DOCSLIB.ORG

Facing the Heat Barrier: a History of Hypersonics First Thoughts of Hypersonic Propulsion

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Facing the Heat Barrier: a History of Hypersonics First Thoughts of Hypersonic Propulsion Facing the Heat Barrier: A History of Hypersonics First Thoughts of Hypersonic Propulsion Republic’s Aerospaceplane concept showed extensive engine-airframe integration. (Republic Aviation) For takeoff, Lockheed expected to use Turbo-LACE. This was a LACE variant that sought again to reduce the inherently hydrogen-rich operation of the basic system. Rather than cool the air until it was liquid, Turbo-Lace chilled it deeply but allowed it to remain gaseous. Being very dense, it could pass through a turbocom- pressor and reach pressures in the hundreds of psi. This saved hydrogen because less was needed to accomplish this cooling. The Turbo-LACE engines were to operate at chamber pressures of 200 to 250 psi, well below the internal pressure of standard rockets but high enough to produce 300,000 pounds of thrust by using turbocom- pressed oxygen.67 Republic Aviation continued to emphasize the scramjet. A new configuration broke with the practice of mounting these engines within pods, as if they were turbojets. Instead, this design introduced the important topic of engine-airframe integration by setting forth a concept that amounted to a single enormous scramjet fitted with wings and a tail. A conical forward fuselage served as an inlet spike. The inlets themselves formed a ring encircling much of the vehicle. Fuel tankage filled most of its capacious internal volume. This design study took two views regarding the potential performance of its engines. One concept avoided the use of LACE or ACES, assuming again that this craft could scram all the way to orbit. Still, it needed engines for takeoff so turbo- ramjets were installed, with both Pratt & Whitney and General Electric providing Lockheed’s Aerospaceplane concept. The alternate hypersonic in-flight refueling system approach candidate concepts. Republic thus was optimistic at high Mach but conservative at called for propellant transfer at Mach 6. (Art by Dennis Jenkins) low speed. 118 119 Facing the Heat Barrier: A History of Hypersonics First Thoughts of Hypersonic Propulsion The other design introduced LACE and ACES both for takeoff and for final hydrogen from tanks. It showed stable combustion, delivering thrust as high as ascent to orbit and made use of yet another approach to derichening the hydrogen. 5,700 pounds.72 This was SuperLACE, a concept from Marquardt that placed slush hydrogen rather Within the Air Force, the SAB’s Ad Hoc Committee on Aerospaceplane contin- than standard liquid hydrogen in the main tank. The slush consisted of liquid that ued to provide guidance along with encouraging words. A review of July 1962 was contained a considerable amount of solidified hydrogen. It therefore stood at the less skeptical in tone than the one of 18 months earlier, citing “several attractive freezing point of hydrogen, 14 K, which was markedly lower than the 21 K of liquid arguments for a continuation of this program at a significant level of funding”: hydrogen at the boiling point.68 SuperLACE reduced its use of hydrogen by shunting part of the flow, warmed It will have the military advantages that accrue from rapid response times in the LACE heat exchanger, into the tank. There it mixed with the slush, chilling and considerable versatility in choice of landing area. It will have many of again to liquid while melting some of the hydrogen ice. Careful control of this flow the advantages that have been demonstrated in the X-15 program, namely, ensured that while the slush in the tank gradually turned to liquid and rose toward a real pay-off in rapidly developing reliability and operational pace that the 21 K boiling point, it did not get there until the air-collection phase of a flight comes from continuous re-use of the same hardware again and again. It was finished. As an added bonus, the slush was noticeably denser than the liquid, may turn out in the long run to have a cost effectiveness attractiveness… enabling the tank to hold more fuel.69 the cost per pound may eventually be brought to low levels. Finally, the LACE and ACES remained in the forefront, but there also was much interest Aerospaceplane program will develop the capability for flights in the in conventional rocket engines. Within the Aerospaceplane effort, this approach atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, a capability that may be of future use to took the name POBATO, Propellants On Board At Takeoff. These rocket-powered the Defense Department and possibly to the airlines.73 vehicles gave points of comparison for the more exotic types that used LACE and scramjets, but here too people used their imaginations. Some POBATO vehicles Single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) was on the agenda, a topic that merits separate ascended vertically in a classic liftoff, but others