Current and Near-Term RLV/Hypersonic Vehicle Programs Peter J. Erbland AFRL Air Vehicles Directorate 2130 8th St, Rm 290 WPAFB, OH 45433 USA Email:
[email protected] SUMMARY This lecture provides a comprehensive review of current and near-term national and international programs aimed at developing hypersonic flight demonstration vehicles. The paper first explores the motivation for hypersonic vehicle development and potential military and civilian applications for such systems. This provides a proper framework for the discussion of various demonstration programs, which are organized according to national affiliation. Programs in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia are reviewed in detail and those in Japan are summarized. Where possible, context for current programs is provided through a historical perspective of recent national activities and initiatives. For each program, information is provided on the background, overall goal, key program objectives or success criteria, vehicle concept and configuration, concept of operations and/or flight test approach, critical technical challenges, key demonstrations for the flight program, development schedule/milestones and participants and their roles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. INTRODUCTION This lecture presents a survey of current and near term hypersonic vehicle demonstration programs. An effort has been made to capture most of the major national and international programs currently underway. The goal of this paper is to provide a motivation for, and context within which, technology development needs can be discussed. Many of the other lectures in this series will then focus on those individual technologies. For the purposes of this discussion, programs will be divided into two general categories, those most closely related to development of Reusable Launch / Reentry capabilities, and those more directly supporting Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion.