Computational Analysis of Missile Flight Through Rain

The current state of weather requirements definition for tactical missiles is outdated providing operational decision makers little confidence in the performance of missiles in environments other than blue-sky. The challenge is understanding physics features like drop shape change through a shock, and being able to apply those at the system level for vehicle performance assessment. Research over the past 15 years has shown that drop shape change has significant influence on impact damage thresholds, though modeling and simulation tools to be able to predict this phenomenon have not been developed for system level assessment. i3 proposes to leverage 12 years of experience in the modernization of weather performance assessment on high-speed flight vehicles to develop computational tools for prediction of drop shape change across a shock. In Phase I, computational approaches were assessed for their accuracy in predicting shock tube test results, as well as their applicability to vehicle induced flow fields. In Phase II, a software code will be developed and validated with ground test data based on the findings in the Phase I. Results from this effort will be transitioned to Government programs seeking to identify weather performance effects on tactical and high speed flight systems.