rode rocket sleds along a track while comment. The space shuttle is a stage-and-a-half system; it uses solid boosters plus a angling sharply upward within a cradle.70 main stage, with all engines burning at liftoff. It is a measure of progress, or its lack, In Denver, the Martin Company took rocket-powered craft as its own, for this in astronautics that the Soviet R-7 rocket that launched the first Sputniks was also firm expected that a next-generation launch vehicle of this type could be ready far stage-and-a-half.74 The concept of SSTO has tantalized designers for decades, with sooner than one based on advanced airbreathing engines. Its concepts used vertical these specialists being highly ingenious and ready to show a can-do spirit in the face liftoff, while giving an opening for the ejector rocket. Martin introduced a concept of challenges. of its own called RENE, Rocket Engine Nozzle Ejector (RENE), and conducted This approach certainly is elegant. It also avoids the need to launch two rockets experiments at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. These tests went for- to do the work of one, and if the Earth’s gravity field resembled that of Mars, SSTO ward during 1961, using a liquid rocket engine, with nozzle of 5-inch diameter set would be the obvious way to proceed. Unfortunately, the Earth’s field is consider- within a shroud of 17-inch width. Test conditions corresponded to flight at Mach ably stronger. No SSTO has ever reached orbit, either under rocket power or by 2 and 40,000 feet, with the shrouds or surrounding ducts having various lengths using scramjets or other airbreathers. The technical requirements have been too to achieve increasingly thorough mixing. The longest duct gave the best perfor- severe. mance, increasing the rated 2,000-pound thrust of the rocket to as much as 3,100 The SAB panel members attended three days of contractor briefings and reached pounds.71 a firm conclusion: “It was quite evident to the Committee from the presentation of A complementary effort at Marquardt sought to demonstrate the feasibility of nearly all the contractors that a single stage to orbit Aerospaceplane remains a highly LACE. The work started with tests of heat exchangers built by Garrett AiResearch speculative effort.” Reaffirming a recommendation from its 1960 review, the group that used liquid hydrogen as the working fluid. A company-made film showed dark urged new emphasis on two-stage designs. It recommended attention to “develop- liquid air coming down in a torrent, as seen through a porthole. Further tests used ment of hydrogen fueled turbo ramjet power plants capable of accelerating the first this liquefied air in a small thrust chamber. The arrangement made no attempt to stage to Mach 6.0 to 10.0…. Research directed toward the second stage which derichen the hydrogen flow; even though it ran very fuel-rich, it delivered up to 275 will ultimately achieve orbit should be concentrated in the fields of high pressure pounds of thrust. As a final touch, Marquardt crafted a thrust chamber of 18-inch hydrogen rockets and supersonic burning ramjets and air collection and enrichment diameter and simulated LACE operation by feeding it with liquid air and gaseous systems.”75 120 121 Facing the Heat Barrier: A History of Hypersonics First Thoughts of Hypersonic Propulsion Convair, home of Space Plane, had offered single-stage configurations as early oxidizer prior to separation, but to reach from Mach 3 to orbital speed, the second as 1960. By 1962 its managers concluded that technical requirements placed such stage had to be simple indeed. Steinhoff envisioned a long vehicle resembling a tor- a vehicle out of reach for at least the next 20 years. The effort shifted toward a pedo, powered by hydrogen-burning rockets but lacking wings and thermal protec- two-stage concept that took form as the 1964 Point Design Vehicle. With a gross tion. It was not reusable and would not reenter, but it would be piloted. A project takeoff weight of 700,000 pounds, the baseline approach used turboramjets to reach report stated, “Crew recovery is accomplished by means of a reentry capsule of the Mach 5. It cruised at that speed while using ACES to collect liquid oxygen, then Gemini-Apollo class. The capsule forms the nose section of the vehicle and serves as accelerated anew using ramjets and rockets. Stage separation occurred at Mach 8.6 the crew compartment for the entire vehicle.”78 and 176,000 feet, with the second stage reaching orbit on rocket power. The pay- ROLS appears in retrospect as a mirror image of NASA’s eventual space shuttle, load was 23,000 pounds with turboramjets in the first stage, increasing to 35,000 which adopted a technically simple booster—a pair of large solid-propellant rock- pounds with the more speculative SuperLACE.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Flight to Orbit
