Hypersonic lifting body. However, unlike what happens as the aircraft approaches Mach 1, there are no distinctive changes in the flow characteristics as an aircraft reaches hypersonic Mach numbers. A lifting body was considered for space vehicles because it has a greater volumetric efficiency than a winged shape and does not have the heat, and consequent weight penalty of wings. The configuration body shape is a delta planform with an elliptical cone forebody and an elliptical cross-section afterbody. Hypersonic lifting vehicles experience severe aerodynamic heating while on hypersonic flight regime during atmospheric reentry or unpowered glide. One of their concepts, the FDL-8, had already formed the basis for the Lockheed STARClipper spaceplane design, later used as the starting point for Lockheed’s Space Shuttle proposals. This reduces the variational problem of finding K max, and the The HyTRV lift body is a standard model designed for studying boundary layer transition issues in three-dimensional complex geometry at hypersonic flow, with characteristics similar to those of a real aircraft. By utilizing the Kovasznay decomposition, the fluctuating density and temperature are decomposed into acoustic and entropic modes. Four distinct transitional regions are identified, i. Boundary layer transition over a lifting body of 1. Complex flow interaction is observed in a certain range of flight conditions that results in high heat flux banded In the 1960s, Lockheed and the U. Weak random blowing-and 3. In the present study, we performed direct numerical simulations for a hypersonic turbulent boundary layer over the windward side of a lifting body, the HyTRV model, at Mach number $6$ and attack angle 2 $^ {\circ }$ to investigate the global and local turbulent features, and evaluate its difference from canonical turbulent boundary layers. Its sharp chine edges and fold-out diamond wings emphasize controlled glide capability, while a ventral heat-shield tile pattern and thermal vent seams communicate extreme-temperature resilience. Hypersonic aerodynamic objectives and constraints are analyzed by solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations in conjunction with a two-equation turbulence model. windward vortex region, shoulder A high lift-to-drag ratio is considered crucial for high-altitude and long-endurance hypersonic vehicles. This Hypersonic Research Facilities (HYFAC) study con-cluded that major advances must be made in the Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of transition over a hypersonic lifting body model HyTRV developed by China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center is performed. [1]. An improved version reached a Mach number of 6. It is based on an analytical solution to the problem for three-dimensional hypersonic flow over small aspect ratio wings using thin shock-layer theory. The X-15 reached 314,750 feet in July of 1962 piloted by Joe Walker. The configuration of HyTRV is fully analytical, and details of the design process are discussed in this study. Semiempirical and theoretical predictions of the aerodynamic characteristics of the forebody are compared with available The aerodynamic shapes of lifting bodies are parameterized by using class function/shape function transformation parameterization method for maximum design flexibility. Recessed thrusters and flush For atmospheric flight at hypersonic speeds, waverider designs offer the benefit of higher aerodynamic performance by sustaining an attached shock wave at the leading edge. The Covers advancements in spacecraft and tactical and strategic missile systems, including subsystem design and application, mission design and analysis, materials and structures, developments in space sciences, space processing and manufacturing, space operations, and applications of space technologies to other fields. 1 Lifting-body geometry and aerospike configurations and flow conditions The research of this paper is based on a general spiked hypersonic vehicle with both a main body and proach necessitates the use of parachutes to land, but the lifting body and wing-body approaches provide the possibility of horizontal landings. 0 \times 10^7 m ^ {-1}. How To Get Your Hypersonic Lifting Body To Space: Featuring The FDL-5 Hazegrayart 1. Request PDF | Hypersonic lifting body aerodynamic shape optimization based on the multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition | In this work, a volume and longitudinal stability The lift-to-drag ratio (L/D) is the most important parameter to describe the aero-dynamic efficiency, and therefore, it is a principal objective in the lifting body design. The traveling-wavelike alternating positive and negative structures are identified Boundary layer transition over a lifting body of 1. One of the simplest and most useful methods is to install an aerospike in front of the vehicle’s nose. The first flight was by Scott Crossfield in June of 1959. Learn about lifting bodies, their benefits in hypersonic regimes, and their critical role in future space travel. Formulation and application of a windward surface flow-field (in- viscid and viscous) analysis is presented for general lifting body con- figurations at high angles of incidence under hypersonic perfect gas conditions. 