CFD applications in hypersonic flightDesign 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.
Document ID
19930038304
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Edwards, T. A. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1992
Subject Category
Aerodynamics
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 92-5025
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA, International Aerospace Planes Conference