    There are numerous ways to get there— Around the Corner Th As then–US Space Command chief from rocket The Gen. Howell M. Estes III said to launch to space defense writers just before his re- tirement in August, “This is going maneuver to come along a lot quicker than we vehicles—and the think it is. ... We tend to think this stuff is way out there in the future, Air Force is but it’s right around the corner.” keeping its Flight The Air Force and NASA have divided the task of providing the options open. US government with a means of reliable, low-cost transportation to Earth orbit. The Air Force, with the largest immediate need, is heading to up the effort to revamp the Expend- to able Launch Vehicles now used to loft military and other government satellites. Called the Evolved ELV, this program is focused on derivatives of existing rockets. Competitors have been invited to redesign or value- engineer their proven boosters with new materials and technologies to provide reliable launch services at a he Air Force would like to go Orbit far lower price than today’s bench- back and forth to Earth orbit as bit mark of around $10,000 a pound to T O easily as it goes back and forth to Low Earth Orbit. The reasoning is 30,000 feet—routinely, reliably, and that an “evolved”—rather than an relatively cheaply. Such a capability all-new—vehicle will yield cost sav- goes hand in hand with being a true ings while reducing technical risk.
    [Show full text]
  • Revised Recovery Plan for the Sihek Or Guam Micronesian Kingfisher (Halcyon Cinnamomina Cinnamomina)
    DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate actions which the best available science indicates are required to recover and protect listed species. Plans are published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sometimes prepared with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Recovery teams serve as independent advisors to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Recovery plans are reviewed by the public and submitted to additional peer review before they are approved and adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Objectives will be attained and any necessary funds made available subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, as well as the need to address other priorities. Nothing in this plan should be construed as a commitment or requirement that any Federal agency obligate or pay funds in contravention of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 USC 1341, or any other law or regulation. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views nor the official positions or approval of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Recovery plans represent the official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been signed as approved by the Regional Director or Director. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species status, and the completion of recovery actions. Please check for updates or revisions at the website addresses provided below before using this plan. Literature citation of this document should read as follows: U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Rockets for Education 5 June 2019
    Rockets for education 5 June 2019 Technology, Poland. Several modular experiments are held in the circular containers imaged here. Called Hedgehog, the experiment tested patented instruments for measuring acceleration, vibration and heat flow during launch. The team hopes to refine the tools for use on ground-based qualification tests that all payloads must pass before launch. At launch, Rexus produces a peak vertical acceleration of around 17 times the force of gravity. Once the rocket motors shut off, the experiments enter freefall. On the downward arc parachutes deploy, lowering the experiments to the ground for transport back to the launch site by helicopter as quickly as possible. Credit: European Space Agency A service module sends data and receives commands from the ground to keep everything on course while sending videos and data to ground Why rockets are so captivating is not exactly rocket stations. science. Watching a chunk of metal defy the forces of gravity satisfies many a human's wish to soar ESA has used sounding rockets for over 30 years through the air and into space. to investigate phenomena under microgravity from the state-of-the-art facilities are available at Today there are countless rockets to satisfy the Esrange. The laboratories include microscopes, itch, and they are not all big launchers delivering centrifuges and incubators so investigators can heavy satellites into space, like Europe's Ariane 5 prepare and analyse their experiments around and the upcoming Ariane 6. flight. Sounding rockets, like this Rexus (Rocket Coordinated by ESA Education, the Rexus/Bexus Experiments for University Students) being programme launches two sounding rockets a year assembled at the ZARM facilities in Bremen, and provides an experimental near-space platform Germany, are launched regularly in the name of for students who can work on different research science from the Esrange Space Center in areas from atmospheric research and fluid physics, northern Sweden.