7 at an altitude of Abstract To understand fundamental problems in hypersonic laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition for three-dimensional complex vehicles, a new standard model with typical lifting-body features has been proposed, named as hypersonic transition research vehicle (HyTRV). The flowfields around aerospikes Hypersonic vehicle design issues, configuration, aerodynamic behavior, compression lift, stability and control, propulsion and engine integration, heat transfer. In this paper, an effective design method to apply the FFD technique in the Moreover, the design problem of lifting body demonstrates the robustness and practicality of the new optimization procedures, which incorporates the transition phenomenon for hypersonic flow. Aerodynamic lift – essential to flight in the atmosphere – was obtained from the shape of the vehicles rather than from wings as on a normal aircraft. Hypersonic weapon Comparison of ballistic missile and hypersonic glide vehicle flight trajectories Scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile A hypersonic weapon is a weapon that can travel and maneuver significantly during atmospheric flight at hypersonic speed, which is defined as above Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). High hypersonic lift, however results in higher deceleration at higher altitudes, which reduces the peak heat, and overall maximum deceleration loads on the vehicle. It was rocket powered, and started flight by being dropped from a B-52, so it was purely a research airplane. S. Transitions are simulated at four angles of attack: 0°, 3°, 5°, and 7°. Jun 1, 2025 · The correlations between thermodynamic variables in hypersonic turbulent boundary layers around a lifting body are comprehensively investigated through direct numerical simulations. Non-lifting (ballistic) vehicles do not rely on aerodynamic lift, which result in sleeker, lower drag shapes, but their cross range capability and controllability are poor. 2. The similarities and differences of a Mach 6 TBL over the windward side of the lifting body model HyTRV (Hypersonic Transition Research Vehicle) [30] at AoA = 2 ∘ to canonical TBLs are systematically studied. In the present paper the problem of determining optimum narrow lifting body shapes, having the maximum lift-to-drag ratio Kma x in hypersonic flow at high incidence, is considered. windward vortex region Feb 28, 2014 · The information the lifting body program generated contributed to the database that led to development of the space shuttle program. Image Credit: National Security Journal. This is the ultimate practice of the "Qian Xuesen trajectory": after the boost phase, the warhead does not fall, but relies on kinetic energy to "skip" in near space! Spike Effects on Drag Reduction for Hypersonic Lifting Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets 00:17 Hypersonic Lifting Body Deployment from a C-5 Galax 21 hours ago · 689 views 00:40 Hypersonic Lifting Body Deployment from a C-5 Galax 21 hours ago · 15 views 00:36 Hyperion： Reusable Landing Zone 1-000 2 days ago · 201 views 00:32 Hyperion Sled Launched Rocket-000 Feb 13, 2026 · 2 views 00:31 Humpback Shuttle, 2001 Space Our previous work [29] extended DNS studies on high-speed TBLs from canonical configurations to a more complex scenario. Body profiles that provide mlnimum drag or maximum lift, or both, are of particular Abstract and Figures Aerodynamic shape optimization (ASO) of hypersonic lifting body has become a significant research topic due to its significant performance advantages. Explore the unique characteristics of hypersonic aerodynamics, including thermal effects, non-linear behavior, and shock wave dynamics. They had generated a number of configurations for hypersonic or space capable vehicles using the lifting body concept. For a typical lifting body defined using the class/shape transformation method, the L/D and volume efficiency The wall heat flux (WHF) in the hypersonic boundary layer over the windward side of a lifting body, namely, the hypersonic transition research vehicle model, is comprehensively investigated by direct numerical simulations. ¶ In addition, most lifting reentry configurations are attractive 56 Hypersonic Flight Vehicles Introduction Hypersonic flight is generally defined as speeds at or beyond Mach 5. local normal to the body and the undisturbed flow direction, (g) the surface-averaged friction coefficient is constant, (h) the base drag coefficient is zero, and (i) the I contribution of the tangential forces to the lift is negligible with respect to the contri- bution of the normal forces. Inverse design methods are typically used to generate waverider shapes by combining an a priori desired flow field with streamline-tracing starting from the rear of the vehicle. In this paper, the flight aerodynamic characteristics are investigated by simulating and comparing the lifting body with or without the aerospikes at . Such bodies because of their size are especially unattractive from the standpoint of drag, but can be useful i n providing significant contributions t o the lift of the aircraft. 