flight of the X-43, in the spring of 2001, will be the first flight of an airframe-integrated scramjet-powered vehicle. The Hyper-X program is continuing to plan follow-on activities to focus an orderly continuation of hypersonic technology development through flight research.

Hyper-X Program Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClinton, Charles R.; Reubush, David E.; Sitz, Joel; Reukauf, Paul

2001-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the objectives and status of the Hyper-X program, which is tailored to move hypersonic, airbreathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment. The first Hyper-X research vehicle (HXRV), designated X-43, is being prepared at the Dryden Flight Research Center for flight at Mach 7. Extensive risk reduction activities for the first flight are completed, and non-recurring design activities for the Mach 10 X-43 (third flight) are nearing completion. The Mach 7 flight of the X-43, in the spring of 2001, will be the first flight of an airframe-integrated scramjet-powered vehicle. The Hyper-X program is continuing to plan follow-on activities to focus an orderly continuation of hypersonic technology development through flight research.

Advanced vehicle concepts systems and design analysis studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waters, Mark H.; Huynh, Loc C.

1994-01-01

The work conducted by the ELORET Institute under this Cooperative Agreement includes the modeling of hypersonic propulsion systems and the evaluation of hypersonic vehicles in general and most recently hypersonic waverider vehicles. This work in hypersonics was applied to the design of a two-stage to orbit launch vehicle which was included in the NASA Access to Space Project. Additional research regarded the Oblique All-Wing (OAW) Project at NASA ARC and included detailed configuration studies of OAW transport aircraft. Finally, work on the modeling of subsonic and supersonic turbofan engines was conducted under this research program.

Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Test of a Flare-type Membrane Aeroshell for Atmospheric Entry Capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Kazuhiko; Koyama, Masashi; Kimura, Yusuke; Suzuki, Kojiro; Abe, Takashi; Koichi Hayashi, A.

A flexible aeroshell for atmospheric entry vehicles has attracted attention as an innovative space transportation system. In this study, hypersonic wind tunnel tests were carried out to investigate the behavior, aerodynamic characteristics and aerodynamic heating environment in hypersonic flow for a previously developed capsule-type vehicle with a flare-type membrane aeroshell made of ZYLON textile sustained by a rigid torus frame. Two different models with different flare angles (45º and 60º) were tested to experimentally clarify the effect of flare angle. Results indicate that flare angle of aeroshell has significant and complicate effect on flow field and aerodynamic heating in hypersonic flow at Mach 9.45 and the flare angle is very important parameter for vehicle design with the flare-type membrane aeroshell.

Vibrational relaxation in hypersonic flow fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Willard E.; Miner, Gilda A.; Heinbockel, John H.

1993-01-01

Mathematical formulations of vibrational relaxation are derived from first principles for application to fluid dynamic computations of hypersonic flow fields. Relaxation within and immediately behind shock waves is shown to be substantially faster than that described in current numerical codes. The result should be a significant reduction in nonequilibrium radiation overshoot in shock layers and in radiative heating of hypersonic vehicles; these results are precisely the trends needed to bring theoretical predictions more in line with flight data. Errors in existing formulations are identified and qualitative comparisons are made.

The microspace launcher: first step to the fully air-breathing space launcher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falempin, F.; Bouchez, M.; Calabro, M.

2009-09-01

A possible application for the high-speed air-breathing propulsion is the fully or partially reusable space launcher. Indeed, by combining the high-speed air-breathing propulsion with a conventional rocket engine (combined cycle or combined propulsion system), it should be possible to improve the average installed specific impulse along the ascent trajectory and then make possible more performing launchers and, hopefully, a fully reusable one. During the last 15 years, a lot of system studies have been performed in France on that subject within the framework of different and consecutive programs. Nevertheless, these studies never clearly demonstrated that a space launcher could take advantage of using a combined propulsion system. During last years, the interest to air-breathing propulsion for space application has been revisited. During this review and taking into account technologies development activities already in progress in Europe, clear priorities have been identified regarding a minimum complementary research and technology program addressing specific needs of space launcher application. It was also clearly identified that there is the need to restart system studies taking advantage of recent progress made regarding knowledge, tools, and technology and focusing on more innovative airframe/propulsion system concepts enabling better trade-off between structural efficiency and propulsion system performance. In that field, a fully axisymmetric configuration has been considered for a microspace launcher (10 kg payload). The vehicle is based on a main stage powered by air-breathing propulsion, combined or not with liquid rocket mode. A "kick stage," powered by a solid rocket engine provides the final acceleration. A preliminary design has been performed for different variants: one using a separated booster and a purely air-breathing main stage, a second one using a booster and a main stage combining air-breathing and rocket mode, a third one without separated

Numerical comparison of convective heat transfer augmentation devices used in cooling channels of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maldonado, Jaime J.

1994-04-01

Hypersonic vehicles are exposed to extreme thermal conditions compared to subsonic aircraft; therefore, some level of thermal management is required to protect the materials used. Normally, hypersonic vehicles experience the highest temperatures in the nozzle throat, and aircraft and propulsion system leading edges. Convective heat transfer augmentation techniques can be used in the thermal management system to increase heat transfer of the cooling channels in those areas. The techniques studied in this report are pin-fin, offset-fin, ribbed and straight roughened channel. A smooth straight channel is used as the baseline for comparing the techniques. SINDA '85, a lumped parameter finite difference thermal analyzer, is used to model the channels. Subroutines are added to model the fluid flow assuming steady one dimensional compressible flow with heat addition and friction. Correlations for convective heat transfer and friction are used in conjunction with the fluid flow analysis mentioned. As expected, the pin-fin arrangement has the highest heat transfer coefficient and the largest pressure drop. All the other devices fall in between the pin-fin and smooth straight channel. The selection of the best heat augmentation method depends on the design requirements. A good approach may be a channel using a combination of the techniques. For instance, several rows of pin-fins may be located at the region of highest heat flux, surrounded by some of the other techniques. Thus, the heat transfer coefficient is maximized at the region of highest heat flux while the pressure drop is not excessive.

Numerical comparison of convective heat transfer augmentation devices used in cooling channels of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maldonado, Jaime J.

1994-01-01

Hypersonic vehicles are exposed to extreme thermal conditions compared to subsonic aircraft; therefore, some level of thermal management is required to protect the materials used. Normally, hypersonic vehicles experience the highest temperatures in the nozzle throat, and aircraft and propulsion system leading edges. Convective heat transfer augmentation techniques can be used in the thermal management system to increase heat transfer of the cooling channels in those areas. The techniques studied in this report are pin-fin, offset-fin, ribbed and straight roughened channel. A smooth straight channel is used as the baseline for comparing the techniques. SINDA '85, a lumped parameter finite difference thermal analyzer, is used to model the channels. Subroutines are added to model the fluid flow assuming steady one dimensional compressible flow with heat addition and friction. Correlations for convective heat transfer and friction are used in conjunction with the fluid flow analysis mentioned. As expected, the pin-fin arrangement has the highest heat transfer coefficient and the largest pressure drop. All the other devices fall in between the pin-fin and smooth straight channel. The selection of the best heat augmentation method depends on the design requirements. A good approach may be a channel using a combination of the techniques. For instance, several rows of pin-fins may be located at the region of highest heat flux, surrounded by some of the other techniques. Thus, the heat transfer coefficient is maximized at the region of highest heat flux while the pressure drop is not excessive.

Study of Forebody Injection and Mixing with Application to Hypervelocity Airbreathing Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Axdahl, Erik; Kumar, Ajay; Wilhite, Alan

2012-01-01

The use of premixed, shock-induced combustion in the context of a hypervelocity, airbreathing vehicle requires effective injection and mixing of hydrogen fuel and air on the vehicle forebody. Three dimensional computational simulations of fuel injection and mixing from flush-wall and modified ramp and strut injectors are reported in this study. A well-established code, VULCAN, is used to conduct nonreacting, viscous, turbulent simulations on a flat plate at conditions relevant to a Mach 12 flight vehicle forebody. In comparing results of various fuel injection strategies, it is found that strut injection provides the greatest balance of performance between mixing efficiency and stream thrust potential.

Progress in modeling hypersonic turbulent boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeman, Otto

1993-01-01

A good knowledge of the turbulence structure, wall heat transfer, and friction in turbulent boundary layers (TBL) at high speeds is required for the design of hypersonic air breathing airplanes and reentry space vehicles. This work reports on recent progress in the modeling of high speed TBL flows. The specific research goal described here is the development of a second order closure model for zero pressure gradient TBL's for the range of Mach numbers up to hypersonic speeds with arbitrary wall cooling requirements.

A fuselage/tank structure study for actively cooled hypersonic cruise vehicles: Active cooling system analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, J. E.

1975-01-01

The effects of fuselage cross section and structural arrangement on the performance of actively cooled hypersonic cruise vehicles are investigated. An active cooling system which maintains the aircraft's entire surface area at temperatures below 394 K at Mach 6 is developed along with a hydrogen fuel tankage thermal protection system. Thermodynamic characteristics of the actively cooled thermal protection systems established are summarized. Design heat loads and coolant flowrate requirements are defined for each major structural section and for the total system. Cooling system weights are summarized at the major component level. Conclusions and recommendations are included.

Analysis of various descent trajectories for a hypersonic-cruise, cold-wall research airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawing, P. L.

1975-01-01

The probable descent operating conditions for a hypersonic air-breathing research airplane were examined. Descents selected were cruise angle of attack, high dynamic pressure, high lift coefficient, turns, and descents with drag brakes. The descents were parametrically exercised and compared from the standpoint of cold-wall (367 K) aircraft heat load. The descent parameters compared were total heat load, peak heating rate, time to landing, time to end of heat pulse, and range. Trends in total heat load as a function of cruise Mach number, cruise dynamic pressure, angle-of-attack limitation, pull-up g-load, heading angle, and drag-brake size are presented.

Hypersonic airframe structures: Technology needs and flight test requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, J. E.; Koch, L. C.

1979-01-01

Hypersonic vehicles, that may be produced by the year 2000, were identified. Candidate thermal/structural concepts that merit consideration for these vehicles were described. The current status of analytical methods, materials, manufacturing techniques, and conceptual developments pertaining to these concepts were reviewed. Guidelines establishing meaningful technology goals were defined and twenty-eight specific technology needs were identified. The extent to which these technology needs can be satisfied, using existing capabilities and facilities without the benefit of a hypersonic research aircraft, was assessed. The role that a research aircraft can fill in advancing this technology was discussed and a flight test program was outlined. Research aircraft thermal/structural design philosophy was also discussed. Programs, integrating technology advancements with the projected vehicle needs, were presented. Program options were provided to reflect various scheduling and cost possibilities.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Compromise Between Air-Breathing and Nutrient Uptake of Posterior Intestine in Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), an Air-Breathing Fish.

PubMed

Huang, Songqian; Cao, Xiaojuan; Tian, Xianchang

2016-08-01

Dojo loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) is an air-breathing fish species by using its posterior intestine to breathe on water surface. So far, the molecular mechanism about accessory air-breathing in fish is seldom addressed. Five cDNA libraries were constructed here for loach posterior intestines form T01 (the initial stage group), T02 (mid-stage of normal group), T03 (end stage of normal group), T04 (mid-stage of air-breathing inhibited group), and T05 (the end stage of air-breathing inhibited group) and subjected to perform RNA-seq to compare their transcriptomic profilings. A total of 92,962 unigenes were assembled, while 37,905 (40.77 %) unigenes were successfully annotated. 2298, 1091, and 3275 differentially expressed genes (fn1, ACE, EGFR, Pxdn, SDF, HIF, VEGF, SLC2A1, SLC5A8 etc.) were observed in T04/T02, T05/T03, and T05/T04, respectively. Expression levels of many genes associated with air-breathing and nutrient uptake varied significantly between normal and intestinal air-breathing inhibited group. Intraepithelial capillaries in posterior intestines of loaches from T05 were broken, while red blood cells were enriched at the surface of intestinal epithelial lining with 241 ± 39 cells per millimeter. There were periodic acid-schiff (PAS)-positive epithelial mucous cells in posterior intestines from both normal and air-breathing inhibited groups. Results obtained here suggested an overlap of air-breathing and nutrient uptake function of posterior intestine in loach. Intestinal air-breathing inhibition in loach would influence the posterior intestine's nutrient uptake ability and endothelial capillary structure stability. This study will contribute to our understanding on the molecular regulatory mechanisms of intestinal air-breathing in loach.

Damage accumulation in titanium matrix composites under generic hypersonic vehicle flight simulation and sustained loads

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, W.S.; Mirdamadi, M.; Bakuckas, J.G. Jr.

1996-12-31

Titanium matrix composites (TMC), such as Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn (Ti-15-3) reinforced with continuous silicon-carbide fibers (SCS-6), are being evaluated for use in hypersonic vehicles and advanced gas turbine engines where high strength-to-weight and high stiffness-to-weight ratios at elevated temperatures are critical. Such applications expose the composite to mechanical fatigue loading as well as thermally induced cycles. The damage accumulation behavior of a [0/90]2s laminate made of Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn (Ti-15-3) reinforced with continuous silicon-carbide fibers (SCS-6) subjected to a simulated generic hypersonic flight profile, portions of the flight profile, and sustained loads was evaluated experimentally. Portions of the flight profile were used separately tomore » isolate combinations of load and time at temperature that influenced the fatigue behavior of the composite. Sustained load tests were also conducted and the results were compared with the fatigue results under the flight profile and its portions. The test results indicated that the fatigue strength of this materials system is considerably reduced by a combination of load and time at temperature.« less

The QED engine spectrum - Fusion-electric propulsion for air-breathing to interstellar flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bussard, Robert W.; Jameson, Lorin W.

1993-01-01

A new inertial-electrostatic-fusion direct electric power source can be used to drive a relativistic e-beam to heat propellant. The resulting system is shown to yield specific impulse and thrust/mass ratio 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than from other advanced propulsion concepts. This QED system can be applied to aerospace vehicles from air-breathing to near-interstellar flight. Examples are given for Earth/Mars flight missions, that show transit times of 40 d with 20 percent payload in single-stage vehicles.

Earth-to-orbit reusable launch vehicles: A comparative assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, R. L.

1978-01-01

A representative set of space systems, functions, and missions for NASA and DoD from which launch vehicle requirements and characteristics was established as well as a set of air-breathing launch vehicles based on graduated technology capabilities corresponding to increasingly higher staging Mach numbers. The utility of the air-breathing launch vehicle candidates based on lift-off weight, performance, technology needs, and risk was assessed and costs were compared to alternative concepts. The results indicate that a fully reusable launch vehicle, whether two stage or one stage, could potentially reduce the cost per flight 60-80% compared to that for a partially reusable vehicle but would require advances in thermal protection system technology. A two-stage-to-orbit, parallel-lift vehicle with an air-breathing booster would cost approximately the same as a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle, but the former would have greater flexibility and a significantly reduced developmental risk. A twin-booster, subsonic-staged, parallel-lift vehicle represents the lowest system cost and developmental risk. However, if a large supersonic turbojet engine in the 350,000-N thrust class were available, supersonic staging would be preferred, and the investment in development would be returned in reduced program cost.

Flap effectiveness appraisal for winged re-entry vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Rosa, Donato; Pezzella, Giuseppe; Donelli, Raffaele S.; Viviani, Antonio

2016-05-01

The interactions between shock waves and boundary layer are commonplace in hypersonic aerodynamics. They represent a very challenging design issue for hypersonic vehicle. A typical example of shock wave boundary layer interaction is the flowfield past aerodynamic surfaces during control. As a consequence, such flow interaction phenomena influence both vehicle aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics. In this framework, the present research effort describes the numerical activity performed to simulate the flowfield past a deflected flap in hypersonic flowfield conditions for a winged re-entry vehicle.

Hyper-X Stage Separation: Simulation Development and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reubush, David E.; Martin, John G.; Robinson, Jeffrey S.; Bose, David M.; Strovers, Brian K.

2001-01-01

This paper provides an overview of stage separation simulation development and results for NASA's Hyper-X program; a focused hypersonic technology effort designed to move hypersonic, airbreathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment. This paper presents an account of the development of the current 14 degree of freedom stage separation simulation tool (SepSim) and results from use of the tool in a Monte Carlo analysis to evaluate the risk of failure for the separation event. Results from use of the tool show that there is only a very small risk of failure in the separation event.

CFD validation experiments for hypersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marvin, Joseph G.

1992-01-01

A roadmap for CFD code validation is introduced. The elements of the roadmap are consistent with air-breathing vehicle design requirements and related to the important flow path components: forebody, inlet, combustor, and nozzle. Building block and benchmark validation experiments are identified along with their test conditions and measurements. Based on an evaluation criteria, recommendations for an initial CFD validation data base are given and gaps identified where future experiments could provide new validation data.

A predication model for combustion modes of the scramjet-powered aerospace vehicle based on the nonlinear features of the isolator flow field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Qingchun; Wang, Hongxin; Chetehouna, Khaled; Gascoin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

The supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) engine remains the most promising airbreathing engine cycle for hypersonic flight, particularly the high-performance dual-mode scramjet in the range of flight Mach number from 4 to 7, because it can operates under different combustion modes. Isolator is a very key component of the dual-mode scramjet engine. In this paper, nonlinear characteristics of combustion mode transition is theoretically analyzed. The discontinuous sudden changes of static pressure and Mach number are obtained as the mode transition occurs, which emphasizing the importance of predication and control of combustion modes. In this paper, a predication model of different combustion modes is developed based on these these nonlinear features in the isolator flow field. it can provide a valuable reference for control system design of the scramjet-powered aerospace vehicle.

Multichannel High Resolution Wide Swath SAR Imaging for Hypersonic Air Vehicle with Curved Trajectory.

PubMed

Zhou, Rui; Sun, Jinping; Hu, Yuxin; Qi, Yaolong

2018-01-31

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipped on the hypersonic air vehicle in near space has many advantages over the conventional airborne SAR. However, its high-speed maneuvering characteristics with curved trajectory result in serious range migration, and exacerbate the contradiction between the high resolution and wide swath. To solve this problem, this paper establishes the imaging geometrical model matched with the flight trajectory of the hypersonic platform and the multichannel azimuth sampling model based on the displaced phase center antenna (DPCA) technology. Furthermore, based on the multichannel signal reconstruction theory, a more efficient spectrum reconstruction model using discrete Fourier transform is proposed to obtain the azimuth uniform sampling data. Due to the high complexity of the slant range model, it is difficult to deduce the processing algorithm for SAR imaging. Thus, an approximate range model is derived based on the minimax criterion, and the optimal second-order approximate coefficients of cosine function are obtained using the two-population coevolutionary algorithm. On this basis, aiming at the problem that the traditional Omega-K algorithm cannot compensate the residual phase with the difficulty of Stolt mapping along the range frequency axis, this paper proposes an Exact Transfer Function (ETF) algorithm for SAR imaging, and presents a method of range division to achieve wide swath imaging. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the ETF imaging algorithm.