    [Show full text]
  • ANSAMBL ( [email protected] ) Umelec
    ANSAMBL (http://ansambl1.szm.sk; [email protected] ) Umelec Názov veľkosť v MB Kód Por.č. BETTER THAN EZRA Greatest Hits (2005) 42 OGG 841 CURTIS MAYFIELD Move On Up_The Gentleman Of Soul (2005) 32 OGG 841 DISHWALLA Dishwalla (2005) 32 OGG 841 K YOUNG Learn How To Love (2005) 36 WMA 841 VARIOUS ARTISTS Dance Charts 3 (2005) 38 OGG 841 VARIOUS ARTISTS Das Beste Aus 25 Jahren Popmusik (2CD 2005) 121 VBR 841 VARIOUS ARTISTS For DJs Only 2005 (2CD 2005) 178 CBR 841 VARIOUS ARTISTS Grammy Nominees 2005 (2005) 38 WMA 841 VARIOUS ARTISTS Playboy - The Mansion (2005) 74 CBR 841 VANILLA NINJA Blue Tattoo (2005) 76 VBR 841 WILL PRESTON It's My Will (2005) 29 OGG 841 BECK Guero (2005) 36 OGG 840 FELIX DA HOUSECAT Ft Devin Drazzle-The Neon Fever (2005) 46 CBR 840 LIFEHOUSE Lifehouse (2005) 31 OGG 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS 80s Collection Vol. 3 (2005) 36 OGG 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS Ice Princess OST (2005) 57 VBR 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS Lollihits_Fruhlings Spass! (2005) 45 OGG 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS Nordkraft OST (2005) 94 VBR 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS Play House Vol. 8 (2CD 2005) 186 VBR 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS RTL2 Pres. Party Power Charts Vol.1 (2CD 2005) 163 VBR 840 VARIOUS ARTISTS Essential R&B Spring 2005 (2CD 2005) 158 VBR 839 VARIOUS ARTISTS Remixland 2005 (2CD 2005) 205 CBR 839 VARIOUS ARTISTS RTL2 Praesentiert X-Trance Vol.1 (2CD 2005) 189 VBR 839 VARIOUS ARTISTS Trance 2005 Vol. 2 (2CD 2005) 159 VBR 839 HAGGARD Eppur Si Muove (2004) 46 CBR 838 MOONSORROW Kivenkantaja (2003) 74 CBR 838 OST John Ottman - Hide And Seek (2005) 23 OGG 838 TEMNOJAR Echo of Hyperborea (2003) 29 CBR 838 THE BRAVERY The Bravery (2005) 45 VBR 838 THRUDVANGAR Ahnenthron (2004) 62 VBR 838 VARIOUS ARTISTS 70's-80's Dance Collection (2005) 49 OGG 838 VARIOUS ARTISTS Future Trance Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Development and Launch of the World's First Orbital Propellant Tanker
    SSC21-S1-12 Development and Launch of the World’s First Orbital Propellant Tanker James Bultitude, Zach Burkhardt, Maya Harris, Mark Jelderda, Srinivasan A Suresh, Logan Fettes, Daniel Faber, Jeremy Schiel, James Cho, David Levitt Orbit Fab, Inc 274 Shotwell St, San Francisco, CA; +1 (310) 415-9886 [email protected] Devin Kees Nimble Aerospace 835 Rose Ave, Pleasanton, CA Sergio Gallucci SCOUT Inc 5904 Mount Eagle Drive #102, Alexandria VA 22303 ABSTRACT This paper describes the development of Orbit Fab’s Tanker-001 Tenzing mission, the world’s first orbital propellant tanker. The development of a robust orbital propellant supply chain is critical to accelerating the growth of government and commercial space activities. The widespread availability of spacecraft refueling has the potential to provide a number of revolutionary benefits. High-value space assets could have their operational lives extended, as they would no longer be constrained by the amount of propellant stored onboard for maneuvering. On-orbit servicing missions would become more efficient, as servicing vehicles could be refueled and repeatedly used. A large orbital propellant supply would also enable new mission and business models based on operational flexibility and frequent maneuvering. These benefits would be particularly impactful on small satellites, where the ability to refuel could overcome the operational constraints of having smaller propellant tanks. This will greatly expand the market for small spacecraft as it increases their range of missions and capabilities. Launching no earlier than June 24, 2021, Tenzing is a 35 kg small satellite with an Astro Digital bus carrying a supply of storable propellant, high test peroxide (HTP).
