Streamline Traced Inlets for High Speed Applications

This SBIR will use an innovative technique to develop the designs of a large class of inlets for use in Single-Stage-To-Orbit, SSTO and Two-Stage-To-Orbit, TSTO transatmospheric accelerators, global reach- high-speed aircraft and long-range missiles. Thegenera of the designs are Busemann inward turning flowfields. Streamline traces are carved from these flowfields to form the compression surfaces of a broad variety of practical inlet geometries. These surfaces are then truncated to provide an optimumbalance between component weight and inlet compression efficiency. All of the inlets have highly swept leading edges, which minimizes their drag and the corresponding thermal loads. A major part of the effort will be the development of novel techniques toenable starting. The Phase I effort will include the design of sets of interactactive jets produced by a gas generator that will be used to aerodynamically deflect a portion of the inlet compression fields. Documentation of the inlet performance anddemonstration of the starting devices will be a major part of the Phase II effort.The principal tangible product of this SBIR will be the design and development of the starting device for streamlined-traced inward-turning inlets for SSTO and TSTOtransatmospheric accelerators, long range high speed cruise aircraft and missiles. Both military and commercial customers are anticipated for the space access vehicle and cruise aircraft. Two major aerospace companies have reviewed and strongly endorsedthis SBIR Proposal. Both companies will closely follow the progress of the Phase I effort for consideration of becoming Fast Track sponsors of a Phase II effort. Marketing of the inlet starting device will be initiated during the Phase II Program and thecapitalization effort of PYRODYNE for Phase III and beyond with be initiated.