A design review on hypersonic aerodynamics configurations and applicability to hypersonic transports

Abstract

As the world of commercial aviation recovers from the global recession after the pandemic, demands for faster and more reliable air transportation are on the rise. Research in Hypersonic Transports, led by both government and private sectors, aims to revolutionize the industry with its high time efficiency and customizability for various needs. This paper reviews the design principle and challenges of HST from a technical standpoint, while overviewing high-speed gas dynamics, analyzing the waverider configurations, and addressing the technical intricacies of designing a hypersonic vehicle. It shows that the waverider configuration is a suitable HST candidate for its large fuel storage and high inlet compatibility for an airframe-propulsion integrated design. This paper aims to provide holistic context for the advantages and challenges associated with HST, while providing insights into the compatibility of a waverider configuration that can be optimized for civilian transport applications.