Innovative Aerodynamic Design Concepts for Advanced RLVs

Abstract

Advanced hypersonic air vehicle design concepts must be capable of boosting various payloads (spacecraft, military and commercial systems) into desired orbits. Also, these boosters must safely separate from their payload components at hypersonic speeds and high altitudes and safely return under GPS guidance through atmospheric entry, approach and a horizontal landing at low speeds. Relative to conventional planar wing and aft control surfaces, novel wing designs as well as forward control devices have been evaluated for achieving improved aerodynamic qualities at high and low speeds. In this assessment, predictive aerodynamic analysis methods and wind tunnel test results described herein have been compared. Preliminary findings show that these innovative aerodynamic design arrangements exhibit potential for improving the overall flight performance of future, low cost Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs). Potential gains in their flight capabilities include greater maneuverability, extended glide range and reduction of its landing speed for enhanced safety. Although limited in scope, preliminary wind tunnel test programs have been performed under Boeing IR&D projects. Our purpose was to evaluate the aerodynamic qualities that can be gained by using these unique air vehicle designs and our preliminary test results exhibit encouraging aerodynamic effects. Based on these early results, advanced RLV designs featuring the Arch wing and its conformal forward steering flaps appear to be promising candidates for effecting enhanced flight performance capabilities to future hypersonic air vehicles.