Multichannel High Resolution Wide Swath SAR Imaging for Hypersonic Air Vehicle with Curved Trajectory

PubMed Central

Zhou, Rui; Hu, Yuxin; Qi, Yaolong

2018-01-01

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipped on the hypersonic air vehicle in near space has many advantages over the conventional airborne SAR. However, its high-speed maneuvering characteristics with curved trajectory result in serious range migration, and exacerbate the contradiction between the high resolution and wide swath. To solve this problem, this paper establishes the imaging geometrical model matched with the flight trajectory of the hypersonic platform and the multichannel azimuth sampling model based on the displaced phase center antenna (DPCA) technology. Furthermore, based on the multichannel signal reconstruction theory, a more efficient spectrum reconstruction model using discrete Fourier transform is proposed to obtain the azimuth uniform sampling data. Due to the high complexity of the slant range model, it is difficult to deduce the processing algorithm for SAR imaging. Thus, an approximate range model is derived based on the minimax criterion, and the optimal second-order approximate coefficients of cosine function are obtained using the two-population coevolutionary algorithm. On this basis, aiming at the problem that the traditional Omega-K algorithm cannot compensate the residual phase with the difficulty of Stolt mapping along the range frequency axis, this paper proposes an Exact Transfer Function (ETF) algorithm for SAR imaging, and presents a method of range division to achieve wide swath imaging. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the ETF imaging algorithm. PMID:29385059

Three-Dimensional Aeroelastic and Aerothermoelastic Behavior in Hypersonic Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McNamara, Jack J.; Friedmann, Peretz P.; Powell, Kenneth G.; Thuruthimattam, Biju J.; Bartels, Robert E.

2005-01-01

The aeroelastic and aerothermoelastic behavior of three-dimensional configurations in hypersonic flow regime are studied. The aeroelastic behavior of a low aspect ratio wing, representative of a fin or control surface on a generic hypersonic vehicle, is examined using third order piston theory, Euler and Navier-Stokes aerodynamics. The sensitivity of the aeroelastic behavior generated using Euler and Navier-Stokes aerodynamics to parameters governing temporal accuracy is also examined. Also, a refined aerothermoelastic model, which incorporates the heat transfer between the fluid and structure using CFD generated aerodynamic heating, is used to examine the aerothermoelastic behavior of the low aspect ratio wing in the hypersonic regime. Finally, the hypersonic aeroelastic behavior of a generic hypersonic vehicle with a lifting-body type fuselage and canted fins is studied using piston theory and Euler aerodynamics for the range of 2.5 less than or equal to M less than or equal to 28, at altitudes ranging from 10,000 feet to 80,000 feet. This analysis includes a study on optimal mesh selection for use with Euler aerodynamics. In addition to the aeroelastic and aerothermoelastic results presented, three time domain flutter identification techniques are compared, namely the moving block approach, the least squares curve fitting method, and a system identification technique using an Auto-Regressive model of the aeroelastic system. In general, the three methods agree well. The system identification technique, however, provided quick damping and frequency estimations with minimal response record length, and therefore o ers significant reductions in computational cost. In the present case, the computational cost was reduced by 75%. The aeroelastic and aerothermoelastic results presented illustrate the applicability of the CFL3D code for the hypersonic flight regime.

Research on hypersonic aircraft using pre-cooled turbojet engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguchi, Hideyuki; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Kojima, Takayuki; Ueno, Atsushi; Imamura, Shunsuke; Hongoh, Motoyuki; Harada, Kenya

2012-04-01

Systems analysis of a Mach 5 class hypersonic aircraft is performed. The aircraft can fly across the Pacific Ocean in 2 h. A multidisciplinary optimization program for aerodynamics, structure, propulsion, and trajectory is used in the analysis. The result of each element model is improved using higher accuracy analysis tools. The aerodynamic performance of the hypersonic aircraft is examined through hypersonic wind tunnel tests. A thermal management system based on the data of the wind tunnel tests is proposed. A pre-cooled turbojet engine is adopted as the propulsion system for the hypersonic aircraft. The engine can be operated continuously from take-off to Mach 5. This engine uses a pre-cooling cycle using cryogenic liquid hydrogen. The high temperature inlet air of hypersonic flight would be cooled by the same liquid hydrogen used as fuel. The engine is tested under sea level static conditions. The engine is installed on a flight test vehicle. Both liquid hydrogen fuel and gaseous hydrogen fuel are supplied to the engine from a tank and cylinders installed within the vehicle. The designed operation of major components of the engine is confirmed. A large amount of liquid hydrogen is supplied to the pre-cooler in order to make its performance sufficient for Mach 5 flight. Thus, fuel rich combustion is adopted at the afterburner. The experiments are carried out under the conditions that the engine is mounted upon an experimental airframe with both set up either horizontally or vertically. As a result, the operating procedure of the pre-cooled turbojet engine is demonstrated.

Hypersonic aeroheating test of space shuttle vehicle configuration 3 (model 22-OTS) in the NASA-Ames 3.5-foot hypersonic wind tunnel (IH20), volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kingsland, R. B.; Lockman, W. K.

1975-01-01

The results of hypersonic wind tunnel testing of an 0.0175 scale version of the vehicle 3 space shuttle configuration are presented. Temperature measurements were made on the launch configuration, orbiter plus tank, orbiter alone, tank alone, and solid rocket booster alone to provide heat transfer data. The test was conducted at free-stream Mach numbers of 5.3 and 7.3 and at free-stream Reynolds numbers of 1.5 million, 3.7 million, 5.0 million, and 7.0 million per foot. The model was tested at angles of attack from -5 deg to 20 deg and side slip angles of -5 deg and 0 deg.

Wind Tunnel Test of Mach 5 Class Hypersonic Airplane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakatani, Hiroki; Taguchi, Hideyuki; Fujita, Kazuhisa; Shindo, Shigemi; Honami, Shinji

JAXA is currently performing studies on a Hypersonic Turbojet Experimental Vehicle, which involve a hypersonic flight test of a Small Pre-cooled Turbojet Engine. The aerodynamic performance of this airplane was examined at the JAXA hypersonic, supersonic, and transonic wind tunnel facilities. The 6-degrees-of-freedom forces and pressure distribution around the model were measured and evaluated. This airplane satisfies the lift-to-drag ratio requirement for a flight test at Mach 5. In addition, the results indicate that this airplane has longitudinal and directional static stability if the moment reference point is x/l smaller than 0.35. A separation occurs at the external expanding nozzle. Therefore, a redesign is necessary to solve these problems.

Numerical simulation for the influence of laser-induced plasmas addition on air mass capture of hypersonic inlet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wei; Dou, Zhiguo; Li, Qian

2012-03-01

The theory of laser-induced plasmas addition to hypersonic airflow off a vehicle to increase air mass capture and improve the performance of hypersonic inlets at Mach numbers below the design value is explored. For hypersonic vehicles, when flying at mach numbers lower than the design one, we can increase the mass capture ratio of inlet through laser-induced plasmas injection to the hypersonic flow upstream of cowl lip to form a virtual cowl. Based on the theory, the model of interaction between laser-induced plasmas and hypersonic flow was established. The influence on the effect of increasing mass capture ratio was studied at different positions of laser-induced plasmas region for the external compression hypersonic inlet at Mach 5 while the design value is 6, the power of plasmas was in the range of 1-8mJ. The main results are as follows: 1. the best location of the plasma addition region is near the intersection of the nose shock of the vehicle with the continuation of the cowl line, and slightly below that line. In that case, the shock generated by the heating is close to the shock that is a reflection of the vehicle nose shock off the imaginary solid surface-extension of the cowl. 2. Plasma addition does increase mass capture, and the effect becomes stronger as more energy is added, the peak value appeared when the power of plasma was about 4mJ, when the plasma energy continues to get stronger, the mass capture will decline slowly.

Numerical simulation for the influence of laser-induced plasmas addition on air mass capture of hypersonic inlet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Wei; Dou, Zhiguo; Li, Qian

2011-11-01

The theory of laser-induced plasmas addition to hypersonic airflow off a vehicle to increase air mass capture and improve the performance of hypersonic inlets at Mach numbers below the design value is explored. For hypersonic vehicles, when flying at mach numbers lower than the design one, we can increase the mass capture ratio of inlet through laser-induced plasmas injection to the hypersonic flow upstream of cowl lip to form a virtual cowl. Based on the theory, the model of interaction between laser-induced plasmas and hypersonic flow was established. The influence on the effect of increasing mass capture ratio was studied at different positions of laser-induced plasmas region for the external compression hypersonic inlet at Mach 5 while the design value is 6, the power of plasmas was in the range of 1-8mJ. The main results are as follows: 1. the best location of the plasma addition region is near the intersection of the nose shock of the vehicle with the continuation of the cowl line, and slightly below that line. In that case, the shock generated by the heating is close to the shock that is a reflection of the vehicle nose shock off the imaginary solid surface-extension of the cowl. 2. Plasma addition does increase mass capture, and the effect becomes stronger as more energy is added, the peak value appeared when the power of plasma was about 4mJ, when the plasma energy continues to get stronger, the mass capture will decline slowly.

Body weight of hypersonic aircraft, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.

1988-01-01

The load bearing body weight of wing-body and all-body hypersonic aircraft is estimated for a wide variety of structural materials and geometries. Variations of weight with key design and configuration parameters are presented and discussed. Both hot and cool structure approaches are considered in isotropic, organic composite, and metal matrix composite materials; structural shells are sandwich or skin-stringer. Conformal and pillow-tank designs are investigated for the all-body shape. The results identify the most promising hypersonic aircraft body structure design approaches and their weight trends. Geometric definition of vehicle shapes and structural analysis methods are presented in appendices.

The X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus booster rocket mounted to NASA's NB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The first of three X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus booster rocket recently underwent combined systems testing while mounted to NASA's NB-52B carrier aircraft at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The combined systems test was one of the last major milestones in the Hyper-X research program before the first X-43A flight. One of the major goals of the Hyper-X program is flight validation of airframe-integrated, air-breathing propulsion system, which so far have only been tested in ground facilities, such as wind tunnels. The X-43A flights will be the first actual flight tests of an aircraft powered by a revolutionary supersonic-combustion ramjet ('scramjet') engine capable of operating at hypersonic speeds above Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). The X-43A design uses the underbody of the aircraft to form critical elements of the engine. The forebody shape helps compress the intake airflow, while the aft section acts as a nozzle to direct thrust. The 12-foot, unpiloted research vehicle was developed and built by MicroCraft Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., under NASA contract. The booster, built by Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va., will accelerate the X-43A after the X-43A/booster 'stack' is air-launched from NASA's venerable NB-52 mothership. The X-43A will separate from the rocket at a predetermined altitude and speed and fly a pre-programmed trajectory, conducting aerodynamic and propulsion experiments until it descends into the Pacific Ocean. Three research flights are planned, two at Mach 7 and one at Mach 10.

Aerosciences, Aero-Propulsion and Flight Mechanics Technology Development for NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, Charles E., Jr.

2003-01-01

The Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program, Vehicle Systems Research and Technology (VSR&T) project is pursuing technology advancements in aerothermodynamics, aeropropulsion and flight mechanics to enable development of future reusable launch vehicle (RLV) systems. The current design trade space includes rocket-propelled, hypersonic airbreathing and hybrid systems in two-stage and single-stage configurations. Aerothermodynamics technologies include experimental and computational databases to evaluate stage separation of two-stage vehicles as well as computational and trajectory simulation tools for this problem. Additionally, advancements in high-fidelity computational tools and measurement techniques are being pursued along with the study of flow physics phenomena, such as boundary-layer transition. Aero-propulsion technology development includes scramjet flowpath development and integration, with a current emphasis on hypervelocity (Mach 10 and above) operation, as well as the study of aero-propulsive interactions and the impact on overall vehicle performance. Flight mechanics technology development is focused on advanced guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) algorithms and adaptive flight control systems for both rocket-propelled and airbreathing vehicles.

Progress of air-breathing cathode in microbial fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zejie; Mahadevan, Gurumurthy Dummi; Wu, Yicheng; Zhao, Feng

2017-07-01

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an emerging technology to produce green energy and vanquish the effects of environmental contaminants. Cathodic reactions are vital for high electrical power density generated from MFCs. Recently tremendous attentions were paid towards developing high performance air-breathing cathodes. A typical air-breathing cathode comprises of electrode substrate, catalyst layer, and air-diffusion layer. Prior researches demonstrated that each component influenced the performance of air-breathing cathode MFCs. This review summarized the progress in development of the individual component and elaborated main factors to the performance of air-breathing cathode.

Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish.

PubMed

Clement, Alice M; Long, John A

2010-08-23

Recent discoveries of tetrapod trackways in 395 Myr old tidal zone deposits of Poland (Niedźwiedzki et al. 2010 Nature 463, 43-48 (doi:10.1038/nature.08623)) indicate that vertebrates had already ventured out of the water and might already have developed some air-breathing capacity by the Middle Devonian. Air-breathing in lungfishes is not considered to be a shared specialization with tetrapods, but evolved independently. Air-breathing in lungfishes has been postulated as starting in Middle Devonian times (ca 385 Ma) in freshwater habitats, based on a set of skeletal characters involved in air-breathing in extant lungfishes. New discoveries described herein of the lungfish Rhinodipterus from marine limestones of Australia identifies the node in dipnoan phylogeny where air-breathing begins, and confirms that lungfishes living in marine habitats had also developed specializations to breathe air by the start of the Late Devonian (ca 375 Ma). While invasion of freshwater habitats from the marine realm was previously suggested to be the prime cause of aerial respiration developing in lungfishes, we believe that global decline in oxygen levels during the Middle Devonian combined with higher metabolic costs is a more likely driver of air-breathing ability, which developed in both marine and freshwater lungfishes and tetrapodomorph fishes such as Gogonasus.

Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish

PubMed Central

Clement, Alice M.; Long, John A.

2010-01-01

Recent discoveries of tetrapod trackways in 395 Myr old tidal zone deposits of Poland (Niedźwiedzki et al. 2010 Nature 463, 43–48 (doi:10.1038/nature.08623)) indicate that vertebrates had already ventured out of the water and might already have developed some air-breathing capacity by the Middle Devonian. Air-breathing in lungfishes is not considered to be a shared specialization with tetrapods, but evolved independently. Air-breathing in lungfishes has been postulated as starting in Middle Devonian times (ca 385 Ma) in freshwater habitats, based on a set of skeletal characters involved in air-breathing in extant lungfishes. New discoveries described herein of the lungfish Rhinodipterus from marine limestones of Australia identifies the node in dipnoan phylogeny where air-breathing begins, and confirms that lungfishes living in marine habitats had also developed specializations to breathe air by the start of the Late Devonian (ca 375 Ma). While invasion of freshwater habitats from the marine realm was previously suggested to be the prime cause of aerial respiration developing in lungfishes, we believe that global decline in oxygen levels during the Middle Devonian combined with higher metabolic costs is a more likely driver of air-breathing ability, which developed in both marine and freshwater lungfishes and tetrapodomorph fishes such as Gogonasus. PMID:20147310

Surface Heat Flux and Pressure Distribution on a Hypersonic Blunt Body With DEAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvador, I. I.; Minucci, M. A. S.; Toro, P. G. P.; Oliveira, A. C.; Channes, J. B.

2008-04-01

With the currently growing interest for advanced technologies to enable hypersonic flight comes the Direct Energy Air Spike concept, where pulsed beamed laser energy is focused upstream of a blunt flight vehicle to disrupt the flow structure creating a virtual, slender body geometry. This allies in the vehicle both advantages of a blunt body (lower thermal stresses) to that of a slender geometry (lower wave drag). The research conducted at the Henry T. Nagamatsu Laboratory for Aerodynamics and Hypersonics focused on the measurement of the surface pressure and heat transfer rates on a blunt model. The hypersonic flight conditions were simulated at the HTN Laboratory's 0.3 m T2 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel. During the tests, the laser energy was focused upstream the model by an infrared telescope to create the DEAS effect, which was supplied by a TEA CO2 laser. Piezoelectric pressure transducers were used for the pressure measurements and fast response coaxial thermocouples were used for the measurement of surface temperature, which was later used for the estimation of the wall heat transfer using the inverse heat conduction theory.

Revolutionary Materials for Hypersonic Flight

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

Transactions A (in preparation ). 16. M.D. Novak, CG. Levi, " Silicide Coatings on Niobium Substrates II: Thermodynamic Analysis and Mechanism of...These conditions impose significant challenges to material selection. While metallic materials are favored for their durability to thermal distortion...those of even the most highly-conducting engineering materials. While metallic systems are desirable for use in hypersonic vehicles for durability and

Vortex lattice prediction of subsonic aerodynamics of hypersonic vehicle concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pittman, J. L.; Dillon, J. L.

1977-01-01

The vortex lattice method introduced by Lamar and Gloss (1975) was applied to the prediction of subsonic aerodynamic characteristics of hypersonic body-wing configurations. The reliability of the method was assessed through comparison of the calculated and observed aerodynamic performances of two National Hypersonic Flight Research Facility craft at Mach 0.2. The investigation indicated that a vortex lattice model involving 120 or more panel elements can give good results for the lift and induced drag coefficients of the craft, as well as for the pitching moment at angles of attack below 10 to 15 deg. Automated processes for calculating the local slopes of mean-camber surfaces may also render the method suitable for use in preliminary design phases.

Impact of cabin environment on thermal protection system of crew hypersonic vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiao Wei; Zhao, Jing Quan; Zhu, Lei; Yu, Xi Kui

2016-05-01

Hypersonic crew vehicles need reliable thermal protection systems (TPS) to ensure their safety. Since there exists relative large temperature difference between cabin airflow and TPS structure, the TPS shield that covers the cabin is always subjected to a non-adiabatic inner boundary condition, which may influence the heat transfer characteristic of the TPS. However, previous literatures always neglected the influence of the inner boundary by assuming that it was perfectly adiabatic. The present work focuses on studying the impact of cabin environment on the thermal performance. A modified TPS model is created with a mixed thermal boundary condition to connect the cabin environment with the TPS. This helps make the simulation closer to the real situation. The results stress that cabin environment greatly influences the temperature profile inside the TPS, which should not be neglected in practice. Moreover, the TPS size can be optimized during the design procedure if taking the effect of cabin environment into account.