    [Show full text]
  • The New American Space Age: a Progress Report on Human Spaceflight the New American Space Age: a Progress Report on Human Spaceflight the International Space
    The New American Space Age: A PROGRESS REPORT ON HUMAN SpaCEFLIGHT The New American Space Age: A Progress Report on Human Spaceflight The International Space Station: the largest international scientific and engineering achievement in human history. The New American Space Age: A Progress Report on Human Spaceflight Lately, it seems the public cannot get enough of space! The recent hit movie “Gravity” not only won 7 Academy Awards – it was a runaway box office success, no doubt inspiring young future scientists, engineers and mathematicians just as “2001: A Space Odyssey” did more than 40 years ago. “Cosmos,” a PBS series on the origins of the universe from the 1980s, has been updated to include the latest discoveries – and funded by a major television network in primetime. And let’s not forget the terrific online videos of science experiments from former International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield that were viewed by millions of people online. Clearly, the American public is eager to carry the torch of space exploration again. Thankfully, NASA and the space industry are building a host of new vehicles that will do just that. American industry is hard at work developing new commercial transportation services to suborbital altitudes and even low Earth orbit. NASA and the space industry are also building vehicles to take astronauts beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since the Apollo program. Meanwhile, in the U.S. National Lab on the space station, unprecedented research in zero-g is paving the way for Earth breakthroughs in genetics, gerontology, new vaccines and much more.
    [Show full text]
  • Famiglia – Lounge Seating Design – Pearsonlloyd C.O.M
    Soft Seating Famiglia – Lounge Seating Design – PearsonLloyd C.O.M. C.O.L. Fabric Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 A B The Famiglia seating family includes a collection of low, mid, high back and lounge FMG403 chairs that between them offers a choice of • Lounge chair 3,179 3,236 3,301 3,382 3,465 3,546 3,627 3,791 4,117 4,442 4,768 3,807 4,321 • Wood frame metal or wooden legs and 5-star bases. These are complemented by a range of light work 3.75 yds 82.5 sq ft. tables for informal or formal settings. FMG405 • Lounge chair 2,999 3,056 3,121 3,202 3,285 3,366 3,447 3 ,611 3,937 4,262 4,588 3,627 4,141 • 4-star swivel base 3.75 yds 82.5 sq ft. FMG408 standard & optional features • Lounge chair 2,899 2,956 3,021 3,102 3,185 3,266 3,347 3 ,511 3,837 4,162 4,488 3,527 4,041 • Wire frame l Standard feature o Not available FMG403 FMG405 FMG408 FMGFS 3.75 yds 82.5 sq ft. Lounge Chair Lounge Chair 4- Lounge Chair Footstool Wood Frame Star Swivel Base Wire Frame FMGFS Weight 39Ibs 41Ibs 39Ibs 13Ibs • Footstool 653 682 715 755 795 837 877 959 1,121 1,285 1,447 955 1,146 Molded foam construction l l l l Fully upholstered l l l l 1.75 yds 38.5 sq ft Solid ash frame with a clear finish l o o o A, B = Leather All prices listed in US $ 4-star steel swivel blade base finished in Slate Gray powder coat o l o o COM = Customers own Material (yds) Wire frame finished in Polished Chrome o o l o COL = Customers own Leather (sq ft.) Plastic glides l l l o Optional features: Solid ash frame can be stained or color washed + $60 – – – Wire frame available in Slate
    [Show full text]
  • The Contact Binary V344 Lacertae: Is It a Triple System?
