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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Combined Structural and Trajectory Control of Variable-Geometry Planetary Entry Systems

Some of the key challenges of planetary entry are to dissipate the large kinetic energy of the entry vehicle and to land with precision. Past missions to Mars were based on unguided entry, where entry vehicles carried payloads of less than 0.6 T and landed within 100 km of the designated target. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is expected to carry a mass of almost 1 T to within 20 km of the target site. Guided lifting entry is needed to meet these higher deceleration and targeting demands. If the aerodynamic characteristics of the decelerator are variable during flight, more trajectory options are possible, and can be tailored to specific mission requirements. In addition to the entry trajectory modulation, having variable aerodynamic properties will also favor maneuvering of the vehicle prior to descent. For proper supersonic parachute deployment, the vehicle needs to turn to a lower angle of attack. One approach to entry trajectory improvement and angle of attack control is to embed a variable geometry decelerator in the design of the vehicle. Variation in geometry enables the vehicle to adjust its aerodynamic performance continuously without additional fuel cost because only electric power is needed for actuating the mechanisms that control the shape change. Novel structural and control concepts have been developed that enable the decelerator to undergo variation in geometry. Changing the aerodynamic characteristics of a flight vehicle by active means can potentially provide a mechanically simple, affordable, and enabling solution for entry, descent, and landing across a wide range of mission types, sample capture and return, and reentry to Earth, Titan, Venus, or Mars. Unguided ballistic entry is not sufficient to meet this more stringent deceleration, heating, and targeting demands. Two structural concepts for implementing the cone angle variation, a segmented shell, and a corrugated shell, have been presented.

Quadrelli, Marco B.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Variable Geometry Aircraft Wing Supported by Struts And/Or Trusses

The present invention provides an aircraft having variable airframe geometry for accommodating efficient flight. The aircraft includes an elongated fuselage, an oblique wing pivotally connected with said fuselage, a wing pivoting mechanism connected with said oblique wing and said fuselage, and a brace operably connected between said oblique wing and said fuselage. The present invention also provides an aircraft having an elongated fuselage, an oblique wing pivotally connected with said fuselage, a wing pivoting mechanism connected with said oblique wing and said fuselage, a propulsion system pivotally connected with said oblique wing, and a brace operably connected between said propulsion system and said fuselage.

Melton, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Estimated Benefits of Variable-Geometry Wing Camber Control for Transport Aircraft

Analytical benefits of variable-camber capability on subsonic transport aircraft are explored. Using aerodynamic performance models, including drag as a function of deflection angle for control surfaces of interest, optimal performance benefits of variable camber are calculated. Results demonstrate that if all wing trailing-edge surfaces are available for optimization, drag can be significantly reduced at most points within the flight envelope. The optimization approach developed and illustrated for flight uses variable camber for optimization of aerodynamic efficiency (maximizing the lift-to-drag ratio). Most transport aircraft have significant latent capability in this area. Wing camber control that can affect performance optimization for transport aircraft includes symmetric use of ailerons and flaps. In this paper, drag characteristics for aileron and flap deflections are computed based on analytical and wind-tunnel data. All calculations based on predictions for the subject aircraft and the optimal surface deflection are obtained by simple interpolation for given conditions. An algorithm is also presented for computation of optimal surface deflection for given conditions. Benefits of variable camber for a transport configuration using a simple trailing-edge control surface system can approach more than 10 percent, especially for nonstandard flight conditions. In the cruise regime, the benefit is 1-3 percent.

Bolonkin, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS1974

Estimation of nonlinear aerodynamic derivatives of a variable geometry fighter aircraft from flight data

This paper is concerned with the estimation of stability and control parameters of a high performance fighter aircraft from data obtained from high angle of attack flight. The estimation process utilizes a maximum likelihood algorithm derived for the case of a nonlinear aerodynamic force and moment model. The aircraft used was a high speed variable sweep heavy weight fighter with twin vertical tails. Comparisons of results from the nonlinear analysis are made with linear theory and wind tunnel results when available.

Ramachandran, S.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Variable geometry aft-fan for takeoff quieting or thrust augmentation of a turbojet engine

A concept is presented that combines the low-noise and high-thrust characteristics of a turbofan at takeoff, together with its high efficiency at subsonic flight speeds, with the high efficiency of a turbojet at supersonic cruise. It consists of a free turbine with tip fan mounted behind the turbine of a conventional turbojet engine. Fan air is supplied from blow-in doors or is ducted from the main engine inlet. At high flight speeds where fan augmentation is not desirable, the fan inlet is closed and the free turbine is stopped by adjustment of its variable-camber stators. Estimates of noise, cycle performance, and example configurations are presented for a typical supersonic transport application.

Weber, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Variable geometry for supersonic mixed-compression inlets

Study of two-dimensional and axisymmetric supersonic mixed-compression inlet systems has shown that the geometry of both systems can be varied to provide adequate transonic airflow to satisfy the airflow demand of most jet engines. Collapsing geometry systems for both types of inlet systems provide a generous amount of transonic airflow for any design Mach number inlet system. However, the mechanical practicality of collapsing centerbodies for axisymmetric inlet systems is doubtful. Therefore, translating centerbody axisymmetric inlets with auxiliary airflow systems to augment the transonic airflow capability are an attractive alternative. Estimates show that the capture mass-flow ratio at Mach number 1.0 can be increased approximately 0.20 for a very short axisymmetric inlet system designed for Mach number 2.37. With this increase in mass-flow ratio, even variable-cycle engine transonic airflow demand can be matched without oversizing the inlet at the design Mach number.

Sorensen, N. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Inlet spillage drag tests and numerical flow-field analysis at subsonic and transonic speeds of a 1/8-scale, two-dimensional, external-compression, variable-geometry, supersonic inlet configuration

Accurate spillage drag and pressure data are presented for a realistic supersonic inlet configuration. Results are compared with predictions from a finite-differencing, inviscid analysis computer procedure. The analytical technique shows good promise for the evaluation of inlet drag, but necessary refinements were identified. A detailed description of the analytical procedure is contained in the Appendix.

Hawkins, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of a 16-percent-thick variable-geometry airfoil designed for general aviation applications

Tests were conducted in the Langley low-turbulence pressure tunnel to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of climb, cruise, and landing configurations. These tests were conducted over a Mach number range from 0.10 to 0.35, a chord Reynolds number range from 2.0 x 1 million to 20.0 x 1 million, and an angle-of-attack range from -8 deg to 20 deg. Results show that the maximum section lift coefficients increased in the Reynolds number range from 2.0 x 1 million to 9.0 x 1 million and reached values of approximately 2.1, 1.8, and 1.5 for the landing, climb, and cruise configurations, respectively. Stall characteristics, although of the trailing-edge type, were abrupt. The section lift-drag ratio of the climb configuration with fixed transition near the leading edge was about 78 at a lift coefficient of 0.9, a Mach number of 0.15, and a Reynolds number of 4.0 x 1 million. Design lift coefficients of 0.9 and 0.4 for the climb and cruise configurations were obtained at the same angle of attack, about 6 deg, as intended. Good agreement was obtained between experimental results and the predictions of a viscous, attached-flow theoretical method.

Barnwell, R. W.↗