Approach to solution of coupled heat transfer problem on the surface of hypersonic vehicle of arbitrary shape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocharov, A. N.; Bityurin, V. A.; Golovin, N. N.; Evstigneev, N. M.; Petrovskiy, V. P.; Ryabkov, O. I.; Teplyakov, I. O.; Shustov, A. A.; Solomonov, Yu S.; Fortov, V. E.

2016-11-01

In this paper, an approach to solve conjugate heat- and mass-transfer problems is considered to be applied to hypersonic vehicle surface of arbitrary shape. The approach under developing should satisfy the following demands. (i) The surface of the body of interest may have arbitrary geometrical shape. (ii) The shape of the body can change during calculation. (iii) The flight characteristics may vary in a wide range, specifically flight altitude, free-stream Mach number, angle-of-attack, etc. (iv) The approach should be realized with using the high-performance-computing (HPC) technologies. The approach is based on coupled solution of 3D unsteady hypersonic flow equations and 3D unsteady heat conductance problem for the thick wall. Iterative process is applied to account for ablation of wall material and, consequently, mass injection from the surface and changes in the surface shape. While iterations, unstructured computational grids both in the flow region and within the wall interior are adapted to the current geometry and flow conditions. The flow computations are done on HPC platform and are most time-consuming part of the whole problem, while heat conductance problem can be solved on many kinds of computers.

Overview of X-38 Hypersonic Aerothermodynamic Wind Tunnel Data and Comparison with Numerical Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, C.; Caram, J.; Berry, S.; Horvath, T.; Merski, N.; Loomis, M.; Venkatapathy, E.

2004-01-01

A NASA team of engineers has been organized to design a crew return vehicle for returning International Space Station crew members from orbit. The hypersonic aerothermodynamic characteristics of the X-23/X-24A derived X-38 crew return vehicle are being evaluated in various wind tunnels in support of this effort. Aerothermodynamic data from two NASA hypersonic tunnels at Mach 6 and Mach 10 has been obtained with cast ceramic models and a thermographic phosphorus digital imaging system. General windward surface heating features are described based on experimental surface heating images and surface oil flow patterns for the nominal hypersonic aerodynamic orientation. Body flap reattachment heating levels are examined. Computational Fluid Dynamics tools have been applied at the appropriate wind tunnel conditions to make comparisons with this data.

Aerodynamic prediction techniques for hypersonic configuration design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

An investigation of approximate theoretical techniques for predicting aerodynamic characteristics and surface pressures for relatively slender vehicles at moderate hypersonic speeds was performed. Emphasis was placed on approaches that would be responsive to preliminary configuration design level of effort. Potential theory was examined in detail to meet this objective. Numerical pilot codes were developed for relatively simple three dimensional geometries to evaluate the capability of the approximate equations of motion considered. Results from the computations indicate good agreement with higher order solutions and experimental results for a variety of wing, body, and wing-body shapes for values of the hypersonic similarity parameter M delta approaching one.

Modification to the Langley 8-foot high temperature tunnel for hypersonic propulsion testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reubush, D. E.; Puster, R. L.; Kelly, H. N.

1987-01-01

Described are the modifications currently under way to the Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel to produce a new, unique national resource for testing hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems. The current tunnel, which has been used for aerothermal loads and structures research since its inception, is being modified with the addition of a LOX system to bring the oxygen content of the test medium up to that of air, the addition of alternate Mach number capability (4 and 5) to augment the current M=7 capability, improvements to the tunnel hardware to reduce maintenance downtime, the addition of a hydrogen system to allow the testing of hydrogen powered engines, and a new data system to increase both the quantity and quality of the data obtained.

The NASA-sponsored Maryland center for hypersonic education and research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Mark J.; Gupta, Ashwani K.

1995-01-01

The Office of Aeronautics of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has established a program to support university programs in the field of hypersonic flight. Beginning in the fall of 1993, three universities, including the University of Maryland at College Park, were selected to participate in this activity. The program at the University of Maryland includes faculty in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, and provides a multidisciplinary environment for graduate and undergraduate students to study and conduct research in the field of hypersonic flight. Ongoing projects cover the range of applications from cruisers through transatmospheric and reentry vehicles. Research activities, focused on propulsion, fluid dynamics, inverse design, and vehicle optimization and integration, are conducted in conjuntion with industrial partners and government laboratories.

A CFD validation roadmap for hypersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marvin, Joseph G.

1992-01-01

A roadmap for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code validation is developed. The elements of the roadmap are consistent with air-breathing vehicle design requirements and related to the important flow path components: forebody, inlet, combustor, and nozzle. Building block and benchmark validation experiments are identified along with their test conditions and measurements. Based on an evaluation criteria, recommendations for an initial CFD validation data base are given and gaps identified where future experiments would provide the needed validation data.

A CFD validation roadmap for hypersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marvin, Joseph G.

1993-01-01

A roadmap for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code validation is developed. The elements of the roadmap are consistent with air-breathing vehicle design requirements and related to the important flow path components: forebody, inlet, combustor, and nozzle. Building block and benchmark validation experiments are identified along with their test conditions and measurements. Based on an evaluation criteria, recommendations for an initial CFD validation data base are given and gaps identified where future experiments would provide the needed validation data.

The potential for a new era of supersonic and hypersonic aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Roy V.

1990-01-01

A new era of supersonic and hypersonic aviation is envisioned. The potential for supersonic and hypersonic flight vehicles in this new era is analyzed. Technology challenges that must be met in order to bring in this new era of flight are discussed. The current technical status and future potential are cited in the areas of aerodynamics, propulsion, and structural materials. A next major step in the development of high-speed air transportation is suggested.

Prediction of forces and moments for flight vehicle control effectors: Workplan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maughmer, Mark D.

1989-01-01

Two research activities directed at hypersonic vehicle configurations are currently underway. The first involves the validation of a number of classical local surface inclination methods commonly employed in preliminary design studies of hypersonic flight vehicles. Unlike studies aimed at validating such methods for predicting overall vehicle aerodynamics, this effort emphasizes validating the prediction of forces and moments for flight control studies. Specifically, several vehicle configurations for which experimental or flight-test data are available are being examined. By comparing the theoretical predictions with these data, the strengths and weaknesses of the local surface inclination methods can be ascertained and possible improvements suggested. The second research effort, of significance to control during take-off and landing of most proposed hypersonic vehicle configurations, is aimed at determining the change due to ground effect in control effectiveness of highly swept delta planforms. Central to this research is the development of a vortex-lattice computer program which incorporates an unforced trailing vortex sheet and an image ground plane. With this program, the change in pitching moment of the basic vehicle due to ground proximity, and whether or not there is sufficient control power available to trim, can be determined. In addition to the current work, two different research directions are suggested for future study. The first is aimed at developing an interactive computer program to assist the flight controls engineer in determining the forces and moments generated by different types of control effectors that might be used on hypersonic vehicles. The first phase of this work would deal in the subsonic portion of the flight envelope, while later efforts would explore the supersonic/hypersonic flight regimes. The second proposed research direction would explore methods for determining the aerodynamic trim drag of a generic hypersonic flight vehicle

NASA's B-52B launch aircraft cruises to a test range over the Pacific Ocean carrying the second X-43A vehicle attached to a Pegasus rocket on March 27, 2004

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-27

The second X-43A hypersonic research aircraft, attached to a modified Pegasus booster rocket and followed by a chase F-18, was taken to launch altitude by NASA's B-52B launch aircraft from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on March 27, 2004. About an hour later the Pegasus booster was released from the B-52 to accelerate the X-43A to its intended speed of Mach 7. In a combined research effort involving Dryden, Langley, and several industry partners, NASA demonstrated the value of its X-43A hypersonic research aircraft, as it became the first air-breathing, unpiloted, scramjet-powered plane to fly freely by itself. The March 27 flight, originating from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, began with the Agency's B-52B launch aircraft carrying the X-43A out to the test range over the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. The X-43A was boosted up to its test altitude of about 95,000 feet, where it separated from its modified Pegasus booster and flew freely under its own power. Two very significant aviation milestones occurred during this test flight: first, controlled accelerating flight at Mach 7 under scramjet power, and second, the successful stage separation at high dynamic pressure of two non-axisymmetric vehicles. To top it all off, the flight resulted in the setting of a new aeronautical speed record. The X-43A reached a speed of over Mach 7, or about 5,000 miles per hour faster than any known aircraft powered by an air-breathing engine has ever flown.

Experiments on Hypersonic Roughness Induced Transition by Means of Infrared Thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrijer, F. F. J.; Scarano, F.; van Oudheusden, B. W.; Bannink, W. J.

2005-02-01

Roughness induced boundary layer transition is experimentally investigated in the hypersonic flow regime at M = 9. The primary interest is the possible effect of stepwise geometry imperfections (2D isolated roughness) on (boundary layer) transition which may be caused on the EXPERT vehicle by the difference in thermal expansion due to the different materials used in the vehicle-nose construction. Also 3D isolated and 3D distributed roughness configurations were studied. Quantitative Infra-Red Thermography (QIRT) is used as primary diagnostic technique to measure the surface convective heat transfer and to detect boundary layer laminar-to-turbulent transition. The investigation shows that for a given height of the roughness element, the boundary layer is least sensitive to a step-like disturbance, whereas distributed 3D roughness was found to be effective in triggering transition. The experimental results have been compared to existing hypersonic transition correlations (PANT and Shuttle). Finally a transition criterion is evaluated which is based on the critical roughness height Reynolds number. Usage of this criterion enables a straightforward extrapolation to flight. Key words: hypersonic flow, boundary layer transition.

Parametric Study of Cantilever Plates Exposed to Supersonic and Hypersonic Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sri Harsha, A.; Rizwan, M.; Kuldeep, S.; Giridhara Prasad, A.; Akhil, J.; Nagaraja, S. R.

2017-08-01

Analysis of hypersonic flows associated with re-entry vehicles has gained a lot of significance due to the advancements in Aerospace Engineering. An area that is studied extensively by researchers is the simultaneous reduction aerodynamic drag and aero heating in re-entry vehicles. Out of the many strategies being studied, the use of aerospikes at the stagnation point of the vehicle is found to give favourable results. The structural stability of the aerospike becomes important as it is exposed to very high pressures and temperatures. Keeping this in view, the deflection and vibration of an inclined cantilever plate in hypersonic flow is carried out using ANSYS. Steady state pressure distribution obtained from Fluent is applied as load to the transient structural module for analysis. After due validation of the methods, the effects of parameters like flow Mach number, plate inclination and plate thickness on the deflection and vibration are studied.

Supersonic investigation of two dimensional hypersonic exhaust nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carboni, Jeanne D.; Shyne, Rickey J.; Leavitt, Laurence D.; Taylor, John G.; Lamb, Milton

1992-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted in the NASA Lewis 10 x 10 ft supersonic Wind Tunnel to determine the performance characteristics of 2D hypersonic exhaust nozzles/afterbodies at low supersonic conditions. Generally, this type of application requires a single expansion ramp nozzle (SERN) that is highly integrated with the airframe of the hypersonic vehicle. At design conditions (hypersonic speeds), the nozzle generally exhibits acceptable performance. At off-design conditions (transonic to mid-supersonic speeds), nozzle performance of a fixed geometry configuration is generally poor. Various 2-D nozzle configurations were tested at off-design conditions from Mach 2.0 to 3.5. Performance data is presented at nozzle pressure ratios from 1 to 35. Jet exhaust was simulated with high-pressure air. To study performance of different geometries, nozzle configurations were varied by interchanging the following model parts: internal upstream contour, expansion ramp, sidewalls, and cowl.

Assessment of CFD capability for prediction of hypersonic shock interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knight, Doyle; Longo, José; Drikakis, Dimitris; Gaitonde, Datta; Lani, Andrea; Nompelis, Ioannis; Reimann, Bodo; Walpot, Louis

2012-01-01

The aerothermodynamic loadings associated with shock wave boundary layer interactions (shock interactions) must be carefully considered in the design of hypersonic air vehicles. The capability of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software to accurately predict hypersonic shock wave laminar boundary layer interactions is examined. A series of independent computations performed by researchers in the US and Europe are presented for two generic configurations (double cone and cylinder) and compared with experimental data. The results illustrate the current capabilities and limitations of modern CFD methods for these flows.

A new computational method for reacting hypersonic flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niculescu, M. L.; Cojocaru, M. G.; Pricop, M. V.; Fadgyas, M. C.; Pepelea, D.; Stoican, M. G.

2017-07-01

Hypersonic gas dynamics computations are challenging due to the difficulties to have reliable and robust chemistry models that are usually added to Navier-Stokes equations. From the numerical point of view, it is very difficult to integrate together Navier-Stokes equations and chemistry model equations because these partial differential equations have different specific time scales. For these reasons, almost all known finite volume methods fail shortly to solve this second order partial differential system. Unfortunately, the heating of Earth reentry vehicles such as space shuttles and capsules is very close linked to endothermic chemical reactions. A better prediction of wall heat flux leads to smaller safety coefficient for thermal shield of space reentry vehicle; therefore, the size of thermal shield decreases and the payload increases. For these reasons, the present paper proposes a new computational method based on chemical equilibrium, which gives accurate prediction of hypersonic heating in order to support the Earth reentry capsule design.

An overview of research on waverider design methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Feng; Liu, Jun; Shen, Chi-bing; Liu, Zhen; Chen, Shao-hua; Fu, Xiang

2017-11-01

A waverider is any supersonic or hypersonic lifting body that is characterized by an attached, or nearly attached, bow shock wave along its leading edge. As a waverider can possess a high lift-to-drag ratio as well as an ideal precompression surface of the inlet system, it has become one of the most promising designs for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles. This paper reviews and classifies waverider design methodologies developed by local and foreign scholars up until 2016. The design concept of a waverider can be summarized as follows: modeling of the basic flow field is used to design the waverider in the streamwise direction and the osculating theory is used to design the waverider in the spanwise direction.

Hypersonic Flight and the Re-Entry Problem: The Twenty-First Wright Brothers Lecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, H. Julian

1958-01-01

Up to this point the discussion of the problems of rocket vehicles has been confined to the effects of phenomena which have in the past been important ones for lower speed aircraft and will continue to be important for aircraft of all speeds. Now with considerable extension of both speed and altitude, other phenomena also become important. The nature of some problems will be altered, as a result, and new problems, of course, will be encountered. First, it is well to note that our interest in bluff bodies for ballistic vehicles in particular, and in rounded-nosed bodies generally, has changed our emphasis in aerodynamics. The detached bow waves which occur with such bodies at high supersonic speeds complicate the calculations of the flow-field characteristics. In the present period, much attention is being given to such studies. In addition, at the very high altitudes attained by most of the rocket-craft, the mean free path of air molecules can be of the same order, or long, compared to the dimensions of the vehicles. Thus, slip-flow and free-molecule-flow studies are of interest, particularly for satellite vehicles." The aerodynatnicist must deal with air having unfamiliar states and properties. Second, at hypersonic speeds where, for example, air is greatly decelerated, it may undergo considerable change in composition, the degree of change depending upon many factors. Dissociation of oxygen and nitrogen molecules can occur and, in addition, thermal ionization of many of the constituents. It is naturally to be expected that the convective heat transfer will, as a result, be altered from what it was for the "perfect" gas, and this has been the subject of much recent research effort. Moreover, the decelerated gas becomes capable of radiating energy and the radiative heat transfer must generally be considered for hypersonic vehicles, particularly for long-range ballistic rockets. It is not only the aerodynamic heating problems that are affected. The fact that at very

X-43C Flight Demonstrator Project Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Paul L.

2003-01-01

The X-43C Flight Demonstrator Project is a joint NASA-USAF hypersonic propulsion technology flight demonstration project that will expand the hypersonic flight envelope for air-breathing engines. The Project will demonstrate sustained accelerating flight through three flights of expendable X-43C Demonstrator Vehicles (DVs). The approximately 16-foot long X-43C DV will be boosted to the starting test conditions, separate from the booster, and accelerate from Mach 5 to Mach 7 under its own power and autonomous control. The DVs will be powered by a liquid hydrocarbon-fueled, fuel-cooled, dual-mode, airframe integrated scramjet engine system developed under the USAF HyTech Program. The Project is managed by NASA Langley Research Center as part of NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology Program. Flight tests will be conducted by NASA Dryden Flight Research Center off the coast of California over water in the Pacific Test Range. The NASA/USAF/industry project is a natural extension of the Hyper-X Program (X-43A), which will demonstrate short duration (approximately 10 seconds) gaseous hydrogen-fueled scramjet powered flight at Mach 7 and Mach 10 using a heavy-weight, largely heat sink construction, experimental engine. The X-43C Project will demonstrate sustained accelerating flight from Mach 5 to Mach 7 (approximately 4 minutes) using a flight-weight, fuel-cooled, scramjet engine powered by much denser liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The X-43C DV design flows from integrating USAF HyTech developed engine technologies with a NASA Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle accelerator-class configuration and Hyper-X heritage vehicle systems designs. This paper describes the X-43C Project and provides the background for NASA's current hypersonic flight demonstration efforts.

X-43A Project Overview: Adventures in Hypersonics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Mark; Grindle, Laurie

2007-01-01

A viewgraph presentation describing the hypersonics program at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center is shown. The topics include: 1) X-43A Program Overview; 2) Vehicle Description; 3) Flight 1, MIB & Return to Flight; 4) Flight 2 and Results; 5) Flight 3 and Results; and 6) Concluding Remarks

Development of Supersonic Vehicle for Demonstration of a Precooled Turbojet Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawai, Shujiro; Fujita, Kazuhisa; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Sakai, Shin'ichiro; Bando, Nobutaka; Kadooka, Shouhei; Tsuboi, Nobuyuki; Miyaji, Koji; Uchiyama, Taku; Hashimoto, Tatsuaki

JAXA is developing Mach 5 hypersonic turbojet engine technology that can be applied in a future hypersonic transport. Now, Jet Engine Technology Research Center of JAXA conducts the experimental study using a 1 / 10 scale-model engine. In parallel to engine development activities, a new supersonic flight-testing vehicle for the hypersonic turbojet engine is under development since 2004. In this paper, the system configuration of the flight-testing vehicle is outlined and development status is reported.