    The contact binary V344 Lacertae: Is it a triple system? Liu Liang1;2;3;4, Qian Shengbang1;2;3;4, Li Kai5, He Jiajia1;2;3, Li Linjia1;2;3, Zhao Ergang1;2;3 and Li Xuzhi1;2;3;4 Received ; accepted Not to appear in Nonlearned J., 45. 1Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 396 Yangfangwang, Guandu Dis- trict, Kunming, 650216, P. R. China (e-mail: [email protected]) 2Key Laboratory for the Structure and Evolution of Celestial Objects, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 396 Yangfangwang, Guandu District, Kunming, 650216, P. R. China arXiv:2006.16475v1 [astro-ph.SR] 30 Jun 2020 3Center for Astronomical Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100012, P. R. China 4University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road 19#, Sijingshang Block, 100049 Beijing, China 5Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Envi- ronment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China { 2 { ABSTRACT The V RI passbands light curves of V344 Lac were presented and analyzed by using the latest version of the W-D code. The observed spectrum reveals that V344 Lac is not an A3 type but would be a later F type star according to the yielded temperature. The results of solution show that V344 Lac is an A- subtype contact binary, with a mediate photometric mass ratio of 0:387 ± 0:003 and a mediate contact factor of 44:6 ± 3:0%. Based on the parallax given by Gaia, the parameters of the components are estimated as: M1 = 1:16 M , M2 = 0:45 M , R1 = 1:31 R , R2 = 0:88 R , L1 = 2:512 L , L2 = 1:057 L .
    [Show full text]
  • Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (SPCE) Putting the Zero in Zero-G
    June 2021 Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (SPCE) Putting the Zero in Zero-G We are short shares of Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc., often described as the only publicly traded space-tourism company. After going public in October 2019 by way of a merger with a “blank check” company, Virgin Galactic has seen its share price and trading volume soar. It’s become a retail darling, with day traders captivated by images of billionaires donning space suits, blasting off from launchpads, and looking down on the blue marble of Earth. But Virgin Galactic’s $250,000+ commercial “spaceflights” – if they ever actually happen, after some 17 years of delays and disasters – will offer only the palest imitations of these experiences. In lieu of pressurized space suits with helmets – unnecessary since so little time will be spent in the upper atmosphere – the company commissioned Under Armour to provide “high-tech pajamas.” In lieu of vertical takeoff, Virgin’s “spaceship” must cling to the underside of a specialized airplane for the first 45,000 feet up, because its rocket motor is too weak to push through the lower atmosphere on its own. In lieu of the blue-marble vista and life in zero-g, Virgin’s so-called astronauts will at best be able to catch a glimpse of the curvature of Earth and a few minutes of weightlessness before plunging back to ground. This isn’t “tourism,” let alone Virgin’s more grandiose term, “exploration”; it’s closer to a souped- up roller coaster, like the “Drop of Doom” ride at Six Flags.
    [Show full text]
  • Developing the Space Shuttle1
    ****EU4 Chap 2 (161-192) 4/2/01 12:45 PM Page 161 Chapter Two Developing the Space Shuttle1 by Ray A. Williamson Early Concepts of a Reusable Launch Vehicle Spaceflight advocates have long dreamed of building reusable launchers because they offer relative operational simplicity and the potential of significantly reduced costs com- pared to expendable vehicles. However, they are also technologically much more difficult to achieve. German experimenters were the first to examine seriously what developing a reusable launch vehicle (RLV) might require. During the 1920s and 1930s, they argued the advantages and disadvantages of space transportation, but were far from having the technology to realize their dreams. Austrian engineer Eugen M. Sänger, for example, envi- sioned a rocket-powered bomber that would be launched from a rocket sled in Germany at a staging velocity of Mach 1.5. It would burn rocket fuel to propel it to Mach 10, then skip across the upper reaches of the atmosphere and drop a bomb on New York City. The high-flying vehicle would then continue to skip across the top of the atmosphere to land again near its takeoff point. This idea was never picked up by the German air force, but Sänger revived a civilian version of it after the war. In 1963, he proposed a two-stage vehi- cle in which a large aircraft booster would accelerate to supersonic speeds, carrying a rel- atively small RLV to high altitudes, where it would be launched into low-Earth orbit (LEO).2 Although his idea was advocated by Eurospace, the industrial consortium formed to promote the development of space activities, it was not seriously pursued until the mid- 1980s, when Dornier and other German companies began to explore the concept, only to drop it later as too expensive and technically risky.3 As Sänger’s concepts clearly illustrated, technological developments from several dif- ferent disciplines must converge to make an RLV feasible.
