Hypersonics:

A Review of its History and Application

Richard P. Hallion

American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics

Colorado Springs, CO

25 Oct 2013

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Ma

ch

Nu

mb

er

…Speed by Function…

3.0

Plateau

PISTON FIGHTERS

PISTON AIRLINERS and

BOMBERS

ROCKET AIRCRAFT

JET FIGHTERS

JET AIRLINERS and

BOMBERS

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Ma

ch

Nu

mb

er

…A Merger of Revolutions…

3.0

AND NEXT?

…an ostensible “Plateau,” but a

revolution in capabilities…

COMPOSITES; LARGE FANJET;

T/W = 1+; DFBW; STEALTH;

SUPERCRITICAL WING; GPS;

UAV; SENSORS; C4ISR; ETC.

(JET AIRLINERS)

(JET FIGHTERS)

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

Ma

ch

Nu

mb

er

…A Merger of Revolutions…

3.0

AND NEXT?

…an ostensible “Plateau,” but a

revolution in capabilities…

COMPOSITES; LARGE FANJET;

T/W = 1+; DFBW; STEALTH;

SUPERCRITICAL WING; GPS;

UAV; SENSORS; C4ISR; ETC.

(JET AIRLINERS)

(JET FIGHTERS)

Hypersonics!

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

X-1

V-2/A-4b

Bumper-WAC

X-17

D-558-2

X-2

PRIME

BGRV

X-15

X-24B

STS-1

A-12

XB-70A

ASSET

M2F

HL-10

X-24A X-7

NASP X-33 X-43

X-24C/

NHFRF DC-X H-Soar Sänger-Bredt

Hypersonic Studies

X-20

Alpha Draco

The Confluence

of Air and Space

Missile/Space Projects

Aeronautics R & D Projects

Hypersonic Test Projects

Atlas

Titan

2010

SM-64

Mercury

Gemini

Apollo

Tsien

HSFS

ASP Ames

X-51

SPACE

AIR

R. P. HALLION, SAF/AAZ, 5/07

Over A Half-Century of Flight Test…

…A Review of Flight Research Efforts…

Designation Research Purpose Performance Propulsion

Bell XS-1 (X-1)

Bell X-1A/B/D/E

Bell X-2

Douglas X-3

Northrop X-4

Bell X-5

Convair XF-92A

Douglas D-558-1

Douglas D-558-2

Lockheed X-7

NAA X-15

Lockheed X-17

NAA XB-70A

ASSET

PRIME

BGRV

Shuttle Columbia

X-43A Hyper-X

X-51A

X-37B

Exceed Mach 1 for first time

Mach 2+ aerodynamic research

Sweptwing & airfoil research

Mach 2+ turbojet & configuration

Semi-tailless behavior

Variable-sweep wing behavior

Delta wing behavior

Transonic configuration studies

Supersonic sweptwing studies

M = 4+ aerodynamic & ramjet

Hypersonic & high alt. research

Hypersonic reentry testing

Sustained Mach 2.5+ cruise

Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics

Maneuvering; ablative studies

Maneuvering w. flaps, thrusters

Piloted Lifting Entry, 4/12-14/81

Scramjet Ignition and operation

Hydrocarbon, Therm. Bal. Scram

Routine Reusable Space Access

Mach 1.45

Mach 2.44

Mach 3.2

Mach 1.21

Mach 0.88

Mach 0.95

Mach 1.0

Mach 1.0

Mach 2.005

Mach 4.31

Mach 6.72

Mach 14.4

Mach 3.1

Mach 18.4

Mach 25.4

Mach 18.0

Orbital

Mach 9.7

Mach 5.10

Orbital

air-launch; rocket

air launch; rocket

air launch; rocket

ground takeoff; jet

ground takeoff; jet

ground takeoff; jet

ground takeoff; jet

ground takeoff; jet

ground/air; jet/rocket

air-launch; ramjet

air-launch; rocket

4-stage rocket

ground takeoff; jet

Thor-Delta booster

Atlas booster

Atlas-booster

Solid/Liquid rocket

Solid/scramjet

Solid/scramjet

Atlas-V booster

What Was Accomplished

We Refined Design Approaches

• For Aircraft, Missiles, and Aerospace Craft

We Mapped the High-Speed Frontier

• From Mach = 0.75 to Beyond Mach = 27

We Achieved Notable Milestones

• Including True “Transatmospheric” Operations

Sänger-Bredt Silbervögel

Source: Über einen Raketenantrieb für Fernbomber (1944)

NMUSAF Photo

The A-4b: Starting Down the Road to Hypersonics

M = 4+, Jan. 24,1945 1940 Tunnel Test of Winged A-4

“Round One:” Transonic Through M = 2

Clockwise: X-1A, D-558-1, XF-92A, X-5, D-558-2, X-4, center X-3 (1953)

NASA Photo

The Hypersonic Transfer from Europe to America

H. S. Tsien Mach 10+ Hypersonic Boost-Glider (1949)

L/D = 4

96,500 lb. GLOW

(inc. 72,400 lb. fuel)

Length: 78.9 ft.