Advanced hypersonic aircraft design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Utzinger, Rob; Blank, Hans-Joachim; Cox, Craig; Harvey, Greg; Mckee, Mike; Molnar, Dave; Nagy, Greg; Petersen, Steve

1992-01-01

The objective of this design project is to develop the hypersonic reconnaissance aircraft to replace the SR-71 and to complement existing intelligence gathering devices. The initial design considerations were to create a manned vehicle which could complete its mission with at least two airborne refuelings. The aircraft must travel between Mach 4 and Mach 7 at an altitude of 80,000 feet for a maximum range of 12,000 nautical miles. The vehicle should have an air breathing propulsion system at cruise. With a crew of two, the aircraft should be able to take off and land on a 10,000 foot runway, and the yearly operational costs were not to exceed $300 million. Finally, the aircraft should exhibit stealth characteristics, including a minimized radar cross-section (RCS) and a reduced sonic boom. The technology used in this vehicle should allow for production between the years 1993 and 1995.

Modeling of aerodynamic heat flux and thermoelastic behavior of nose caps of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persova, Marina G.; Soloveichik, Yury G.; Belov, Vasiliy K.; Kiselev, Dmitry S.; Vagin, Denis V.; Domnikov, Petr A.; Patrushev, Ilya I.; Kurskiy, Denis N.

2017-07-01

In this paper, the problem of numerical modeling of thermoelastic behavior of nose caps of hypersonic vehicles at different angles of attack is considered. 3D finite element modeling is performed by solving the coupled heat and elastic problems taking into account thermal and mechanical properties variations with temperature. A special method for calculating the aerodynamic heat flux entering the nose cap from its surface is proposed. This method is characterized by very low computational costs and allows calculating the aerodynamic heat flux at different values of the Mach number and angles of attack which may vary during the aerodynamic heating. The numerical results obtained by the proposed approach are compared with the numerical results and experimental data obtained by other authors. The developed approach has been used for studying the impact of the angle of attack on the thermoelastic behavior of nose caps main components.

Hypersonic Shock/Boundary-Layer Interaction Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Settles, G. S.; Dodson, L. J.

1991-01-01

Turbulence modeling is generally recognized as the major problem obstructing further advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A closed solution of the governing Navier-Stokes equations for turbulent flows of practical consequence is still far beyond grasp. At the same time, the simplified models of turbulence which are used to achieve closure of the Navier-Stokes equations are known to be rigorously incorrect. While these models serve a definite purpose, they are inadequate for the general prediction of hypersonic viscous/inviscid interactions, mixing problems, chemical nonequilibria, and a range of other phenomena which must be predicted in order to design a hypersonic vehicle computationally. Due to the complexity of turbulence, useful new turbulence models are synthesized only when great expertise is brought to bear and considerable intellectual energy is expended. Although this process is fundamentally theoretical, crucial guidance may be gained from carefully-executed basic experiments. Following the birth of a new model, its testing and validation once again demand comparisons with data of unimpeachable quality. This report concerns these issues which arise from the experimental aspects of hypersonic modeling and represents the results of the first phase of an effort to develop compressible turbulence models.

Development of a Multi-Disciplinary Aerothermostructural Model Applicable to Hypersonic Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kostyk, Chris; Risch, Tim

2013-01-01

The harsh and complex hypersonic flight environment has driven design and analysis improvements for many years. One of the defining characteristics of hypersonic flight is the coupled, multi-disciplinary nature of the dominant physics. In an effect to examine some of the multi-disciplinary problems associated with hypersonic flight engineers at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center developed a non-linear 6 degrees-of-freedom, full vehicle simulation that includes the necessary model capabilities: aerothermal heating, ablation, and thermal stress solutions. Development of the tool and results for some investigations will be presented. Requirements and improvements for future work will also be reviewed. The results of the work emphasize the need for a coupled, multi-disciplinary analysis to provide accurate

Calculation of Supersonic Combustion Using Implicit Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoon, Seokkwan; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

One of the technology goals of NASA for advanced space transportation is to develop highly efficient propulsion systems to reduce the cost of payload for space missions. Developments of rockets for the second generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) in the past several years have been focused on low-cost versions of conventional engines. However, recent changes in the Integrated Space Transportation Program to build a crew transportation vehicle to extend the life of the Space Shuttle fleet might suggest that air-breathing rockets could reemerge as a possible propulsion system for the third generation RLV to replace the Space Shuttle after 2015. The weight of the oxygen tank exceeds thirty percent of the total weight of the Space Shuttle at launch while the payload is only one percent of the total weight. The air-breathing rocket propulsion systems, which consume oxygen in the air, offer clear advantages by making vehicles lighter and more efficient. Experience in the National Aerospace Plane Program in the late 1980s indicates that scramjet engines can achieve high specific impulse for low hypersonic vehicle speeds. Whether taking a form of Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) or Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC), the scramjet is an essential mode of operation for air-breathing rockets. It is well known that fuel-air mixing and rapid combustion are of crucial importance for the success of scramjet engines since the spreading rate of the supersonic mixing layer decreases as the Mach number increases. A factored form of the Gauss-Seidel relaxation method has been widely used in hypersonic flow research since its first application to non-equilibrium flows. However, difficulties in stability and convergence have been encountered when there is strong interaction between fluid motion and chemical reaction, such as multiple fuel injection problems. The present paper reports the results from investigation of the effect of modifications to the original algorithm on the

A comparison of upwind schemes for computation of three-dimensional hypersonic real-gas flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerbsch, R. A.; Agarwal, R. K.

1992-01-01

The method of Suresh and Liou (1992) is extended, and the resulting explicit noniterative upwind finite-volume algorithm is applied to the integration of 3D parabolized Navier-Stokes equations to model 3D hypersonic real-gas flowfields. The solver is second-order accurate in the marching direction and employs flux-limiters to make the algorithm second-order accurate, with total variation diminishing in the cross-flow direction. The algorithm is used to compute hypersonic flow over a yawed cone and over the Ames All-Body Hypersonic Vehicle. The solutions obtained agree well with other computational results and with experimental data.

Studies of scramjet/airframe integration techniques for hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, C. L. W.; Small, W. J.; Weidner, J. P.; Johnston, P. J.

1975-01-01

New design and analysis techniques for engine-airframe integration were applied in a recent hypersonic vehicle design study. A new technique was developed to design the vehicle's forebody so that uniform precompressed flow was produced at the inlet entrance. Results are verified with three-dimensional characteristic calculations. Results from a new three-dimensional method for calculating nozzle flows show that the entire lower afterbody of the vehicle can be used as a scramjet exhaust nozzle to achieve efficient, controlled, and stable flight over a wide range of flight conditions.

The Sensitivity of Precooled Air-Breathing Engine Performance to Heat Exchanger Design Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, H.; Bond, A.; Hempsell, M.

The issues relevant to propulsion design for Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicles are considered. In particular two air- breathing engine concepts involving precooling are compared; SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing and Rocket Engine) as designed for the Skylon SSTO launch vehicle, and a LACE (Liquid Air Cycle Engine) considered in the 1960's by the Americans for an early generation spaceplane. It is shown that through entropy minimisation the SABRE has made substantial gains in performance over the traditional LACE precooled engine concept, and has shown itself as the basis of a viable means of realising a SSTO vehicle. Further, it is demonstrated that the precooler is a major source of thermodynamic irreversibility within the engine cycle and that further reduction in entropy can be realised by increasing the heat transfer coefficient on the air side of the precooler. If this were to be achieved, it would improve the payload mass delivered to orbit by the Skylon launch vehicle by between 5 and 10%.

Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research Into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH). Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micheletti, David A.; Baughman, Jack A.; Nelson, Gordon L.; Simmons, Gloyd A.

1997-01-01

This report documents the activities, results, conclusions and recommendations of the Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research Into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH) Project in which the use of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) technology is investigated for its applicability to augment hypersonic wind tunnels. The long range objective of this investigation is to advance the development of ground test facilities to support the development of hypervelocity flight vehicles. The MHD accelerator adds kinetic energy directly to the wind tunnel working fluid, thereby increasing its Mach number to hypervelocity levels. Several techniques for MHD augmentation, as well as other physical characteristics of the process are studied to enhance the overall performance of hypersonic wind tunnel design. Specific recommendations are presented to improve the effectiveness of ground test facilities. The work contained herein builds on nearly four decades of research and experimentation by the aeronautics ground test and evaluation community, both foreign and domestic.

Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH). Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baughman, Jack A.; Micheletti, David A.; Nelson, Gordon L.; Simmons, Gloyd A.

1997-01-01

This report documents the activities, results, conclusions and recommendations of the Magnetohydrodynamics Accelerator Research Into Advanced Hypersonics (MARIAH) Project in which the use of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) technology is investigated for its applicability to augment hypersonic wind tunnels. The long range objective of this investigation is to advance the development of ground test facilities to support the development of hypervelocity flight vehicles. The MHD accelerator adds kinetic energy directly to the wind tunnel working fluid, thereby increasing its Mach number to hypervelocity levels. Several techniques for MHD augmentation, as well as other physical characteristics of the process are studied to enhance the overall performance of hypersonic wind tunnel design. Specific recommendations are presented to improve the effectiveness of ground test facilities. The work contained herein builds on nearly four decades of research and experimentation by the aeronautics ground test and evaluation community, both foreign and domestic.

I(sup STAR), NASA's Next Step in Air-Breathing Propulsion for Space Access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutt, John J.; McArthur, Craig; Cook, Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has established a strategic plan for future activities in space. A primary goal of this plan is to make drastic improvements in the cost and safety of earth to low-earth-orbit transportation. One approach to achieving this goal is through the development of highly reusable, highly reliable space transportation systems analogous to the commercial airline system. In the year 2000, NASA selected the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine as the next logical step towards this goal. NASA will develop a complete flight-weight, pump-fed engine system under the Integrated System Test of an Airbreathing Rocket (I(sup STAR)) Project. The objective of this project is develop a reusable engine capable of self-powering a vehicle through the air-augmented rocket, ramjet and scramjet modes required in all RBCC based operational vehicle concepts. The project is currently approved and funded to develop the engine through ground test demonstration. Plans are in place to proceed with flight demonstration pending funding approval. The project is in formulation phase and the Preliminary Requirements Review has been completed. The engine system and vehicle have been selected at the conceptual level. The I(sup STAR) engine concept is based on an air-breathing flowpath downselected from three configurations evaluated in NASA's Advanced Reusable Technology contract. The selected flowpath features rocket thrust chambers integrated into struts separating modular flowpath ducts, a variable geometry inlet, and a thermally choked throat. The engine will be approximately 220 inches long and 79 inches wide and fueled with a hydrocarbon fuel using liquid oxygen as the primary oxidizer candidate. The primary concept for the pump turbine drive is pressure-fed catalyzed hydrogen peroxide. In order to control costs, the flight demonstration vehicle will be launched from a B-52 aircraft. The vehicle concept is based on the Air

NASP - Waveriders in a hypersonic sky.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, David

1993-01-01

A development history is presented for the hydrogen-fueled, airbreathing (scramjet) engine-propelled National Aerospace Plane (NASP), which will be able to cruise endoatmospherically at hypersopnic speeds or rise exoatmospherically, by converting to rocket power, to LEO. Attention is given to the technology-development and configuration-validation services that the X-30 project will render the far larger NASP vehicle; the configurational and propulsion system factors in question encompass the use of 'slush' hydrogen fuel, the integration of engine inlets into the aircraft forebody and exhaust nozzles into the afterbody, and the conversion from turbojet or rocket propulsion to scramjet mode and back.

Assessment of flying-quality criteria for air-breathing aerospacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcruer, Duane T.; Myers, Thomas T.; Hoh, Roger H.; Ashkenas, Irving L.; Johnston, Donald E.

1992-01-01

A study of flying quality requirements for air breathing aerospacecraft gives special emphasis to the unusual operational requirements and characteristics of these aircraft, including operation at hypersonic speed. The report considers distinguishing characteristics of these vehicles, including dynamic deficiencies and their implications for control. Particular emphasis is given to the interaction of the airframe and propulsion system, and the requirements for dynamic systems integration. Past operational missions are reviewed to define tasks and maneuvers to be considered for this class of aircraft. Areas of special concern with respect to vehicle dynamics and control are identified. Experience with the space shuttle orbiter is reviewed with respect to flight control system mechanization and flight experience in approach and landing flying qualities for the National Aerospace Plane (NASP).

Conceptual design of two-stage-to-orbit hybrid launch vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The object of this design class was to design an earth-to orbit vehicle to replace the present NASA space shuttle. The major motivations for designing a new vehicle were to reduce the cost of putting payloads into orbit and to design a vehicle that could better service the space station with a faster turn-around time. Another factor considered in the design was that near-term technology was to be used. Materials, engines and other important technologies were to be realized in the next 10 to 15 years. The first concept put forth by NASA to meet these objectives was the National Aerospace Plane (NASP). The NASP is a single-stage earth-to-orbit air-breathing vehicle. This concept ran into problems with the air-breathing engine providing enough thrust in the upper atmosphere, among other things. The solution of this design class is a two-stage-to-orbit vehicle. The first stage is air-breathing and the second stage is rocket-powered, similar to the space shuttle. The second stage is mounted on the top of the first stage in a piggy-back style. The vehicle takes off horizontally using only air-breathing engines, flies to Mach six at 100,000 feet, and launches the second stage towards its orbital path. The first stage, or booster, will weigh approximately 800,000 pounds and the second stage, or orbiter will weigh approximately 300,000 pounds. The major advantage of this design is the full recoverability of the first stage compared with the present solid rocket booster that are only partially recoverable and used only a few times. This reduces the cost as well as providing a more reliable and more readily available design for servicing the space station. The booster can fly an orbiter up, turn around, land, refuel, and be ready to launch another orbiter in a matter of hours.

Optical skin friction measurement technique in hypersonic wind tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xing; Yao, Dapeng; Wen, Shuai; Pan, Junjie

2016-10-01

Shear-sensitive liquid-crystal coatings (SSLCCs) have an optical characteristic that they are sensitive to the applied shear stress. Based on this, a novel technique is developed to measure the applied shear stress of the model surface regarding both its magnitude and direction in hypersonic flow. The system of optical skin friction measurement are built in China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA). A series of experiments of hypersonic vehicle is performed in wind tunnel of CAAA. Global skin friction distribution of the model which shows complicated flow structures is discussed, and a brief mechanism analysis and an evaluation on optical measurement technique have been made.

Application of CFD to a generic hypersonic flight research study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Michael J.; Lawrence, Scott L.; Dilley, Arthur D.; Hawkins, Richard W.; Walker, Mary M.; Oberkampf, William L.

1993-01-01

Computational analyses have been performed for the initial assessment of flight research vehicle concepts that satisfy requirements for potential hypersonic experiments. Results were obtained from independent analyses at NASA Ames, NASA Langley, and Sandia National Labs, using sophisticated time-dependent Navier-Stokes and parabolized Navier-Stokes methods. Careful study of a common problem consisting of hypersonic flow past a slightly blunted conical forebody was undertaken to estimate the level of uncertainty in the computed results, and to assess the capabilities of current computational methods for predicting boundary-layer transition onset. Results of this study in terms of surface pressure and heat transfer comparisons, as well as comparisons of boundary-layer edge quantities and flow-field profiles are presented here. Sensitivities to grid and gas model are discussed. Finally, representative results are presented relating to the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics in the vehicle design and the integration/support of potential experiments.

Effects of shock on hypersonic boundary layer stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinna, F.; Rambaud, P.

2013-06-01

The design of hypersonic vehicles requires the estimate of the laminar to turbulent transition location for an accurate sizing of the thermal protection system. Linear stability theory is a fast scientific way to study the problem. Recent improvements in computational capabilities allow computing the flow around a full vehicle instead of using only simplified boundary layer equations. In this paper, the effect of the shock is studied on a mean flow provided by steady Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computations and simplified boundary layer calculations.

Design, Analysis and Qualification of Elevon for Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, S. B.; Suresh, R.; Krishnadasan, C. K.

2017-12-01

Reusable launch vehicle technology demonstrator is configured as a winged body vehicle, designed to fly in hypersonic, supersonic and subsonic regimes. The vehicle will be boosted to hypersonic speeds after which the winged body separates and descends using aerodynamic control. The aerodynamic control is achieved using the control surfaces mainly the rudder and the elevon. Elevons are deflected for pitch and roll control of the vehicle at various flight conditions. Elevons are subjected to aerodynamic, thermal and inertial loads during the flight. This paper gives details about the configuration, design, qualification and flight validation of elevon for Reusable Launch Vehicle.

National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tank, Ming H.

1991-01-01

A program to develop the technology for reusable airbreathing hypersonic/transatmospheric vehicles is addressed. Information on the following topics is presented in viewgraph form: (1) the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) program schedule; (2) the NASP program organization; (3) competitive strategy; (4) propulsion options; (5) wind tunnel data available for NASP; (6) ground track of envelope expansion; and (7) altitude vs. Mach number. A NASP/Space Shuttle comparison, NASP configuration matrix, and the propulsion concept of a high speed scramjet are also briefly addressed.

Shock-tunnel combustor testing for hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loomis, Mark P.

1994-01-01

Proposed configurations for the next generation of transatmospheric vehicles will rely on air breathing propulsion systems during all or part of their mission. At flight Mach numbers greater than about 7 these engines will operate in the supersonic combustion ramjet mode (scramjet). Ground testing of these engine concepts above Mach 8 requires high pressure, high enthalpy facilities such as shock tunnels and expansion tubes. These impulse, or short duration facilities have test times on the order of a millisecond, requiring high speed instrumentation and data systems. One such facility ideally suited for scramjet testing is the NASA-Ames 16-Inch shock tunnel, which over the last two years has completed a series of tests for the NASP (National Aero-Space Plane) program at simulated flight Mach numbers ranging from 12-16. The focus of the experimental programs consisted of a series of classified tests involving a near-full scale hydrogen fueled scramjet combustor model in the semi-free jet method of engine testing whereby the compressed forebody flow ahead of the cowl inlet is reproduced (see appendix A). The AIMHYE-1 (Ames Integrated Modular Hypersonic Engine) test entry for the NASP program was completed in April 1993, while AIMHYE-2 was completed in May 1994. The test entries were regarded as successful, resulting in some of the first data of its kind on the performance of a near full scale scramjet engine at Mach 12-16. The data was distributed to NASP team members for use in design system verification and development. Due to the classified nature of the hardware and data, the data reports resulting from this work are classified and have been published as part of the NASP literature. However, an unclassified AIAA paper resulted from the work and has been included as appendix A. It contains an overview of the test program and a description of some of the important issues.