    [Show full text]
  • PRE-X EXPERIMENTAL RE-ENTRY LIFTING BODY: DESIGN of FLIGHT TEST EXPERIMENTS for CRITICAL AEROTHERMAL PHENOMENA Paolo Baiocco
    PRE-X EXPERIMENTAL RE-ENTRY LIFTING BODY: DESIGN OF FLIGHT TEST EXPERIMENTS FOR CRITICAL AEROTHERMAL PHENOMENA Paolo Baiocco * * CNES Direction des Lanceurs Rond Point de l’Espace – 91023 Evry Cedex, France Phone : +33 (0)1.60.87.72.14 Fax : +33 (0)1.60.87.72.66 E-mail : [email protected] ABSTRACT Atmospheric glided re-entry is one of the main key technologies for future space vehicle applications. In this frame Pre-X is the CNES proposal to perform in-flight experimentation mainly on reusable thermal protections, aero-thermo-dynamics and guidance to secure the second generation of re-entry X vehicles. This paper describes the system principles and main aerothermodynamic experiences currently foreseen on board the vehicle. A preliminary in-flight experimentation and measurement plan has been assessed defining the main objectives in terms of reusable Thermal Protection System (TPS) and Aero Thermo Dynamics (ATD) data on the most critical phenomena. This flight aims also to take the opportunity to fly some innovative measurements. A complete system loop has been performed including the operations, ground system assessment, and visibility analysis. The vehicle re-entry point is at 120 km and the mission objectives are fulfilled between Mach 25 and 5. Then the vehicle has to pass to subsonic speeds, the parachute opens and it is finally recovered in the sea. The VEGA and DNEPR launch vehicles are compatible of the Pre-X experimental vehicle. ACRONYMS ACS Attitude Control System AEDB Aero Dynamic Data Base AoA Angle of Attack ARD Atmospheric Re-entry Demonstrator ATD Aero Termo Dynamics ATDB Aero Termodynamic Data Base CDG Centre of Gravity CFA Continuum Flow Aerodynamics CFD Computational Fluid Dynamics CMC Ceramic Matrix Composite C/SiC Carbon / Silicon Carbide FCS Flight Control System FEI Flexible External Insulation GNC Guidance Navigation and Control LTT Laminar to Turbulent Transition LV Launch Vehicle RCS Reaction Control System SEL Electrical System Baiocco, P.
    [Show full text]
  • Lift and Drag Characteristics of the HL-10 Lifting Body During Subsonic
    NASA TECHNICAL NOTE NASA TN D-6263 - _-­ e,.i KIRTLAkD AFB,N.M, LIFT AND DRAG CHARACTERISTICS . OF THE HL-IO LIFTING BODY DURING SUBSONIC GLIDING FLIGHT b . .. by Jon S. Pyle h Flight Research Center Edwards, Cali$ 93523 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, 0. C. MARCH 1971 TECH LIBRARY KAFB, NM I111111 11111 11111 11111 /Ill/lllll1111111111111 0333074 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. NASA TN D-6263 I 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date LIFT AND DRAG CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HL-10 LIFTING BODY March 1973­ DURING SUBSONIC GLIDING FLIGHT 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Jon S. Pyle H-608 10. Work Unit No. 727-00-00-01-24 ?- 9. Performing Organization Name and Address NASA Flight Research Center 11. Contract or Grant No. P. 0. Box 273 Edwards, California 93523 d 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 112. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Technical Note National Aeronautics and Space Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, D. C. 20546 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract Subsonic lift and drag data obtained during the HL-10 lifting body glide flight program are presented for four configurations for angles of attack from 5" to 26" and Mach numbers from 0.35 to 0. 62. These flight data, where applicable, are compared with results from small-scale wind-tunnel tests of an HL-10 model, full-scale wind-tunnel results obtained with the flight vehicle, and flight results for the M2-F2 lifting body. The lift and drag characteristics obtained from the HL-10 flight results showed that a severe flow problem existed on the upper surface of the vehicle during the first flight test.
    [Show full text]