An Accurate and Efficient Flight Simulation Tool for Maneuvering Hypersonic Vehicles

Two key aspects that make hypersonic weapon systems desirable are their speed and maneuverability. These aspects make them incredibly difficult to counter. They fly low and fast making detection difficult and fly unpredictable trajectories making it difficult if even possible to predict its path. As such, the Navy is seeking tools to model the maneuvers of hypersonic weapons. Current tools, such as high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have sufficient accuracy, but require too much computational resources and time for trade studies. Zeroth order models are fast, but lack the necessary fidelity for trajectory prediction. To address this need, Spectral Energies (SE) and its team will develop high-fidelity modeling capabilities (using tools like CREATE AV) coupled with design of experiments, compressive sensing, and reduced-order models to provide accurate aerodynamics forces and control derivatives that will be fed into a 6 degree-of-freedom (6DOF) solver. During Phase I, SE will evaluate existing methods for trajectory determination, develop methodology to improve accuracy and efficiency, select a relevant geometry for validation, and perform an initial proof-of-concept. During Phase II, SE will implement the method into government codes like CREATE-AV, perform trade studies and validate the results with high-fidelity simulation or existing flight data.