Predicting the performance of a hypersonic aerospacecraft such as the National AeroSpace Plane (NASP) is difficult because of current technological limitations. Wind tunnels to run high Mach flights to get data on airflow, roll rate, and shock structures are not available. Numerical simulation based on the finite element solution technique offers a viable, rapid and accurate approach for predicting flight characteristics needed for design, for interpreting flight test results, and for ensuring safety during flight envelope expansion. Such flight characteristics are highly nonlinear and complex due to inherent interactions of several constituent disciplines such as structures, heat transfer, materials, fluid dynamics, controls, propulsion, and others. Further, the relevant analysis requires extensive supercomputing effort. Consequently, several essential disciplines as well as efficient solution techniques will be incorporated in an integrated vehicle flight simulation system. Phase I activities will focus on developing methodologies for nonlinear heat transfer simulation capabilities. The development of a complete heat transfer analysis system as well as efficient algorithms for capturing shocks, separated flows and vortices in hypersonic flows, and adaptive and automatic mesh generation techniques will be addressed in Phase II.An integrated numerical simulation system can be used to solve a wide spectrum of problems in almost all branches of engineering including aerospace, civil, mechanical, electrical, automotive, petrochemical, bio-medical, and space engineering.FEM, heat transfer, CFD, flight characteristics, aerospacecraft simulationSTATUS: Phase I Only