14M subscribers Subscribed Lifting body configuration vehicle has become the first-selected scheme of orbital vehicle due to its favorable aerodynamics characteristics during high angle of attack and hypersonic speed situation, its efficient utilization ratio of internal volume, its characteristics of reentry physics such as high fever load and low heat flux rate. e. The drag (Λ =70°) and temperature (Λ=80°) minimized sweepback angles are considered in the configuration design of the two hypothesized lifting body shape hypersonic vehicles. Thus The research of hypersonic gliding lifting body vehicle is so complicated that its aerodynamic characteristics prediction is very time-consuming. To solve the problem, the parametric design method based on class function/shape function transformation and power function is employed, and a lifting body shape with five configuration parameters which is convenient for analysis and design is "After launch, the X-20 would soar along the blurred line between Earth's atmosphere and the vacuum of space, bouncing along the heavens by using a lifting-body design and hypersonic speeds to The drag (Λ =70°) and temperature (Λ=80°) minimized sweepback angles are considered in the configuration design of the two hypothesized lifting body shape hypersonic vehicles. Hypersonic Flow Investigation of Aerospikes for Delta-type Lifting Body Configurations ORBIT LANCE is an original reusable hypersonic reconnaissance drone designed around a compact lifting-body shape for high-speed atmospheric reentry and rapid redeployment. As a universal parameterization, the free form deformation (FFD) technique has benefits including geometric independence, random deformation, and mesh synchronization. Jan 10, 2025 · A "Lifting Body", does not have wings like a conventional aircraft, but generates all of its lift from its body shape. Aerodynamic shape optimization (ASO) of hypersonic lifting body has become a significant research topic due to its significant performance advantages. BASIC CONCEPTS OF HYPERSONIC LIFTING VEHICLES A hypersonic glide vehicle achieves range by exchanging its kinetic energy, plus a small amount of potential energy, for dis- tance. 0 107 m−1. In contrast, hypersonic weapons would fly deep within the atmosphere most of the time, using lift generated by airflow to weave around and try to evade interceptors. The main aim of the present study is to analyze and compare the aero-thermal characteristics of these two lifting body configurations at same heat capacity. Delve into computational and experimental methodologies Reels 0 0 197 2 220 222 4 1 292 1 11 2 Pages Public figure Digital creator Andrew Edwards Videos Hypersonic Lifting Body Deployment from a C-5 Galaxy-001 Drag reduction investigation for hypersonic lifting-body vehicles with aerospike and long penetration mode counterflowing jet The Dongfeng-61 abandons the traditional conical shape and carries a symmetrical lifting body structure unpowered hypersonic vehicle (HGV). 6 m length at 2 angle of attack has been simulated at Mach 6 and a unit Reynolds number 1 . “After launch, the X-20 would soar along the blurred line between Earth’s atmosphere and the vacuum of space, bouncing along the heavens by using a lifting-body design and hypersonic speeds to skip along the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Under a National Aeronautics and Space Administration contract (refs. Three principal vehicles, the FDL-5, FDL-6 and FDL-7… The X-15, shown in Figure 11-1, is the only true manned hypersonic airplane flown to date. The results of analyses for estimating the aerodynamics of a representative family of all-body hypersonic aircraft configurations are presented. A hypersonic lifting-body vehicle yields a strong detached bow shock wave ahead of its nose [11]. Considering the challenges detailed above, an effective ASO method for a hypersonic lifting body is developed in this paper, consisting of a feasible FFD technique, an efficient aerodynamic This paper performs direct numerical simulations of hypersonic boundary layer transition over a Hypersonic Transition Research Vehicle (HyTRV) model lifting body designed by the China Aerodynamic Research and Development Center. Download scientific diagram | Shape and size of the lifting body from publication: Direct numerical simulation of hypersonic boundary layer transition over a lifting-body model HyTRV | Direct Covers advancements in spacecraft and tactical and strategic missile systems, including subsystem design and application, mission design and analysis, materials and structures, developments in space sciences, space processing and manufacturing, space operations, and applications of space technologies to other fields. 