Prediction of high-speed aerodynamic characteristics using the Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System (APAS)
An exercise was performed which illustrates the prediction of high-speed aerodynamic coefficients using the Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System. Two generic transatmospheric vehicle configurations are used as examples on which various inviscid and viscous estimation techniques are applied. As a means of evaluating the reliability of the Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System results, comparisons of predictions using this preliminary-level approach are compared with Shuttle-derived data, hypersonic helium tunnel data for several configurations, and computational fluid dynamics results. Overall, predictions using the Aerodynamic Preliminary Analysis System agree well with the other calculations and data.
Cruz, Christopher I.↗