Analysis of Aerodynamic Controls Concepts for Non-Axisymmetric Hypersonic Vehicles

Under this program Combustion Research and Flow Technology (CRAFT) and Gas Dynamics Laboratory (GDL) at the Applied research Lab at the University of Texas at Austin (ARL:UT) will partner to lead the way in designing innovative control ideas for lifting-body hypersonic vehicles. GDL will perform experiments and CRAFT Tech will perform numerical simulations using the CRAFT CFD« code. All of these tests and simulations will be done using a generic lifting body type vehicle sharing the same characteristic design features as other DoD programs. With a validated design tool, the CRAFT CFD« code will be used to rapidly test a range of novel aerodynamic controls ideas for this lifting body design. The ability to efficiently test different design concepts ranging from traditional flaps, to divert jets, to thrust vectoring, and morphing body surfaces will allow CRAFT Tech to take an innovative approach to this problem in the Phase I effort. Testing only traditional concepts will likely yield to the same results time and again, falling short of the objectives of this program, that is why a wide range of ideas will be tested here. Not only will each of these concepts be tested independently from each other, but hybrid designs combining multiple concepts will be tested as well. The work by GDL will be done to help complement some of the many designs to be tested using the CRAFT CFD« code given the limited amount of time and computational resources available in Phase I. The GDL work will also serve as a proving ground for the important role to be played in Phase II whereby the best designs will be selected, optimized, and then need to be tested in the wind tunnel environment. Approved for Public Release | 24-MDA-11673 (8 Jan 24)