Search Results

These critical technology areas span the entire engineering design of the vehicle; included are structures, materials, propulsion systems, propellants, propulsion/airframe integration, controls, subsystems, and aerodynamics areas. ...The NASP vehicle must take off from a conventional run way and fly to orbit using air-breathing propulsion. Due to the complexity of the vehicle, the lack of currently available wind tunnel facilities to investigate in much of the hypersonic flight regime, the many flow regimes experienced during a typical NASP ascent trajectory, and time constraints placed on the pro gram, the dependence on CFD for NASP is quite significant.

Among these are sonic boom, takeoff noise, thermal management, lightweight structures with long life, unique propulsion concepts, unconventional fuels, and supersonic laminar flow.

The model was a simplified configuration consisting of a triangular wedge forebody, a rectangular mid-section which housed the propulsion simulation system, and a rectangular wedge aftbody. Additional model components included a delta wing, exhaust flow deflectors, and aftbody fences.