A Changeable Aerodynamic Configuration of RLV

Paper number

IAC-08.D2.10.5

Author

Dr. Li Yuejun, Beijing Research Institude, Sichuan Academy of Aerospace Technology, CASC, China

Year

2008

Abstract

In the reentry phase, the reused launch vehicle(RLV) not only needs to endure severe aero-heating, but also has to have the ability of lateral maneuvering, approach and landing. It is a challenge for aerodynamic configuration design to harmonize between these two facets. In view of thermal protect system(TPS), the nose and the leading edge should be blunt, while such configuration is not good for aerodynamic performance, especially for lift to drag ratio, which is an important factor for a lateral maneuvering or landing RLV. However, in order to obtain good aerodynamic performance, the RLV should have slim forebody and sharp leading edge, which leads to difficulty for TPS design. How to harmonize aerodynamic performance and TPS design, which are two key factors contradictory to each other but necessary for both, is one of the most important issues for RLV configuration design. 

   A changeable aerodynamic configuration is considered in this paper to obtain good thermal protection performance and aerodynamic performance.

   The main idea of this changeable configuration is that different configurations are applied for different Mach ranges of the whole reentry course, i.e., configuration at higher-Mach stage focuses on thermal protection performance and configuration in lower-Mach stage focuses on aerodynamic performance. A simple change is made during the flight by adding a couple of stretchable wings to lifting body. At higher-Mach reentry stage and upward trajectory, RLV is a pure lifting body with blunt nose and leading edge which lead to good thermal protection performance. At lower-Mach reentry stage, a couple of wings are added by stretching out from the lifting body to obtain good performance of lateral maneuvering, approach and landing.

   The RLV will benefit from this new configuration design method in two aspects. First, Lager bluntness of the nose and leading edge leads to less heat flux, so that the  demand for refractory material is reduced. On the other hand, stretchable wings can bring satisfied performances of lateral maneuvering, approach and landing, even if the nose and leading edge are blunter than thosr of ordinary configurations.

   CFD was used in this paper to study aerodynamic performance of this configura-tion? and the thermal protection performance was considered as well. Data results were given to show the advantages of this configuration. Difficulties and challenges were also discussed.


Key words: RLV; changeable aerodynamic configuration; thermal protection; CFD

Abstract document

IAC-08.D2.10.5.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.D2.10.5.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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