CFD-Based Multidisciplinary Analysis for Flight Vehicle Simulation and Control

The ability to quickly estimate flight vehicle behavior in an operational environment is particularly important since engineers from a variety of disciplines require accurate predictions in order to plan flight test experiments, expand aircraft operating envelopes safely, and have access to diagnostic methods when problems arise. In order to minimize risks, and to maximize compatibility with present NASA efforts and personnel, the innovative software to be created and marketed through this effort will be written to ?seamlessly? interface with the NASA STARS suite of codes. This approach will also allow a focus on the new and innovative techniques to be implemented during this effort without the need to reproduce analysis tools which are already highly developed and validated. At the same time, this increases commercial viability of the product due to the broad distribution and familiarity with the STARS codes in the government and academic sectors. The products ultimately produced from this effort will have the capability for CFD-based multi-disciplinary analysis of flight vehicles including linear and non-linear aeroservoelastic analysis. Special emphasis will be placed on developing tools which may be used by engineers in a flight test environment where rapid turnaround times are critical.