Body-Flexure Control with Smart Actuation for Hypervelocity Missiles

ZONA proposed in Phase I a CKEM central body with body-flexure/PZT control design concept on account of the hypersonic aeroelastic amplification. The merit of the CKEM body-flexure/PZT control, in its design simplicity, lower weight and drag and withfeasible power required, has been confirmed by ZONA's detailed computational software studies. In Phase II, intensive aerothermodynamic analysis will be conducted for a viable heat-shield design to ascertain thermal protection of the PZT operation duringthe hypervelocity flight. Temperature, heat rate sensitivity analysis will be conducted with various thermal protection system (TPS) approaches including ablation. Structural integration of the CKEM body/heat-shield/TPS system will be assured usingASTROS* structural optimization subjected to the system strength constraints. 6-D.O.F. autopilot design and trajectory simulation will be carried out for power required and performance evaluations. For concept validation, three wind-off tests includingthermal, static and dynamic tests on the test models, with imbedded PZT control, which will be fabricated based on the specifications guided by ZONA's R&D studied data. Deliverables include heat-shield design methodology and the design/analysis softwareZONAIR and a design layout for the CKEM body. Phase II option is a preparation of the wind-tunnel/sled tests for Phase III tests and demonstration.ZONA envisions that the developed hypersonic aerothermodynamic software ZONAIR and the ASTROS* structuraloptimization system software can be seamlessly integrated into a powerful toolbox, HyAAT, for aerodynamics/aerotheromodynamics/aerothermoelasticity/ASE/sensor- PZT for the design/analysis of current and future hypersonic flight vehicles, including CKEM and those of the FCS. With its unified Mach range capabilty, HyAAT toolbox can be extended to potential applications such as:(a) space vehicles such as Hyper-X/X-43; (b) USAF's RLV/TAV, UAV/UCAV,joint-wing sensor craft; (b) Navy's Hypersonic projectile/HyFly program, (c) the next generation hypersonic vehicles, such as hypersonic strike aircraft and (d) Darpa/NASA's Morphingaircraft program, etc. Potential Customers include the R&D arms of USAF, Navy, Army, Darpa, NASA, and the defense industry. With ZONA's user/custom network, the marketing of these software could be relatively straightforward. Simple return on investmentestimate shows this toolbox, if properly marketed, is potentially a beneficial commercial software product.