Measurement uncertainty and feasibility study of a flush airdata system for a hypersonic flight experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Moes, Timothy R.

1994-01-01

Presented is a feasibility and error analysis for a hypersonic flush airdata system on a hypersonic flight experiment (HYFLITE). HYFLITE heating loads make intrusive airdata measurement impractical. Although this analysis is specifically for the HYFLITE vehicle and trajectory, the problems analyzed are generally applicable to hypersonic vehicles. A layout of the flush-port matrix is shown. Surface pressures are related airdata parameters using a simple aerodynamic model. The model is linearized using small perturbations and inverted using nonlinear least-squares. Effects of various error sources on the overall uncertainty are evaluated using an error simulation. Error sources modeled include boundarylayer/viscous interactions, pneumatic lag, thermal transpiration in the sensor pressure tubing, misalignment in the matrix layout, thermal warping of the vehicle nose, sampling resolution, and transducer error. Using simulated pressure data for input to the estimation algorithm, effects caused by various error sources are analyzed by comparing estimator outputs with the original trajectory. To obtain ensemble averages the simulation is run repeatedly and output statistics are compiled. Output errors resulting from the various error sources are presented as a function of Mach number. Final uncertainties with all modeled error sources included are presented as a function of Mach number.

Swimming in air-breathing fishes.

PubMed

Lefevre, S; Domenici, P; McKenzie, D J

2014-03-01

Fishes with bimodal respiration differ in the extent of their reliance on air breathing to support aerobic metabolism, which is reflected in their lifestyles and ecologies. Many freshwater species undertake seasonal and reproductive migrations that presumably involve sustained aerobic exercise. In the six species studied to date, aerobic exercise in swim flumes stimulated air-breathing behaviour, and there is evidence that surfacing frequency and oxygen uptake from air show an exponential increase with increasing swimming speed. In some species, this was associated with an increase in the proportion of aerobic metabolism met by aerial respiration, while in others the proportion remained relatively constant. The ecological significance of anaerobic swimming activities, such as sprinting and fast-start manoeuvres during predator-prey interactions, has been little studied in air-breathing fishes. Some species practise air breathing during recovery itself, while others prefer to increase aquatic respiration, possibly to promote branchial ion exchange to restore acid-base balance, and to remain quiescent and avoid being visible to predators. Overall, the diversity of air-breathing fishes is reflected in their swimming physiology as well, and further research is needed to increase the understanding of the differences and the mechanisms through which air breathing is controlled and used during exercise. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Study of heat sink thermal protection systems for hypersonic research aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vahl, W. A.; Edwards, C. L. W.

1978-01-01

The feasibility of using a single metallic heat sink thermal protection system (TPS) over a projected flight test program for a hypersonic research vehicle was studied using transient thermal analyses and mission performance calculations. Four materials, aluminum, titanium, Lockalloy, and beryllium, as well as several combinations, were evaluated. Influence of trajectory parameters were considered on TPS and mission performance for both the clean vehicle configuration as well as with an experimental scramjet mounted. From this study it was concluded that a metallic heat sink TPS can be effectively employed for a hypersonic research airplane flight envelope which includes dash missions in excess of Mach 8 and 60 seconds of cruise at Mach numbers greater than 6. For best heat sink TPS match over the flight envelope, Lockalloy and titanium appear to be the most promising candidates

Experimental and computational surface and flow-field results for an all-body hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockman, William K.; Lawrence, Scott L.; Cleary, Joseph W.

1990-01-01

The objective of the present investigation is to establish a benchmark experimental data base for a generic hypersonic vehicle shape for validation and/or calibration of advanced computational fluid dynamics computer codes. This paper includes results from the comprehensive test program conducted in the NASA/Ames 3.5-foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel for a generic all-body hypersonic aircraft model. Experimental and computational results on flow visualization, surface pressures, surface convective heat transfer, and pitot-pressure flow-field surveys are presented. Comparisons of the experimental results with computational results from an upwind parabolized Navier-Stokes code developed at Ames demonstrate the capabilities of this code.

An extended supersonic combustion model for the dynamic analysis of hypersonic vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bossard, J. A.; Peck, R. E.; Schmidt, D. K.

1993-01-01

The development of an advanced dynamic model for aeroelastic hypersonic vehicles powered by air breathing engines requires an adequate engine model. This report provides a discussion of some of the more important features of supersonic combustion and their relevance to the analysis and design of supersonic ramjet engines. Of particular interest are those aspects of combustion that impact the control of the process. Furthermore, the report summarizes efforts to enhance the aeropropulsive/aeroelastic dynamic model developed at the Aerospace Research Center of Arizona State University by focusing on combustion and improved modeling of this flow. The expanded supersonic combustor model described here has the capability to model the effects of friction, area change, and mass addition, in addition to the heat addition process. A comparison is made of the results from four cases: (1) heat addition only; (2) heat addition plus friction; (3) heat addition, friction, and area reduction, and (4) heat addition, friction, area reduction, and mass addition. The relative impact of these effects on the Mach number, static temperature, and static pressure distributions within the combustor are then shown. Finally, the effects of frozen versus equilibrium flow conditions within the exhaust plume is discussed.

Large calculation of the flow over a hypersonic vehicle using a GPU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsen, Erich; LeGresley, Patrick; Darve, Eric

2008-12-01

Graphics processing units are capable of impressive computing performance up to 518 Gflops peak performance. Various groups have been using these processors for general purpose computing; most efforts have focussed on demonstrating relatively basic calculations, e.g. numerical linear algebra, or physical simulations for visualization purposes with limited accuracy. This paper describes the simulation of a hypersonic vehicle configuration with detailed geometry and accurate boundary conditions using the compressible Euler equations. To the authors' knowledge, this is the most sophisticated calculation of this kind in terms of complexity of the geometry, the physical model, the numerical methods employed, and the accuracy of the solution. The Navier-Stokes Stanford University Solver (NSSUS) was used for this purpose. NSSUS is a multi-block structured code with a provably stable and accurate numerical discretization which uses a vertex-based finite-difference method. A multi-grid scheme is used to accelerate the solution of the system. Based on a comparison of the Intel Core 2 Duo and NVIDIA 8800GTX, speed-ups of over 40× were demonstrated for simple test geometries and 20× for complex geometries.

-----SPACE TRANSPORTATION

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-10-07

This photograph depicts an air-breathing rocket engine prototype in the test bay at the General Applied Science Lab facility in Ronkonkoma, New York. Air-breathing engines, known as rocket based, combined-cycle engines, get their initial take-off power from specially designed rockets, called air-augmented rockets, that boost performance about 15 percent over conventional rockets. When the vehicle's velocity reaches twice the speed of sound, the rockets are turned off and the engine relies totally on oxygen in the atmosphere to burn hydrogen fuel, as opposed to a rocket that must carry its own oxygen, thus reducing weight and flight costs. Once the vehicle has accelerated to about 10 times the speed of sound, the engine converts to a conventional rocket-powered system to propel the craft into orbit or sustain it to suborbital flight speed. NASA's Advanced Space Transportation Program at Marshall Space Flight Center, along with several industry partners and collegiate forces, is developing this technology to make space transportation affordable for everyone from business travelers to tourists. The goal is to reduce launch costs from today's price tag of $10,000 per pound to only hundreds of dollars per pound. NASA's series of hypersonic flight demonstrators currently include three air-breathing vehicles: the X-43A, X-43B and X-43C.

Configuration development study of the X-24C hypersonic research airplane, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Combs, H. G.

1977-01-01

The conclusion evolved from the three phased study on the configuration development of the X-24C Hypersonic Research Airplane makes it evident that it is practical to design and build the high performance National Hypersonic Flight Research Facility airplane with today's state of the art within the cost and operational constraints established by NASA. The vehicle launched at 31.75 Mg from the B-52 can cruise for 40 seconds at Mach 6.78 on scramjets. Without scramjets it can approach Mach 8 with a 453.6 Kg payload or do 70 seconds of cruise at Mach 6 with a 2.27 Mg payload. Reduction in cost is possible with a vehicle scaled to a lesser mass and capability.

Galerkin CFD solvers for use in a multi-disciplinary suite for modeling advanced flight vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moffitt, Nicholas J.

This work extends existing Galerkin CFD solvers for use in a multi-disciplinary suite. The suite is proposed as a means of modeling advanced flight vehicles, which exhibit strong coupling between aerodynamics, structural dynamics, controls, rigid body motion, propulsion, and heat transfer. Such applications include aeroelastics, aeroacoustics, stability and control, and other highly coupled applications. The suite uses NASA STARS for modeling structural dynamics and heat transfer. Aerodynamics, propulsion, and rigid body dynamics are modeled in one of the five CFD solvers below. Euler2D and Euler3D are Galerkin CFD solvers created at OSU by Cowan (2003). These solvers are capable of modeling compressible inviscid aerodynamics with modal elastics and rigid body motion. This work reorganized these solvers to improve efficiency during editing and at run time. Simple and efficient propulsion models were added, including rocket, turbojet, and scramjet engines. Viscous terms were added to the previous solvers to create NS2D and NS3D. The viscous contributions were demonstrated in the inertial and non-inertial frames. Variable viscosity (Sutherland's equation) and heat transfer boundary conditions were added to both solvers but not verified in this work. Two turbulence models were implemented in NS2D and NS3D: Spalart-Allmarus (SA) model of Deck, et al. (2002) and Menter's SST model (1994). A rotation correction term (Shur, et al., 2000) was added to the production of turbulence. Local time stepping and artificial dissipation were adapted to each model. CFDsol is a Taylor-Galerkin solver with an SA turbulence model. This work improved the time accuracy, far field stability, viscous terms, Sutherland?s equation, and SA model with NS3D as a guideline and added the propulsion models from Euler3D to CFDsol. Simple geometries were demonstrated to utilize current meshing and processing capabilities. Air-breathing hypersonic flight vehicles (AHFVs) represent the ultimate

Effects of Cavities and Protuberances on Transition over Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Chau-Lyan; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei; Venkatachari, Balaji

2011-01-01

Surface protuberances and cavities on a hypersonic vehicle are known to cause several aerodynamic or aerothermodynamic issues. Most important of all, premature transition due to these surface irregularities can lead to a significant rise in surface heating. To help understand laminar-turbulent transition induced by protuberances or cavities on a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) surface, high-fidelity numerical simulations are carried out for both types of trips on a CEV wind tunnel model. Due to the large bluntness, these surface irregularities reside in an accelerating subsonic boundary layer. For the Mach 6 wind tunnel conditions with a roughness Reynolds number Re(sub kk) of 800, it was found that a protuberance with a height to boundary layer thickness ratio of 0.73 leads to strong wake instability and spontaneous vortex shedding, while a cavity with identical geometry only causes a rather weak flow unsteadiness. The same cavity with a larger Reynolds number also leads to similar spontaneous vortex shedding and wake instability. The wake development and the formation of hairpin vortices for both protuberance and cavity were found to be qualitatively similar to that observed for an isolated hemisphere submerged in a subsonic, low speed flat-plate boundary layer. However, the shed vortices and their accompanying instability waves were found to be slightly stabilized downstream by the accelerating boundary layer along the CEV surface. Despite this stabilizing influence, it was found that the wake instability spreads substantially in both wall-normal and azimuthal directions as the flow is evolving towards a transitional state. Similarities and differences between the wake instability behind a protuberance and a cavity are investigated. Computations for the Mach 6 boundary layer over a slender cylindrical roughness element with a height to the boundary layer thickness of about 1.1 also shows spontaneous vortex shedding and strong wake instability. Comparisons of

Hypersonic Boost Glider

NASA Image and Video Library

1957-04-15

Hypersonic Boost Glider in 11 Inch Hypersonic Tunnel L57-1681 In 1957 Langley tested its HYWARDS design in the 11 Inch Hypersonic Tunnel. Photograph published in Engineer in Charge: A History of the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, 1917-1958 by James R. Hansen. Page 369.

Experimental and computational flow-field results for an all-body hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cleary, Joseph W.

1989-01-01

A comprehensive test program is defined which is being implemented in the NASA/Ames 3.5 foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel for obtaining data on a generic all-body hypersonic vehicle for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code validation. Computational methods (approximate inviscid methods and an upwind parabolized Navier-Stokes code) currently being applied to the all-body model are outlined. Experimental and computational results on surface pressure distributions and Pitot-pressure surveys for the basic sharp-nose model (without control surfaces) at a free-stream Mach number of 7 are presented.

Vibrational Properties of Zr(Hf)B2-SiC UHTC Composites by Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donohue, M.; Carpenter, C.; Orlovskaya, N.

Development and characterization of novel materials that are lightweight, possess high mechanical properties, can withstand high temperatures, and provide superior thermal properties are crucial to meet the future demands of Air Force, Army, Navy, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and other military and space agencies. Materials for such applications (hypersonic air-breathing vehicles, including Single-To-Orbit vehicles and Two-Stage-To-Orbit aerospace planes, fully reusable space transport vehicles, hypersonic cruise missiles) experience severe aero-thermal loads with nose-cone and nozzle temperatures in excess of 2,000°F and 4,000°F, respectively. High G acceleration is also a problem. Even the most advanced materials, such as Ti, Inconel X, carbon-carbon, and silicon carbide based composites cannot withstand the excessive heat generated, especially during re-entry, and they cannot meet the guidelines for future high performance aircrafts, kinetic energy interceptors and reusable space planes. Thus, the demand for low-cost, light weight high temperature materials for thermal protection systems (TPS) is expected to be on the significant rise in the near future.

Airbreathing Propulsion System Analysis Using Multithreaded Parallel Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schunk, Richard Gregory; Chung, T. J.; Rodriguez, Pete (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

In this paper, parallel processing is used to analyze the mixing, and combustion behavior of hypersonic flow. Preliminary work for a sonic transverse hydrogen jet injected from a slot into a Mach 4 airstream in a two-dimensional duct combustor has been completed [Moon and Chung, 1996]. Our aim is to extend this work to three-dimensional domain using multithreaded domain decomposition parallel processing based on the flowfield-dependent variation theory. Numerical simulations of chemically reacting flows are difficult because of the strong interactions between the turbulent hydrodynamic and chemical processes. The algorithm must provide an accurate representation of the flowfield, since unphysical flowfield calculations will lead to the faulty loss or creation of species mass fraction, or even premature ignition, which in turn alters the flowfield information. Another difficulty arises from the disparity in time scales between the flowfield and chemical reactions, which may require the use of finite rate chemistry. The situations are more complex when there is a disparity in length scales involved in turbulence. In order to cope with these complicated physical phenomena, it is our plan to utilize the flowfield-dependent variation theory mentioned above, facilitated by large eddy simulation. Undoubtedly, the proposed computation requires the most sophisticated computational strategies. The multithreaded domain decomposition parallel processing will be necessary in order to reduce both computational time and storage. Without special treatments involved in computer engineering, our attempt to analyze the airbreathing combustion appears to be difficult, if not impossible.

Global neural dynamic surface tracking control of strict-feedback systems with application to hypersonic flight vehicle.

PubMed

Xu, Bin; Yang, Chenguang; Pan, Yongping

2015-10-01

This paper studies both indirect and direct global neural control of strict-feedback systems in the presence of unknown dynamics, using the dynamic surface control (DSC) technique in a novel manner. A new switching mechanism is designed to combine an adaptive neural controller in the neural approximation domain, together with the robust controller that pulls the transient states back into the neural approximation domain from the outside. In comparison with the conventional control techniques, which could only achieve semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded stability, the proposed control scheme guarantees all the signals in the closed-loop system are globally uniformly ultimately bounded, such that the conventional constraints on initial conditions of the neural control system can be relaxed. The simulation studies of hypersonic flight vehicle (HFV) are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed global neural DSC design.

A Study of Premixed, Shock-Induced Combustion With Application to Hypervelocity Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Axdahl, Erik L.

2013-01-01

One of the current goals of research in hypersonic, airbreathing propulsion is access to higher Mach numbers. A strong driver of this goal is the desire to integrate a scramjet engine into a transatmospheric vehicle airframe in order to improve performance to low Earth orbit (LEO) or the performance of a semiglobal transport. An engine concept designed to access hypervelocity speeds in excess of Mach 10 is the shock-induced combustion ramjet (i.e. shcramjet). This dissertation presents numerical studies simulating the physics of a shcramjet vehicle traveling at hypervelocity speeds with the goal of understanding the physics of fuel injection, wall autoignition mitigation, and combustion instability in this flow regime.

The Use of Steady and Unsteady Detonation Waves for Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Henry G.; Menees, Gene P.; Cambier, Jean-Luc; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Cavolowsky, John A. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

Detonation wave enhanced supersonic combustors such as the Oblique Detonation Wave Engine (ODWE) are attractive propulsion concepts for hypersonic flight. These engines utilize detonation waves to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion. The benefits of wave combustion systems include shorter and lighter engines which require less cooling and generate lower internal drag. These features allow air-breathing operation at higher Mach numbers than the diffusive burning scramjet delaying the need for rocket engine augmentation. A comprehensive vehicle synthesis code has predicted the aerodynamic characteristics and structural size and weight of a typical single-stage-to-orbit vehicle using an ODWE. Other studies have focused on the use of unsteady or pulsed detonation waves. For low speed applications, pulsed detonation engines (PDE) have advantages in low weight and higher efficiency than turbojets. At hypersonic speeds, the pulsed detonations can be used in conjunction with a scramjet type engine to enhance mixing and provide thrust augmentation.

Permanent-Change Thermal Paints for Hypersonic Flight-Test

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-24

thermochromic liquid crystals (Ireland et al. 1999, Ireland & Jones 2000), and temperature sensitive paints (Liu & Sullivan 2005), thermal paints are...surfaces and fin-fuselage junctions, shock boundary layer interactions, scramjet combustion chambers and around control thrusters. Thermal paints can...use of discrete wired sensors may also not practical on some locations on a hypersonic vehicle. Thermochromic liquid crystals Coatings of

An Upgrade of the Imaging for Hypersonic Experimental Aeroheating Testing (IHEAT) Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Michelle L.; Rufer, Shann J.