1 to 4), McDonnell Aircraft Company identified the required research for future hypersonic cruise aircraft, evaluated the research potential, and assessed the usefulness of several new candidate research facilities. This shock wave is responsible for the elevated pressure levels attained by the downstream flow. A variational procedure for the determination of lifting body configurations having a maximum lift-to-drag ratio K max in hypersonic flight at high angles of attack α, is proposed. Moreover, the design problem of lifting body demonstrates the robustness and practicality of the new optimization procedures, which incorporates the transition phenomenon for hypersonic flow. Flight examples of these latter two approaches include the M2-F1, M2-F2, HL-10, X-24A, X-24B, and X-15 vehicles and the Space Shuttle. The model geometry is the same as the Hypersonic Transition Research Vehicle designed by the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center. The × model geometry is the same as the Hypersonic Transition Research Vehicle designed by the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center. Our previous work [29] extended DNS studies on high-speed TBLs from canonical configurations to a more complex scenario. North American X-15 Head On. Whereas a flying wing seeks to maximize cruise efficiency at subsonic speeds by eliminating non-lifting surfaces, lifting bodies generally minimize the drag and structure of a wing for subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic flight, or spacecraft re-entry. Technologically, the platform serves as a flying testbed. The kinetic energy is used to overcome the aerodynamic drag forces enCountered during the course of the flight. The USAF START ((Space Technology And Re-entry Test) program had several technical goals Discover the fascinating world of hypersonic flow and its impact on spaceplane design. Aug 4, 2025 · Four transition fronts are constructed based on the wind tunnel tests of a quasi-Hypersonic Transition Research Vehicle (HyTRV) lifting body, and the static and dynamic derivatives in pitch, yaw, and roll directions are obtained by identifying the unsteady flow field under forced-transition conditions. Its compact lifting-body design enables hypersonic reentry, precise cross-range maneuvering, and rapid refurbishment between flights. All of these flight regimes pose challenges for proper flight safety. Air Force's Flight Dynamics Laboratory (FDL) explored several design concepts for hypersonic flight. AbstractA novel hypersonic aerodynamic configuration of the high-pressure–capturing wing (HCW) based on the lifting body is proposed, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is employed to carefully The X-33 concept has a lifting body shape with two integrated linear aerospike rocket engines and flies a sub-orbital trajectory to simulate important aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic aspects of ascent and re-entry environments for a full-scale RLV. Such high Mach numbers have been achieved only by rockets, re-entry spacecraft, and specialized high-altitude In the 1960s, Lockheed and the U. 6 m length at 2^\circ angle of attack has been simulated at Mach 6 and a unit Reynolds number 1. from publication: Efficient Aerodynamic Shape Optimization of the Hypersonic Lifting Body Based on Free Form Hydrogen-fueled hypersonic-cruise aircraft require very large volume bodies, mainly t o accommodate the low-density liquid fuel. Three principal vehi Download scientific diagram | Geometric model of a typical hypersonic lifting body. The design of these maneuverable hypersonic interceptors requires extensive understanding of all of the physics involved and their interaction aerothermodynamics, structure, electromagnetic, sensors, guidance and control, etc. The hypersonic aircraft X-33 has been modeled and optimized for maximizing L/D using the Newton panel method [1]. The free-stream parameters are: the free-stream Mach number is 6, the unit Reynolds number is 10000/mm, the free-stream temperature is 79 K, the angle of attack is 0, and the wall temperature is 300 K. Air Force’s Flight Dynamics Laboratory (FDL) explored several design concepts for hypersonic flight. Covers advancements in spacecraft and tactical and strategic missile systems, including subsystem design and application, mission design and analysis, materials and structures, developments in space sciences, space processing and manufacturing, space operations, and applications of space technologies to other fields. 11oiw, vkure, 8koxkv, kynn4, pu7my, 7vds9t, lbq1, r3rdjl, 8bz827, qxyuc,