Basic research and technologies for two-stage-to-orbit vehicles : final report of the Collaborative Research Centres 253, 255 and 259

Focusing on basic aspects of future reusable space transportation systems and covering overall design, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, flight dynamics, propulsion, materials, and structures, this report presents some of the most recent results obtained in these disciplines. The authors are members of three Collaborative Research Centers in Aachen, Munich and Stuttgart concerned with hypersonic vehicles. A major part of the research presented here deals with experimental and numerical aerodynamic topics ranging from low speed to hypersonic flow past the external configuration and through inlet an.
Content: Cover --
Contents --
1 Introduction --
2 Network Organization of Collaborative Research Centres for Scientific Efficiency Enhancement --
2.1 Introduction --
2.2 Organization of Collaboration --
2.3 Efficiency Enhancement in Research --
2.4 Efficiency Enhancement in Teaching and Education --
2.5 Internationalization --
2.6 Final Remarks --
3 Overall Design Aspects --
3.1 Conceptual Design of Winged Reusable Two-Stage-to-Orbit Space Transport Systems --
3.1.1 Background and Introduction --
3.1.2 Concepts for Reusable Space Transports --
3.1.3 Design Procedure --
3.1.4 Variation of Mission and Mach Numbers --
3.1.5 Trade Studies --
3.1.6 Comparison and Evaluation --
3.1.7 Conclusion and Outlook --
3.2 Evaluation and Multidisciplinary Optimization of Two-Stage-to-Orbit Space Planes with Different Lower-Stage Concepts --
3.2.1 Introduction --
3.2.2 Reference Configurations --
3.2.3 Analysis Methods --
3.2.4 Performance of Reference Space Planes --
3.2.5 Optimization Results --
3.2.6 Summary and Conclusions --
4 Aerodynamics and Thermodynamics --
4.1 Low-Speed Tests with an ELAC-Model at High Reynolds Numbers --
4.1.1 Introduction --
4.1.2 Wind Tunnel Models --
4.1.3 Pressure Distributions Influenced by Reynolds Number --
4.1.4 Flow Field Influenced by Reynolds Number --
4.1.5 Force Coefficients Influenced by Reynolds Number --
4.1.6 Conclusion --
4.2 Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Supersonic Flow over the ELAC-Configuration --
4.2.1 Introduction --
4.2.2 Experimental Setup --
4.2.3 Numerical Method --
4.2.4 Results --
4.2.5 Conclusions --
4.3 Stage Separation --
Aerodynamics and Flow Physics --
4.3.1 Introduction --
4.3.2 Methodology and Vehicle Geometries --
4.3.3 Numerical Simulation --
4.3.4 Experimental Simulation --
4.3.5 Steady State Flow --
4.3.6 Unsteady Aerodynamics --
4.3.7 Detailed Two-Stage-to-Orbit Configuration --
4.3.8 Conclusions and Outlook --
4.4 DNS of Laminar-Turbulent Transition in the Low Hypersonic Regime --
4.4.1 Introduction --
4.4.2 Numerical Approach --
4.4.3 Transition on Flat Plate and Sharp Cone --
4.4.4 Transitional Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interaction at Ma=4.8 --
4.5 Numerical Simulation of High-Enthalpy Nonequilibrium Air Flows --
4.5.1 Aerothermodynamic Aspects of Re-Entry Flows --
4.5.2 Numerics and Parallelization --
4.5.3 Results --
4.6 Flow Simulation and Problems in Ground Test Facilities --
4.6.1 Introduction --
4.6.2 Validation of a Short Duration Supersonic Wind Tunnel for Natural Laminar Turbulent Transition Studies --
4.6.3 Plasma Wind Tunnels --
4.7 Characterization of High-Enthalpy Flows --
4.7.1 Intrusive Measurement Methods --
4.7.2 Non-Intrusive Techniques --
4.7.3 Flight Instrumentation (PYREX, RESPECT, PHLUX, COMPARE) --tidtid520.
Abstract: Focusing on basic aspects of future reusable space transportation systems and covering overall design, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, flight dynamics, propulsion, materials, and structures, this report presents some of the most recent results obtained in these disciplines. The authors are members of three Collaborative Research Centers in Aachen, Munich and Stuttgart concerned with hypersonic vehicles. A major part of the research presented here deals with experimental and numerical aerodynamic topics ranging from low speed to hypersonic flow past the external configuration and through inlet an