2015-01-01

The Imaging for Hypersonic Experimental Aeroheating Testing (IHEAT) code is used at NASA Langley Research Center to analyze global aeroheating data on wind tunnel models tested in the Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory. One-dimensional, semi-infinite heating data derived from IHEAT are used to design thermal protection systems to mitigate the risks due to the aeroheating loads on hypersonic vehicles, such as re-entry vehicles during descent and landing procedures. This code was originally written in the PV-WAVE programming language to analyze phosphor thermography data from the two-color, relativeintensity system developed at Langley. To increase the efficiency, functionality, and reliability of IHEAT, the code was migrated to MATLAB syntax and compiled as a stand-alone executable file labeled version 4.0. New features of IHEAT 4.0 include the options to batch process all of the data from a wind tunnel run, to map the two-dimensional heating distribution to a three-dimensional computer-aided design model of the vehicle to be viewed in Tecplot, and to extract data from a segmented line that follows an interesting feature in the data. Results from IHEAT 4.0 were compared on a pixel level to the output images from the legacy code to validate the program. The differences between the two codes were on the order of 10-5 to 10-7. IHEAT 4.0 replaces the PV-WAVE version as the production code for aeroheating experiments conducted in the hypersonic facilities at NASA Langley.

Design, calibration and testing of a force balance for a hypersonic shock tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadassery, Pravin

The forces acting on a flight vehicle are critical for determining its performance. Of particular interest is the hypersonic regime. Force measurements are much more complex in hypersonic flows, where those speeds are simulated in shock tunnels. A force balance for such facilities contains sensitive gages that measure stress waves and ultimately determine the different components of force acting on the model. An external force balance was designed and fabricated for the UTA Hypersonic shock tunnel to measure drag at Mach 10. Static and dynamic calibrations were performed to find the transfer function of the system. Forces were recovered using a deconvolution procedure. To validate the force balance, experiments were conducted on a blunt cone. The measured forces were compared to Newtonian theory.

Air-breathing fishes in aquaculture. What can we learn from physiology?

PubMed

Lefevre, S; Wang, T; Jensen, A; Cong, N V; Huong, D T T; Phuong, N T; Bayley, M

2014-03-01

During the past decade, the culture of air-breathing fish species has increased dramatically and is now a significant global source of protein for human consumption. This development has generated a need for specific information on how to maximize growth and minimize the environmental effect of culture systems. Here, the existing data on metabolism in air-breathing fishes are reviewed, with the aim of shedding new light on the oxygen requirements of air-breathing fishes in aquaculture, reaching the conclusion that aquatic oxygenation is much more important than previously assumed. In addition, the possible effects on growth of the recurrent exposure to deep hypoxia and associated elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide, ammonia and nitrite, that occurs in the culture ponds used for air-breathing fishes, are discussed. Where data on air-breathing fishes are simply lacking, data for a few water-breathing species will be reviewed, to put the physiological effects into a growth perspective. It is argued that an understanding of air-breathing fishes' respiratory physiology, including metabolic rate, partitioning of oxygen uptake from air and water in facultative air breathers, the critical oxygen tension, can provide important input for the optimization of culture practices. Given the growing importance of air breathers in aquaculture production, there is an urgent need for further data on these issues. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Overview of X-38 Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Data and Comparison with Numerical Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Charles H.; Caram, Jose; Berry, Scott; DiFulvio, Michael; Horvath, Tom

1997-01-01

A NASA team of engineers has been organized to design a crew return vehicle for returning International Space Station crew members from orbit. The hypersonic characteristics of this X-23/X-2&4 derived crew return vehicle (designated X-38) are being evaluated in various wind tunnels in support of this effort. Aerodynamic data has been acquired in three NASA hypersonic facilities at Mach 20, and Mach 6. Computational Fluid Dynamics tools have been applied at the appropriate wind tunnel conditions to make comparisons with portions of this data. Experimental data from the Mach 6 Air and CF4 facilities illustrate a net positive pitching moment increment due to density ratio, as well as increased elevon effectiveness. Chemical nonequilibrium computational fluid dynamics solutions at flight conditions reinforce this conclusion.

Thermal Performance of Composite Flexible Blanket Insulations for Hypersonic Aerospace Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kourtides, Demetrius A.

1993-01-01

This paper describes the thermal performance of a Composite Flexible Blanket Insulation (C.F.B.I.) considered for potential use as a thermal protection system or thermal insulation for future hypersonic vehicles such as the National Aerospace Plane (N.A.S.P.). Thermophysical properties for these insulations were also measured including the thermal conductivity at various temperatures and pressures and the emissivity of the fabrics used in the flexible insulations. The thermal response of these materials subjected to aeroconvective heating from a plasma arc is also described. Materials tested included two surface variations of the insulations, and similar insulations coated with a Protective Ceramic Coating (P.C.C.). Surface and backface temperatures were measured in the flexible insulations and on Fibrous Refractory Composite Insulation (F.R.C.I.) used as a calibration model. The uncoated flexible insulations exhibited good thermal performance up to 35 W/sq cm. The use of a P.C.C. to protect these insulations at higher heating rates is described. The results from a computerized thermal analysis model describing thermal response of those materials subjected to the plasma arc conditions are included. Thermal and optical properties were determined including thermal conductivity for the rigid and flexible insulations and emissivity for the insulation fabrics. These properties were utilized to calculate the thermal performance of the rigid and flexible insulations at the maximum heating rate.

Transition in organ function during the evolution of air-breathing; insights from Arapaima gigas, an obligate air-breathing teleost from the Amazon.

PubMed

Brauner, C J; Matey, V; Wilson, J M; Bernier, N J; Val, A L

2004-04-01

The transition from aquatic to aerial respiration is associated with dramatic physiological changes in relation to gas exchange, ion regulation, acid-base balance and nitrogenous waste excretion. Arapaima gigas is one of the most obligate extant air-breathing fishes, representing a remarkable model system to investigate (1) how the transition from aquatic to aerial respiration affects gill design and (2) the relocation of physiological processes from the gills to the kidney during the evolution of air-breathing. Arapaima gigas undergoes a transition from water- to air-breathing during development, resulting in striking changes in gill morphology. In small fish (10 g), the gills are qualitatively similar in appearance to another closely related water-breathing fish (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum); however, as fish grow (100-1000 g), the inter-lamellar spaces become filled with cells, including mitochondria-rich (MR) cells, leaving only column-shaped filaments. At this stage, there is a high density of MR cells and strong immunolocalization of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase along the outer cell layer of the gill filament. Despite the greatly reduced overall gill surface area, which is typical of obligate air-breathing fish, the gills may remain an important site for ionoregulation and acid-base regulation. The kidney is greatly enlarged in A. gigas relative to that in O. bicirrhosum and may comprise a significant pathway for nitrogenous waste excretion. Quantification of the physiological role of the gill and the kidney in A. gigas during development and in adults will yield important insights into developmental physiology and the evolution of air-breathing.

Combined LAURA-UPS hypersonic solution procedure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, William A.; Thompson, Richard A.

1993-01-01

A combined solution procedure for hypersonic flowfields around blunted slender bodies was implemented using a thin-layer Navier-Stokes code (LAURA) in the nose region and a parabolized Navier-Stokes code (UPS) on the after body region. Perfect gas, equilibrium air, and non-equilibrium air solutions to sharp cones and a sharp wedge were obtained using UPS alone as a preliminary step. Surface heating rates are presented for two slender bodies with blunted noses, having used LAURA to provide a starting solution to UPS downstream of the sonic line. These are an 8 deg sphere-cone in Mach 5, perfect gas, laminar flow at 0 and 4 deg angles of attack and the Reentry F body at Mach 20, 80,000 ft equilibrium gas conditions for 0 and 0.14 deg angles of attack. The results indicate that this procedure is a timely and accurate method for obtaining aerothermodynamic predictions on slender hypersonic vehicles.

Energy management and vehicle synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czysz, P.; Murthy, S. N. B.

The major drivers in the development of launch vehicles for the twenty-first century are reduction in cost of vehicles and operations, continuous reusability, mission abort capability with vehicle recovery, and readiness. One approach to the design of such vehicles is to emphasize energy management and propulsion as being the principal means of improvements given the available industrial capability and the required freedom in selecting configuration concept geometries. A methodology has been developed for the rational synthesis of vehicles based on the setting up and utilization of available data and projections, and a reference vehicle. The application of the methodology is illustrated for a single stage to orbit (SSTO) with various limits for the use of airbreathing propulsion.

Energy management and vehicle synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czysz, P.; Murthy, S. N. B.

1995-01-01

The major drivers in the development of launch vehicles for the twenty-first century are reduction in cost of vehicles and operations, continuous reusability, mission abort capability with vehicle recovery, and readiness. One approach to the design of such vehicles is to emphasize energy management and propulsion as being the principal means of improvements given the available industrial capability and the required freedom in selecting configuration concept geometries. A methodology has been developed for the rational synthesis of vehicles based on the setting up and utilization of available data and projections, and a reference vehicle. The application of the methodology is illustrated for a single stage to orbit (SSTO) with various limits for the use of airbreathing propulsion.

HIFiRE-5 Flight Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimmel, Roger L.; Adamczak, David; Berger, Karen; Choudhari, Meelan

2010-01-01

The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program is a hypersonic flight test program executed by the Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) and Australian Defence Science and Technology Organization (DSTO). HIFiRE flight 5 is devoted to measuring transition on a three-dimensional body. This paper summarizes payload configuration, trajectory, vehicle stability limits and roughness tolerances. Results show that the proposed configuration is suitable for testing transition on a three-dimensional body. Transition is predicted to occur within the test window, and a design has been developed that will allow the vehicle to be manufactured within prescribed roughness tolerances

An assessment of laser velocimetry in hypersonic flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Although extensive progress has been made in computational fluid mechanics, reliable flight vehicle designs and modifications still cannot be made without recourse to extensive wind tunnel testing. Future progress in the computation of hypersonic flow fields is restricted by the need for a reliable mean flow and turbulence modeling data base which could be used to aid in the development of improved empirical models for use in numerical codes. Currently, there are few compressible flow measurements which could be used for this purpose. In this report, the results of experiments designed to assess the potential for laser velocimeter measurements of mean flow and turbulent fluctuations in hypersonic flow fields are presented. Details of a new laser velocimeter system which was designed and built for this test program are described.

Computational Sensitivity Analysis for the Aerodynamic Design of Supersonic and Hypersonic Air Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-18

response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and... reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information...five times the speed of sound. For reference, the SR-71 Blackbird , the fastest manned airbreathing typically flew at three times the speed of sound

Hypersonic, nonequilibrium flow over the FIRE 2 forebody at 1634 sec

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chambers, Lin Hartung

1994-01-01

The numerical simulation of hypersonic flow in thermochemical nonequilibrium over the forebody of the FIRE 2 vehicle at 1634 sec in its trajectory is described. The simulation was executed on a Cray C90 with the program Langley Aerodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm (LAURA) 4.0.2. Code setup procedures and sample results, including grid refinement studies, are discussed. This simulation relates to a study of radiative heating predictions on aerobrake type vehicles.

Second-mode control in hypersonic boundary layers over assigned complex wall impedance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa, Victor; Patel, Danish; Chapelier, Jean-Baptiste; Scalo, Carlo

2017-11-01

The durability and aerodynamic performance of hypersonic vehicles greatly relies on the ability to delay transition to turbulence. Passive aerodynamic flow control devices such as porous acoustic absorbers are a very attractive means to damp ultrasonic second-mode waves, which govern transition in hypersonic boundary layers under idealized flow conditions (smooth walls, slender geometries, small angles of attack). The talk will discuss numerical simulations modeling such absorbers via the time-domain impedance boundary condition (TD-IBC) approach by Scalo et al. in a hypersonic boundary layer flow over a 7-degree wedge at freestream Mach numbers M∞ = 7.3 and Reynolds numbers Rem = 1.46 .106 . A three-parameter impedance model tuned to the second-mode waves is tested first with varying resistance, R, and damping ratio, ζ, revealing complete mode attenuation for R < 20. A realistic IBC is then employed, derived via an inverse Helmholtz solver analysis of an ultrasonically absorbing carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon ceramic sample used in recent hypersonic transition experiments by Dr. Wagner and co-workers at DLR-Göttingen.

Formulation of aerodynamic prediction techniques for hypersonic configuration design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

An investigation of approximate theoretical techniques for predicting aerodynamic characteristics and surface pressures for relatively slender vehicles at moderate hypersonic speeds was performed. Emphasis was placed on approaches that would be responsive to preliminary configuration design level of effort. Supersonic second order potential theory was examined in detail to meet this objective. Shock layer integral techniques were considered as an alternative means of predicting gross aerodynamic characteristics. Several numerical pilot codes were developed for simple three dimensional geometries to evaluate the capability of the approximate equations of motion considered. Results from the second order computations indicated good agreement with higher order solutions and experimental results for a variety of wing like shapes and values of the hypersonic similarity parameter M delta approaching one.

Transient aero-thermal mapping of passive Thermal Protection system for nose-cap of Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahulikar, Shripad P.; Khurana, Shashank; Dungarwal, Ritesh; Shevakari, Sushil G.; Subramanian, Jayakumar; Gujarathi, Amit V.

2008-12-01

The temperature field history of passive Thermal Protection System (TPS) material at the nose-cap (forward stagnation region) of a Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle (RHV) is generated. The 3-D unsteady heat transfer model couples conduction in the solid with external convection and radiation that are modeled as time-varying boundary conditions on the surface. Results are presented for the following two cases: (1) nose-cap comprised of ablative TPS material only (SIRCA/PICA), and (2) nose-cap comprised of a combination of ablative TPS material with moderate thermal conductivity and insulative TPS material. Comparison of the temperature fields of SIRCA and PICA [Case (1)] indicates lowering of the peak stagnation region temperatures for PICA, due to its higher thermal conductivity. Also, the use of PICA and insulative TPS [Case (2)] for the nose-cap has higher potential for weight reduction than the use of ablative TPS alone.

Control integration concept for hypersonic cruise-turn maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raney, David L.; Lallman, Frederick J.

1992-01-01

Piloting difficulties associated with conducting aircraft maneuvers in hypersonic flight are caused in part by the nonintuitive nature of the aircraft response and the stringent constraints anticipated on allowable angle of attack and dynamic pressure variations. An approach is documented that provides precise, coordinated maneuver control during excursions from a hypersonic cruise flight path and the necessary flight condition constraints. The approach is to achieve specified guidance commands by resolving altitude and cross range errors into a load factor and bank angle command by using a coordinate transformation that acts as an interface between outer and inner loop flight controls. This interface, referred to as a 'resolver', applies constraints on angle of attack and dynamic pressure perturbations while prioritizing altitude regulation over cross range. An unpiloted test simulation, in which the resolver was used to drive inner loop flight controls, produced time histories of responses to guidance commands and atmospheric disturbances at Mach numbers of 6, 10, 15, and 20. Angle of attack and throttle perturbation constraints, combined with high speed flight effects and the desire to maintain constant dynamic pressure, significantly impact the maneuver envelope for a hypersonic vehicle.

NASA's Hyper-X Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rausch, Vincent L.; McClinton, Charles R.; Sitz, Joel; Reukauf, Paul

2000-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the objectives and status of the Hyper-X program which is tailored to move hypersonic, airbreathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment, the last stage preceding prototype development. The first Hyper-X research vehicle (HXRV), designated X-43, is being prepared at the Dryden Flight Research Center for flight at Mach 7 in the near future. In addition, the associated booster and vehicle-to-booster adapter are being prepared for flight and flight test preparations are well underway. Extensive risk reduction activities for the first flight and non-recurring design for the Mach 10 X-43 (3rd flight) are nearing completion. The Mach 7 flight of the X-43 will be the first flight of an airframe-integrated scramjet-powered vehicle.

Electron-Beam Diagnostic Methods for Hypersonic Flow Diagnostics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The purpose of this work was the evaluation of the use of electron-bean fluorescence for flow measurements during hypersonic flight. Both analytical and numerical models were developed in this investigation to evaluate quantitatively flow field imaging concepts based upon the electron beam fluorescence technique for use in flight research and wind tunnel applications. Specific models were developed for: (1) fluorescence excitation/emission for nitrogen, (2) rotational fluorescence spectrum for nitrogen, (3) single and multiple scattering of electrons in a variable density medium, (4) spatial and spectral distribution of fluorescence, (5) measurement of rotational temperature and density, (6) optical filter design for fluorescence imaging, and (7) temperature accuracy and signal acquisition time requirements. Application of these models to a typical hypersonic wind tunnel flow is presented. In particular, the capability of simulating the fluorescence resulting from electron impact ionization in a variable density nitrogen or air flow provides the capability to evaluate the design of imaging instruments for flow field mapping. The result of this analysis is a recommendation that quantitative measurements of hypersonic flow fields using electron-bean fluorescence is a tractable method with electron beam energies of 100 keV. With lower electron energies, electron scattering increases with significant beam divergence which makes quantitative imaging difficult. The potential application of the analytical and numerical models developed in this work is in the design of a flow field imaging instrument for use in hypersonic wind tunnels or onboard a flight research vehicle.

Innovative Airbreathing Propulsion Concepts for High-speed Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitlow, Woodrow, Jr.

2002-01-01

Research and Technology Program mature, they are incorporated into ASTP. One example of this is rocket-based combined cycle systems that are being considered as part of ASTP. The NASA Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Program has the goal of developing propulsion system component technology that is relevant to a wide range of vehicle missions. In addition to subsonic and supersonic speed regimes, it includes the hypersonic speed regime. More specifically, component technologies for turbine-based combined cycle engines are being developed as part of UEET.

Improved heat tolerance in air drives the recurrent evolution of air-breathing.

PubMed

Giomi, Folco; Fusi, Marco; Barausse, Alberto; Mostert, Bruce; Pörtner, Hans-Otto; Cannicci, Stefano

2014-05-07

The transition to air-breathing by formerly aquatic species has occurred repeatedly and independently in fish, crabs and other animal phyla, but the proximate drivers of this key innovation remain a long-standing puzzle in evolutionary biology. Most studies attribute the onset of air-breathing to the repeated occurrence of aquatic hypoxia; however, this hypothesis leaves the current geographical distribution of the 300 genera of air-breathing crabs unexplained. Here, we show that their occurrence is mainly related to high environmental temperatures in the tropics. We also demonstrate in an amphibious crab that the reduced cost of oxygen supply in air extends aerobic performance to higher temperatures and thus widens the animal's thermal niche. These findings suggest that high water temperature as a driver consistently explains the numerous times air-breathing has evolved. The data also indicate a central role for oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance not only in shaping sensitivity to current climate change but also in underpinning the climate-dependent evolution of animals, in this case the evolution of air-breathing.

Improved heat tolerance in air drives the recurrent evolution of air-breathing

PubMed Central

Giomi, Folco; Fusi, Marco; Barausse, Alberto; Mostert, Bruce; Pörtner, Hans-Otto; Cannicci, Stefano

2014-01-01

The transition to air-breathing by formerly aquatic species has occurred repeatedly and independently in fish, crabs and other animal phyla, but the proximate drivers of this key innovation remain a long-standing puzzle in evolutionary biology. Most studies attribute the onset of air-breathing to the repeated occurrence of aquatic hypoxia; however, this hypothesis leaves the current geographical distribution of the 300 genera of air-breathing crabs unexplained. Here, we show that their occurrence is mainly related to high environmental temperatures in the tropics. We also demonstrate in an amphibious crab that the reduced cost of oxygen supply in air extends aerobic performance to higher temperatures and thus widens the animal's thermal niche. These findings suggest that high water temperature as a driver consistently explains the numerous times air-breathing has evolved. The data also indicate a central role for oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance not only in shaping sensitivity to current climate change but also in underpinning the climate-dependent evolution of animals, in this case the evolution of air-breathing. PMID:24619438

An Evaluation of High Temperature Airframe Seals for Advanced Hypersonic Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeMange, Jeffrey J.; Dunlap, Patrick H.; Steinetz, Bruce M.; Drlik, Gary J.

2007-01-01

High temperature seals are required for advanced hypersonic airframe applications. In this study, both spring tube thermal barriers and innovative wafer seal systems were evaluated under relevant hypersonic test conditions (temperatures, pressures, etc.) via high temperature compression testing and room temperature flow assessments. Thermal barriers composed of a Rene 41 spring tube filled with Saffil insulation and overbraided with a Nextel 312 sheath showed acceptable performance at 1500 F in both short term and longer term compression testing. Nextel 440 thermal barriers with Rene 41 spring tubes and Saffil insulation demonstrated good compression performance up to 1750 F. A silicon nitride wafer seal/compression spring system displayed excellent load performance at temperatures as high as 2200 F and exhibited room temperature leakage values that were only 1/3 those for the spring tube rope seals. For all seal candidates evaluated, no significant degradation in leakage resistance was noted after high temperature compression testing. In addition to these tests, a superalloy seal suitable for dynamic seal applications was optimized through finite element techniques.

Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) Technology Development Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Stephen J.; Cheatwood, F. McNeil; Calomino, Anthony M.; Wright, Henry S.; Wusk, Mary E.; Hughes, Monica F.

2013-01-01

The successful flight of the Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE)-3 has further demonstrated the potential value of Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology. This technology development effort is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Game Changing Development Program (GCDP). This paper provides an overview of a multi-year HIAD technology development effort, detailing the projects completed to date and the additional testing planned for the future.

Unstructured Mesh Methods for the Simulation of Hypersonic Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peraire, Jaime; Bibb, K. L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This report describes the research work undertaken at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The aim of this research is to identify effective algorithms and methodologies for the efficient and routine solution of hypersonic viscous flows about re-entry vehicles. For over ten years we have received support from NASA to develop unstructured mesh methods for Computational Fluid Dynamics. As a result of this effort a methodology based on the use, of unstructured adapted meshes of tetrahedra and finite volume flow solvers has been developed. A number of gridding algorithms flow solvers, and adaptive strategies have been proposed. The most successful algorithms developed from the basis of the unstructured mesh system FELISA. The FELISA system has been extensively for the analysis of transonic and hypersonic flows about complete vehicle configurations. The system is highly automatic and allows for the routine aerodynamic analysis of complex configurations starting from CAD data. The code has been parallelized and utilizes efficient solution algorithms. For hypersonic flows, a version of the, code which incorporates real gas effects, has been produced. One of the latest developments before the start of this grant was to extend the system to include viscous effects. This required the development of viscous generators, capable of generating the anisotropic grids required to represent boundary layers, and viscous flow solvers. In figures I and 2, we show some sample hypersonic viscous computations using the developed viscous generators and solvers. Although these initial results were encouraging, it became apparent that in order to develop a fully functional capability for viscous flows, several advances in gridding, solution accuracy, robustness and efficiency were required. As part of this research we have developed: 1) automatic meshing techniques and the corresponding computer codes have been delivered to NASA and implemented into the GridEx system, 2) a finite

Hyper-X Engine Design and Ground Test Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voland, R. T.; Rock, K. E.; Huebner, L. D.; Witte, D. W.; Fischer, K. E.; McClinton, C. R.

1998-01-01

The Hyper-X Program, NASA's focused hypersonic technology program jointly run by NASA Langley and Dryden, is designed to move hypersonic, air-breathing vehicle technology from the laboratory environment to the flight environment, the last stage preceding prototype development. The Hyper-X research vehicle will provide the first ever opportunity to obtain data on an airframe integrated supersonic combustion ramjet propulsion system in flight, providing the first flight validation of wind tunnel, numerical and analytical methods used for design of these vehicles. A substantial portion of the integrated vehicle/engine flowpath development, engine systems verification and validation and flight test risk reduction efforts are experimentally based, including vehicle aeropropulsive force and moment database generation for flight control law development, and integrated vehicle/engine performance validation. The Mach 7 engine flowpath development tests have been completed, and effort is now shifting to engine controls, systems and performance verification and validation tests, as well as, additional flight test risk reduction tests. The engine wind tunnel tests required for these efforts range from tests of partial width engines in both small and large scramjet test facilities, to tests of the full flight engine on a vehicle simulator and tests of a complete flight vehicle in the Langley 8-Ft. High Temperature Tunnel. These tests will begin in the summer of 1998 and continue through 1999. The first flight test is planned for early 2000.

Instrumentation Development for Large Scale Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Gregory T.; Cassell, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology is currently being considered for multiple atmospheric entry applications as the limitations of traditional entry vehicles have been reached. The Inflatable Re-entry Vehicle Experiment (IRVE) has successfully demonstrated this technology as a viable candidate with a 3.0 m diameter vehicle sub-orbital flight. To further this technology, large scale HIADs (6.0 8.5 m) must be developed and tested. To characterize the performance of large scale HIAD technology new instrumentation concepts must be developed to accommodate the flexible nature inflatable aeroshell. Many of the concepts that are under consideration for the HIAD FY12 subsonic wind tunnel test series are discussed below.

Modeling, Analysis, and Control of a Hypersonic Vehicle with Significant Aero-Thermo-Elastic-Propulsion Interactions: Elastic, Thermal and Mass Uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatri, Jaidev

This thesis examines themodeling, analysis, and control system design issues for scramjet powered hypersonic vehicles. A nonlinear three degrees of freedom longitudinal model which includes aero-propulsion-elasticity effects was used for all analyses. This model is based upon classical compressible flow and Euler-Bernouli structural concepts. Higher fidelity computational fluid dynamics and finite element methods are needed for more precise intermediate and final evaluations. The methods presented within this thesis were shown to be useful for guiding initial control relevant design. The model was used to examine the vehicle's static and dynamic characteristics over the vehicle's trimmable region. The vehicle has significant longitudinal coupling between the fuel equivalency ratio (FER) and the flight path angle (FPA). For control system design, a two-input two-output plant (FER - elevator to speed-FPA) with 11 states (including 3 flexible modes) was used. Velocity, FPA, and pitch were assumed to be available for feedback. Aerodynamic heat modeling and design for the assumed TPS was incorporated to original Bolender's model to study the change in static and dynamic properties. De-centralized control stability, feasibility and limitations issues were dealt with the change in TPS elasticity, mass and physical dimension. The impact of elasticity due to TPS mass, TPS physical dimension as well as prolonged heating was also analyzed to understand performance limitations of de-centralized control designed for nominal model.

Hypersonic CFD applications for the National Aero-Space Plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, Pamela F.; Mcclinton, Charles R.; Bittner, Robert D.; Dilley, A. Douglas; Edwards, Kelvin W.

1989-01-01

Design and analysis of the NASP depends heavily upon developing the critical technology areas that cover the entire engineering design of the vehicle. These areas include materials, structures, propulsion systems, propellants, integration of airframe and propulsion systems, controls, subsystems, and aerodynamics areas. Currently, verification of many of the classical engineering tools relies heavily on computational fluid dynamics. Advances are being made in the development of CFD codes to accomplish nose-to-tail analyses for hypersonic aircraft. Additional details involving the partial development, analysis, verification, and application of the CFL3D code and the SPARK combustor code are discussed. A nonequilibrium version of CFL3D that is presently being developed and tested is also described. Examples are given of portion calculations for research hypersonic aircraft geometries and comparisons with experiment data show good agreement.

Adaptive twisting sliding mode algorithm for hypersonic reentry vehicle attitude control based on finite-time observer.

PubMed

Guo, Zongyi; Chang, Jing; Guo, Jianguo; Zhou, Jun

2018-06-01

This paper focuses on the adaptive twisting sliding mode control for the Hypersonic Reentry Vehicles (HRVs) attitude tracking issue. The HRV attitude tracking model is transformed into the error dynamics in matched structure, whereas an unmeasurable state is redefined by lumping the existing unmatched disturbance with the angular rate. Hence, an adaptive finite-time observer is used to estimate the unknown state. Then, an adaptive twisting algorithm is proposed for systems subject to disturbances with unknown bounds. The stability of the proposed observer-based adaptive twisting approach is guaranteed, and the case of noisy measurement is analyzed. Also, the developed control law avoids the aggressive chattering phenomenon of the existing adaptive twisting approaches because the adaptive gains decrease close to the disturbance once the trajectories reach the sliding surface. Finally, numerical simulations on the attitude control of the HRV are conducted to verify the effectiveness and benefit of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Downstream Effects on Orbiter Leeside Flow Separation for Hypersonic Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buck, Gregory M.; Pulsonetti, Maria V.; Weilmuenster, K. James

2005-01-01

Discrepancies between experiment and computation for shuttle leeside flow separation, which came to light in the Columbia accident investigation, are resolved. Tests were run in the Langley Research Center 20-Inch Hypersonic CF4 Tunnel with a baseline orbiter model and two extended trailing edge models. The extended trailing edges altered the wing leeside separation lines, moving the lines toward the fuselage, proving that wing trailing edge modeling does affect the orbiter leeside flow. Computations were then made with a wake grid. These calculations more closely matched baseline experiments. Thus, the present findings demonstrate that it is imperative to include the wake flow domain in CFD calculations in order to accurately predict leeside flow separation for hypersonic vehicles at high angles of attack.

Preliminary Studies on Aerodynamic Control with Direct Current Discharge at Hypersonic Speed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Yasumasa; Takama, Yoshiki; Imamura, Osamu; Watanuki, Tadaharu; Suzuki, Kojiro

A new idea of an aerodynamic control device for hypersonic vehicles using plasma discharges is presented. The effect of DC plasma discharge on a hypersonic flow is examined with both experiments and CFD analyses. It is revealed that the surface pressure upstream of plasma area significantly increases, which would be preferable in realizing a new aerodynamic control devices. Such pressure rise is also observed in the result of analyses of the Navier-Stokes equations with energy addition that simulates the Joule heating of a plasma discharge. It is revealed that the pressure rise due to the existence of the plasma discharge can be qualitatively explained as an effect of Joule heating.

Special Course on Three-Dimensional Supersonic/Hypersonic Flows Including Separation

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

STAGE, AIRBREATHING VEHICLE. ALSO SHOWN ON THE FIGURE ARE TWO DATA POINTS FOR THE ACCELERATION OF THE X-15. THE X-15 WAS PROPELLED BY AIR NH3 - 02 ROCKET...FUEL IS INJECTED PARALLEL TO THE FLOW FROM THE BASE OF THE STRUTS AND MIXES AND REACTS SLOWLY WITH THE AIR . AS THE SPEED IS INCREASED, FUEL IS ALSO...INJECTED FROM THE SIDES OF THE STRUTS TO ACHIEVE MORE RAPID MIXING. AT THE HIGHEST SPEEDS, IT IS DESIRABLE TO HAVE THE FUEL AND AIR MIX AND REACT AS

Status of Turbulence Modeling for Hypersonic Propulsion Flowpaths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Georgiadis, Nicholas J.; Yoder, Dennis A.; Vyas, Manan A.; Engblom, William A.

2012-01-01

This report provides an assessment of current turbulent flow calculation methods for hypersonic propulsion flowpaths, particularly the scramjet engine. Emphasis is placed on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methods, but some discussion of newer meth- ods such as Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is also provided. The report is organized by considering technical issues throughout the scramjet-powered vehicle flowpath including laminar-to-turbulent boundary layer transition, shock wave / turbulent boundary layer interactions, scalar transport modeling (specifically the significance of turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers) and compressible mixing. Unit problems are primarily used to conduct the assessment. In the combustor, results from calculations of a direct connect supersonic combustion experiment are also used to address the effects of turbulence model selection and in particular settings for the turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers. It is concluded that RANS turbulence modeling shortfalls are still a major limitation to the accuracy of hypersonic propulsion simulations, whether considering individual components or an overall system. Newer methods such as LES-based techniques may be promising, but are not yet at a maturity to be used routinely by the hypersonic propulsion community. The need for fundamental experiments to provide data for turbulence model development and validation is discussed.

Status of turbulence modeling for hypersonic propulsion flowpaths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgiadis, Nicholas J.; Yoder, Dennis A.; Vyas, Manan A.; Engblom, William A.

2014-06-01

This report provides an assessment of current turbulent flow calculation methods for hypersonic propulsion flowpaths, particularly the scramjet engine. Emphasis is placed on Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methods, but some discussion of newer methods such as large eddy simulation (LES) is also provided. The report is organized by considering technical issues throughout the scramjet-powered vehicle flowpath, including laminar-to-turbulent boundary layer transition, shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interactions, scalar transport modeling (specifically the significance of turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers), and compressible mixing. Unit problems are primarily used to conduct the assessment. In the combustor, results from calculations of a direct connect supersonic combustion experiment are also used to address the effects of turbulence model selection and in particular settings for the turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers. It is concluded that RANS turbulence modeling shortfalls are still a major limitation to the accuracy of hypersonic propulsion simulations, whether considering individual components or an overall system. Newer methods such as LES-based techniques may be promising, but are not yet at a maturity to be used routinely by the hypersonic propulsion community. The need for fundamental experiments to provide data for turbulence model development and validation is discussed.

The X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus® booster rocket mounted to NASA's NB-52B carrier aircraft at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-13

The first of three X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified Pegasus® booster rocket recently underwent combined systems testing while mounted to NASA's NB-52B carrier aircraft at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The combined systems test was one of the last major milestones in the Hyper-X research program before the first X-43A flight. One of the major goals of the Hyper-X program is flight validation of airframe-integrated, air-breathing propulsion system, which so far have only been tested in ground facilities, such as wind tunnels. The X-43A flights will be the first actual flight tests of an aircraft powered by a revolutionary supersonic-combustion ramjet ("scramjet") engine capable of operating at hypersonic speeds above Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). The X-43A design uses the underbody of the aircraft to form critical elements of the engine. The forebody shape helps compress the intake airflow, while the aft section acts as a nozzle to direct thrust. The 12-foot, unpiloted research vehicle was developed and built by MicroCraft Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., under NASA contract. The booster, built by Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va., will accelerate the X-43A after the X-43A/booster "stack" is air-launched from NASA's venerable NB-52 mothership. The X-43A will separate from the rocket at a predetermined altitude and speed and fly a pre-programmed trajectory, conducting aerodynamic and propulsion experiments until it descends into the Pacific Ocean. Three research flights are planned, two at Mach 7 and one at Mach 10.

Hypersonic Inlet for a Laser Powered Propulsion System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrland, Alan; Doolan, Con; Wheatley, Vincent; Froning, Dave

2011-11-01

Propulsion within the lightcraft concept is produced via laser induced detonation of an incoming hypersonic air stream. This process requires suitable engine configurations that offer good performance over all flight speeds and angles of attack to ensure the required thrust is maintained. Stream traced hypersonic inlets have demonstrated the required performance in conventional hydrocarbon fuelled scramjet engines, and has been applied to the laser powered lightcraft vehicle. This paper will outline the current methodology employed in the inlet design, with a particular focus on the performance of the lightcraft inlet at angles of attack. Fully three-dimensional turbulent computational fluid dynamics simulations have been performed on a variety of inlet configurations. The performance of the lightcraft inlets have been evaluated at differing angles of attack. An idealized laser detonation simulation has also been performed to validate that the lightcraft inlet does not unstart during the laser powered propulsion cycle.

Sliding mode based trajectory linearization control for hypersonic reentry vehicle via extended disturbance observer.

PubMed

Xingling, Shao; Honglun, Wang

2014-11-01

This paper proposes a novel hybrid control framework by combing observer-based sliding mode control (SMC) with trajectory linearization control (TLC) for hypersonic reentry vehicle (HRV) attitude tracking problem. First, fewer control consumption is achieved using nonlinear tracking differentiator (TD) in the attitude loop. Second, a novel SMC that employs extended disturbance observer (EDO) to counteract the effect of uncertainties using a new sliding surface which includes the estimation error is integrated to address the tracking error stabilization issues in the attitude and angular rate loop, respectively. In addition, new results associated with EDO are examined in terms of dynamic response and noise-tolerant performance, as well as estimation accuracy. The key feature of the proposed compound control approach is that chattering free tracking performance with high accuracy can be ensured for HRV in the presence of multiple uncertainties under control constraints. Based on finite time convergence stability theory, the stability of the resulting closed-loop system is well established. Also, comparisons and extensive simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control strategy. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new iterative approach for multi-objective fault detection observer design and its application to a hypersonic vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Di; Duan, Zhisheng

2018-03-01

This paper addresses the multi-objective fault detection observer design problems for a hypersonic vehicle. Owing to the fact that parameters' variations, modelling errors and disturbances are inevitable in practical situations, system uncertainty is considered in this study. By fully utilising the orthogonal space information of output matrix, some new understandings are proposed for the construction of Lyapunov matrix. Sufficient conditions for the existence of observers to guarantee the fault sensitivity and disturbance robustness in infinite frequency domain are presented. In order to further relax the conservativeness, slack matrices are introduced to fully decouple the observer gain with the Lyapunov matrices in finite frequency range. Iterative linear matrix inequality algorithms are proposed to obtain the solutions. The simulation examples which contain a Monte Carlo campaign illustrate that the new methods can effectively reduce the design conservativeness compared with the existing methods.

