Using the scramjet engine as the prime example of a hypersonic airbreathing concept, this paper reviews the history of and addresses the need for hypersonic flight tests. It also describes how such tests can contribute to the development of airbreathing technology. Aspects of captive-carry and free-flight concepts are compared. An incremental flight envelope expansion technique for manned flight vehicles is also described. Such critical issues as required instrumentation technology and proper scaling of experimental devices are addressed. Lastly, examples of international flight test approaches, existing programs, or concepts currently under study, development, or both, are given.
Flight testing of airbreathing hypersonic vehicles
Space Course 1993 ; 1993 ; Munich, Germany
1993-10-01
Conference paper
No indication
English
Flight Testing of Airbreathing Hypersonic Vehicles
NTIS | 1993
|Hypersonic Airbreathing Vehicles/Technologies
NTRS | 1996
|