The Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HYFLEX) vehicle successfully performed a hypersonic lifting flight. The vehicle was developed to establish the basic technologies necessary for an unmanned shuttle vehicle. In this report, the primary aerodynamic characteristics derived from analysis of the flight data are presented. They are aerodynamic force coefficients, longitudinal trim characteristics, stability and control derivatives, elevon hunge moment coefficient, and surface pressure distribution. The flight results are compared with the preflight predictions based on wind tunnel tests and CFD calculations. The purpose of the comparison is to evaluate the validiy of the prediction methods including the development of aerodynamic uncertainties in the vehicle design process. The flight results agreed well with the predictions. This shows that the prediction methods are generally valid for the design of a lifting reentry vehicle with a high angle of attack. On the other hand, some differences between the flight results and the predictions were found in axial force coefficient, elevon trim deflection, and RCS gas-jet interaction. The causes of these are also discussed in this report.
Aerodynamic Characteristics of Hypersonic Flight Experiment (HYFLEX) Vehicle
1997
104 pages
Report
No indication
English
Aerodynamics , Spacecraft Trajectories & Flight Mechanics , Unmanned Spacecraft , Hypersonic flight , Aerodynamic configurations , Computational fluid dynamics , Wind tunnel tests , Aerospace planes , Reentry vehicles , Lifting bodies , Flight simulation , Flight characteristics , Aerodynamic forces , Angle of attack , Trim(Aerodynamics) , Surface pressure , Control , Stability , Elevons , Flight mechanics , Foreign technology , HYFLEX(Hypersonic Flight Experiment)
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