Results of investigation on an 0.004-scale 140c modified configuration space shuttle vehicle orbiter model (74-0) in the NASA/Langley Research Center hypersonic nitrogen tunnel (OA89)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawthorne, P. J.

1975-01-01

Wind tunnel test data for the modified space shuttle vehicle orbiter is documented. Tests were made at various elevon settings and additionally in wing off/bodyflap off configuration at angles of attack from -5 to 42.5 degrees at zero yaw. Data obtained on high hypersonic longitudinal and lateral directional stability and control characteristics of the updated SSV configuration in an initially diatomic medium are included.

Prediction of forces and moments for flight vehicle control effectors. Part 1: Validation of methods for predicting hypersonic vehicle controls forces and moments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maughmer, Mark D.; Ozoroski, L.; Ozoroski, T.; Straussfogel, D.

1990-01-01

Many types of hypersonic aircraft configurations are currently being studied for feasibility of future development. Since the control of the hypersonic configurations throughout the speed range has a major impact on acceptable designs, it must be considered in the conceptual design stage. The ability of the aerodynamic analysis methods contained in an industry standard conceptual design system, APAS II, to estimate the forces and moments generated through control surface deflections from low subsonic to high hypersonic speeds is considered. Predicted control forces and moments generated by various control effectors are compared with previously published wind tunnel and flight test data for three configurations: the North American X-15, the Space Shuttle Orbiter, and a hypersonic research airplane concept. Qualitative summaries of the results are given for each longitudinal force and moment and each control derivative in the various speed ranges. Results show that all predictions of longitudinal stability and control derivatives are acceptable for use at the conceptual design stage. Results for most lateral/directional control derivatives are acceptable for conceptual design purposes; however, predictions at supersonic Mach numbers for the change in yawing moment due to aileron deflection and the change in rolling moment due to rudder deflection are found to be unacceptable. Including shielding effects in the analysis is shown to have little effect on lift and pitching moment predictions while improving drag predictions.

Langley Aerothermodynamic Facilities Complex: Enhancements and Testing Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micol, J. R.

1998-01-01

Description, capabilities, recent upgrades, and utilization of the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Aerothermodynamic Facilities Complex (AFC) are presented. The AFC consists of five hypersonic, blow-down-to-vacuum wind tunnels that collectively provide a range of Mach number from 6 to 20, unit Reynolds number from 0.04 to 22 million per foot and, most importantly for blunt configurations, normal shock density ratio from 4 to 12. These wide ranges of hypersonic simulation parameters are due, in part, to the use of three different test gases (air, helium, and tetrafluoromethane), thereby making several of the facilities unique. The Complex represents nearly three-fourths of the conventional (as opposed to impulse)-type hypersonic wind tunnels operational in this country. AFC facilities are used to assess and optimize the hypersonic aerodynamic performance and aeroheating characteristics of aerospace vehicle concepts and to provide benchmark aerodynamic/aeroheating data fr generating the flight aerodynamic databook and final design of the thermal protection system (TPS) (e.g., establishment of flight limitations not to exceed TPS design limits). Modifications and enhancements of AFC hardware components and instrumentation have been pursued to increase capability, reliability, and productivity in support of programmatic goals. Examples illustrating facility utilization in recent years to generate essentially all of the experimental hypersonic aerodynamic and aeroheating information for high-priority, fast-paced Agency programs are presented. These programs include Phase I of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Advanced Technology Demonstrator, X-33 program, PHase II of the X-33 program, X-34 program, the Hyper-X program ( a Mach 5,7, and 10 airbreathing propulsion flight experiment), and the X-38 program (Experimental Crew Return Vehicle, X-CRV). Current upgrades/enchancements and future plans for the AFC are discussed.

Development and Validation of a Hypersonic Vehicle Design Tool Based On Waverider Design Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasque, Nastassja

Methodologies for a tool capable of assisting design initiatives for practical waverider based hypersonic vehicles were developed and validated. The design space for vehicle surfaces was formed using an algorithm that coupled directional derivatives with the conservation laws to determine a flow field defined by a set of post-shock streamlines. The design space is used to construct an ideal waverider with a sharp leading edge. A blunting method was developed to modify the ideal shapes to a more practical geometry for real-world application. Empirical and analytical relations were then systematically applied to the resulting geometries to determine local pressure, skin-friction and heat flux. For the ideal portion of the geometry, flat plate relations for compressible flow were applied. For the blunted portion of the geometry modified Newtonian theory, Fay-Riddell theory and Modified Reynolds analogy were applied. The design and analysis methods were validated using analytical solutions as well as empirical and numerical data. The streamline solution for the flow field generation technique was compared with a Taylor-Maccoll solution and showed very good agreement. The relationship between the local Stanton number and skin friction coefficient with local Reynolds number along the ideal portion of the body showed good agreement with experimental data. In addition, an automated grid generation routine was formulated to construct a structured mesh around resulting geometries in preparation for Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis. The overall analysis of the waverider body using the tool was then compared to CFD studies. The CFD flow field showed very good agreement with the design space. However, the distribution of the surface properties was near CFD results but did not have great agreement.

Aero-optical effects of an optical seeker with a supersonic jet for hypersonic vehicles in near space.

PubMed

Guo, Guangming; Liu, Hong; Zhang, Bin

2016-06-10

The aero-optical effects of an optical seeker with a supersonic jet for hypersonic vehicles in near space were investigated by three suites of cases, in which the altitude, angle of attack, and Mach number were varied in a large range. The direct simulation Monte Carlo based on the Boltzmann equation was used for flow computations and the ray-tracing method was used to simulate beam transmission through the nonuniform flow field over the optical window. Both imaging displacement and phase deviation were proposed as evaluation parameters, and along with Strehl ratio they were used to quantitatively evaluate aero-optical effects. The results show that aero-optical effects are quite weak when the altitude is greater than 30 km, the imaging displacement is related to the incident angle of a beam, and it is minimal when the incident angle is approximately 15°. For reducing the aero-optical effects, the optimal location of an aperture should be in the middle of the optical window.

An Approach to Establishing System Benefits for Technology in NASA's Hypersonics Investment Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe; Pannell, Bill; Cook, Stephen (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

NASA's has established long term goals for access-to-space. The third generation launch systems are to be fully reusable and operational around 2025. The goals for the third generation launch system are to significantly reduce cost and improve safety over current systems. The Advanced Space Transportation Program (ASTP) Office at the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL has the agency lead to develop space transportation technologies. Within ASTP, under the Hypersonics Investment Area, third generation technologies are being pursued. The Hypersonics Investment Area's primary objective is to mature vehicle technologies to enable substantial increases in the design and operating margins of third generation RLVs (current Space Shuttle is considered the first generation RLV) by incorporating advanced propulsion systems, materials, structures, thermal protection systems, power, and avionics technologies. The paper describes the system process, tools and concepts used to determine the technology benefits. Preliminary results will be presented along with the current technology investments that are being made by ASTP's Hypersonics Investment Area.

-----SPACE TRANSPORTATION

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-05-01

This photograph depicts an air-breathing rocket engine that completed an hour or 3,600 seconds of testing at the General Applied Sciences Laboratory in Ronkonkoma, New York. Referred to as ARGO by its design team, the engine is named after the mythological Greek ship that bore Jason and the Argonauts on their epic voyage of discovery. Air-breathing engines, known as rocket based, combined-cycle engines, get their initial take-off power from specially designed rockets, called air-augmented rockets, that boost performance about 15 percent over conventional rockets. When the vehicle's velocity reaches twice the speed of sound, the rockets are turned off and the engine relies totally on oxygen in the atmosphere to burn hydrogen fuel, as opposed to a rocket that must carry its own oxygen, thus reducing weight and flight costs. Once the vehicle has accelerated to about 10 times the speed of sound, the engine converts to a conventional rocket-powered system to propel the craft into orbit or sustain it to suborbital flight speed. NASA's Advanced SpaceTransportation Program at Marshall Space Flight Center, along with several industry partners and collegiate forces, is developing this technology to make space transportation affordable for everyone from business travelers to tourists. The goal is to reduce launch costs from today's price tag of $10,000 per pound to only hundreds of dollars per pound. NASA's series of hypersonic flight demonstrators currently include three air-breathing vehicles: the X-43A, X-43B and X-43C.

High capacity for extracellular acid-base regulation in the air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus.

PubMed

Damsgaard, Christian; Gam, Le Thi Hong; Tuong, Dang Diem; Thinh, Phan Vinh; Huong Thanh, Do Thi; Wang, Tobias; Bayley, Mark

2015-05-01

The evolution of accessory air-breathing structures is typically associated with reduction of the gills, although branchial ion transport remains pivotal for acid-base and ion regulation. Therefore, air-breathing fishes are believed to have a low capacity for extracellular pH regulation during a respiratory acidosis. In the present study, we investigated acid-base regulation during hypercapnia in the air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus in normoxic and hypoxic water at 28-30°C. Contrary to previous studies, we show that this air-breathing fish has a pronounced ability to regulate extracellular pH (pHe) during hypercapnia, with complete metabolic compensation of pHe within 72 h of exposure to hypoxic hypercapnia with CO2 levels above 34 mmHg. The high capacity for pHe regulation relies on a pronounced ability to increase levels of HCO3(-) in the plasma. Our study illustrates the diversity in the physiology of air-breathing fishes, such that generalizations across phylogenies may be difficult. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

NASA's Hypersonic Investment Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe; Hutt, John; McClinton, Charles

2002-01-01

NASA has established long term goals for access to space. The third generation launch systems are to be fully reusable and operational around 2025. The goal for third-generation launch systems represents significant reduction in cost and improved safety over the current first generation system. The Advanced Space Transportation Office (ASTP) at NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has the agency lead to develop space transportation technologies. Within ASTP, under the Hypersonic Investment Area (HIA), third generation technologies are being pursued in the areas of propulsion, airframe, integrated vehicle health management (IVHM), avionics, power, operations and system analysis. These technologies are being matured through research and both ground and flight-testing. This paper provides an overview of the HIA program plans and recent accomplishments.

Emerging hypersonic propulsion technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, E. T.; Beach, H. L., Jr.

1988-01-01

Currently there is a renewal of interest in the utilization of air breathing engines for hypersonic flight. The use of such engines in accelerative missions is discussed, and the nature of the trade-off between engine thrust-to-weight ratio and specific impulse is highlighted. It is also pointed out that the use of a cryogenic fuel such as liquid hydrogen offers the opportunity to develop both precooled derivatives of turboaccelerator engines and new cryogenic engine cycles, where the heat exchange process plays a significant role in the engine concept. The continuing challenges of developing high speed supersonic combustion ramjet engines are discussed. The paper concludes with a brief review of the difficult discipline of vehicle integration, and the challenges of both ground and flight testing.

Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Propulsion Workshop, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chojnacki, Kent T.

1992-01-01

The goal of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Propulsion Technology Workshop, was to impart technology information to the propulsion community with respect to hypersonic combined cycle propulsion capabilities. The major recommendation resulting from this technology workshop was as follows: conduct a systems-level applications study to define the desired propulsion system and vehicle technology requirements for LEO launch vehicles. All SSTO and TSTO options using the various propulsion systems (airbreathing combined cycle, rocket-based combined cycle, and all rocket) must be considered. Such a study should be accomplished as soon as possible. It must be conducted with a consistent set of ground rules and assumptions. Additionally, the study should be conducted before any major expenditures on a RBCC technology development program occur.

Control-oriented modeling and adaptive backstepping control for a nonminimum phase hypersonic vehicle.

PubMed

Ye, Linqi; Zong, Qun; Tian, Bailing; Zhang, Xiuyun; Wang, Fang

2017-09-01

In this paper, the nonminimum phase problem of a flexible hypersonic vehicle is investigated. The main challenge of nonminimum phase is the prevention of dynamic inversion methods to nonlinear control design. To solve this problem, we make research on the relationship between nonminimum phase and backstepping control, finding that a stable nonlinear controller can be obtained by changing the control loop on the basis of backstepping control. By extending the control loop to cover the internal dynamics in it, the internal states are directly controlled by the inputs and simultaneously serve as virtual control for the external states, making it possible to guarantee output tracking as well as internal stability. Then, based on the extended control loop, a simplified control-oriented model is developed to enable the applicability of adaptive backstepping method. It simplifies the design process and releases some limitations caused by direct use of the no simplified control-oriented model. Next, under proper assumptions, asymptotic stability is proved for constant commands, while bounded stability is proved for varying commands. The proposed method is compared with approximate backstepping control and dynamic surface control and is shown to have superior tracking accuracy as well as robustness from the simulation results. This paper may also provide a beneficial guidance for control design of other complex systems. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in cardiac output during swimming and aquatic hypoxia in the air-breathing Pacific tarpon.

PubMed

Clark, T D; Seymour, R S; Christian, K; Wells, R M G; Baldwin, J; Farrell, A P

2007-11-01

Pacific tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides) use a modified gas bladder as an air-breathing organ (ABO). We examined changes in cardiac output (V(b)) associated with increases in air-breathing that accompany exercise and aquatic hypoxia. Juvenile (0.49 kg) and adult (1.21 kg) tarpon were allowed to recover in a swim flume at 27 degrees C after being instrumented with a Doppler flow probe around the ventral aorta to monitor V(b) and with a fibre-optic oxygen sensor in the ABO to monitor air-breathing frequency. Under normoxic conditions and in both juveniles and adults, routine air-breathing frequency was 0.03 breaths min(-1) and V(b) was about 15 mL min(-1) kg(-1). Normoxic exercise (swimming at about 1.1 body lengths s(-1)) increased air-breathing frequency by 8-fold in both groups (reaching 0.23 breaths min(-1)) and increased V(b) by 3-fold for juveniles and 2-fold for adults. Hypoxic exposure (2 kPa O2) at rest increased air-breathing frequency 19-fold (to around 0.53 breaths min(-1)) in both groups, and while V(b) again increased 3-fold in resting juvenile fish, V(b) was unchanged in resting adult fish. Exercise in hypoxia increased air-breathing frequency 35-fold (to 0.95 breaths min(-1)) in comparison with resting normoxic fish. While juvenile fish increased V(b) nearly 2-fold with exercise in hypoxia, adult fish maintained the same V(b) irrespective of exercise state and became agitated in comparison. These results imply that air-breathing during exercise and hypoxia can benefit oxygen delivery, but to differing degrees in juvenile and adult tarpon. We discuss this difference in the context of myocardial oxygen supply.

Excretory nitrogen metabolism and defence against ammonia toxicity in air-breathing fishes.

PubMed

Chew, S F; Ip, Y K

2014-03-01

With the development of air-breathing capabilities, some fishes can emerge from water, make excursions onto land or even burrow into mud during droughts. Air-breathing fishes have modified gill morphology and morphometry and accessory breathing organs, which would tend to reduce branchial ammonia excretion. As ammonia is toxic, air-breathing fishes, especially amphibious ones, are equipped with various strategies to ameliorate ammonia toxicity during emersion or ammonia exposure. These strategies can be categorized into (1) enhancement of ammonia excretion and reduction of ammonia entry, (2) conversion of ammonia to a less toxic product for accumulation and subsequent excretion, (3) reduction of ammonia production and avoidance of ammonia accumulation and (4) tolerance of ammonia at cellular and tissue levels. Active ammonia excretion, operating in conjunction with lowering of ambient pH and reduction in branchial and cutaneous NH₃ permeability, is theoretically the most effective strategy to maintain low internal ammonia concentrations. NH₃ volatilization involves the alkalization of certain epithelial surfaces and requires mechanisms to prevent NH₃ back flux. Urea synthesis is an energy-intensive process and hence uncommon among air-breathing teleosts. Aestivating African lungfishes detoxify ammonia to urea and the accumulated urea is excreted following arousal. Reduction in ammonia production is achieved in some air-breathing fishes through suppression of amino acid catabolism and proteolysis, or through partial amino acid catabolism leading to alanine formation. Others can slow down ammonia accumulation through increased glutamine synthesis in the liver and muscle. Yet, some others develop high tolerance of ammonia at cellular and tissue levels, including tissues in the brain. In summary, the responses of air-breathing fishes to ameliorate ammonia toxicity are many and varied, determined by the behaviour of the species and the nature of the environment in

Interactions between Flight Dynamics and Propulsion Systems of Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

coupled with combustor – Combustor, component for subsonic or supersonic combustion – Nozzle , expands flow for high thrust and may provide lift... supersonic solution method that is used for both the inlet and nozzle components. The supersonic model SAMURI is a substantial improvement over previous models...purely supersonic inviscid flow. As a result, the model is also appropriate for other applications, including the nozzle , which is important 19 Figure

Conceptual design of a two-stage-to-orbit vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

A conceptual design study of a two-stage-to-orbit vehicle is presented. Three configurations were initially investigated with one configuration selected for further development. The major objective was to place a 20,000-lb payload into a low Earth orbit using a two-stage vehicle. The first stage used air-breathing engines and employed a horizontal takeoff, while the second stage used rocket engines to achieve a 250-n.m. orbit. A two-stage-to-orbit vehicle seems a viable option for the next-generation space shuttle.

A Generic Guidance and Control Structure for Six-Degree-of-Freedom Conceptual Aircraft Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cotting, M. Christopher; Cox, Timothy H.

2005-01-01

A control system framework is presented for both real-time and batch six-degree-of-freedom simulation. This framework allows stabilization and control with multiple command options, from body rate control to waypoint guidance. Also, pilot commands can be used to operate the simulation in a pilot-in-the-loop environment. This control system framework is created by using direct vehicle state feedback with nonlinear dynamic inversion. A direct control allocation scheme is used to command aircraft effectors. Online B-matrix estimation is used in the control allocation algorithm for maximum algorithm flexibility. Primary uses for this framework include conceptual design and early preliminary design of aircraft, where vehicle models change rapidly and a knowledge of vehicle six-degree-of-freedom performance is required. A simulated airbreathing hypersonic vehicle and a simulated high performance fighter are controlled to demonstrate the flexibility and utility of the control system.