Wingspan: 18.9 ft.

Height: 16.5 ft.

The Becker Hypersonic Study, 1954

“Round Two:” The X-15

X-15 Simulation and Crew Protection

X-15 Proficiency and Planning Simulator

Neil Armstrong

and Clark MC-2

Pressure Suit

X-15A-2: M = 6.70, 3 Oct 1967

Maj. William J. Knight and the X-15A-2

Allen and Eggers Enunciate Blunt Body (1953)

From H. Julian Allen and A. J. Eggers, Jr., “A Study of the Motion and Aerodynamic Heating of

Ballistic Missiles Entering the Earth’s Atmosphere at High Supersonic Speeds,” NACA TR-1381

(1953), p. 7

Conventional Initial Concept

Missile Warheads Manned Studies

Early Ames Blunt Body Research…

NASA Photo

Eggers-Syvertson Flat Top Concept (1956)

From A. J. Eggers and Clarence Syvertson, “Aircraft Configurations Developing

High Lift-Drag Ratios at High Supersonic Speeds,” NACA RM A55L05 (1956)

Hypersonic L/D = 6.8

High Heat Loading

High Structural Weight

NACA-Langley Hywards Study (1956)

Hywards

“flying” in the

NACA LMAL

Full-Size

Tunnel

Ames Flat-top compared to Langley Flat-bottom

Graph by Peter

Korycinski, from

J. V. Becker,

“Development of

Winged Reentry

Vehicles” (1983)

Ames

High L/D

High Heat

Flat Top

Langley

Low L/D

Low Heat

Flat Bottom

“Heavy”

TPS-driven

Structural

Weight

versus

Speed

“Light”

Eggers-Syvertson Flat Top Concept (1956)

“Round Three:” The X-20A Dyna-Soar

Flat Bottom

Slender Delta

Sloped Aft End

Radiative Cooled

Blended Controls

Skid Landing Gear

Minimal Turn Times

1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962

Sta

gn

atio

n T

em

pe

ratu

re (

°K)°

K)

20,000

10,000

15,000

5,000

Hotshot (claim)

Hotshot (actual) Gun Tunnel (actual)

Simulation: Claims versus Realities

Adapted from Julius Lukasiewicz, Experimental Methods of Hypersonics (NY: Dekker, 1973), p. 247

The Weber-MacKay Study, 1958

“A number of fundamental problems must be solved before the SCRJ

can be considered feasible. The major unknown is whether or not

supersonic flow can be maintained during a combustion process.

However, the trends developed herein indicate that the SCRJ will

provide superior performance at higher hypersonic flight speeds.”

From Richard J. Weber and John S. MacKay, “An Analysis of Ramjet Engines Using

Supersonic Combustion,” NACA TN 4386 (1958), p. 22.

Republic Aviation Design Concepts

Kartveli Mach 7 Hypersonic Strategic Cruiser

Republic Hypersonic Cruiser

…and Aerospaceplane…

…and its Demise…

“Aerospaceplane has had such an erratic history, has

involved so many clearly infeasible factors, and has

been subjected to so much ridicule that from now on

this name should be dropped.

It is recommended that the Air Force increase [its]

vigilance [so] that no new program achieves such a

difficult position.”

--USAF Scientific Advisory Board, 1963

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995

5

10

15

20

25

Mach

McDonnell ASSET (Aerothermodynamic-Structural

Systems Environmental Tests)

Winged, flat-bottom, half cone-

cylinder, radiative cooling

Mach 15.5 July 22, 1964

Thor-lofted over

Eastern Test Range

1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995

5

10

15

20

25

Mach

Martin SV-5D PRIME (Precision Recovery Including

Maneuvering Entry)

Lifting body, flat bottom,

ablative cooling

Mach 27 Apr. 19, 1967

Atlas-lofted over

Western Test Range

…The NASA-USAF Lifting Bodies…

X-24A 1969 M2-F3 1970 HL-10 1966

X-24B

1973

USAF NASA

M2-F1

1963

The “X-24C”

…inspired National Hypersonic Flight Research Facility

(NHFRF)

The Path to Shuttle:

Dependency upon Laboratory Methodologies

…first winged hypersonic reentry from

orbit of an inhabited spacecraft…

Space Shuttle Columbia

Apr. 14, 1981

John Young and Robert Crippen, NASA

STS-1

NASA Photo

Return of the Air-Breather: NASP (X-30)

As Conceived…

…NASP: Test Range Challenges

“Local” Ground Track… Envelope Expansion…

X-30 NASP when Shelved…

NASA Dwg

450,000 lbs TOGW

An Alphabet-Soup of Programs…

HyTEx

OSP X-51

Blackswift

On 30 July 2002, the

Center for

Hypersonics,

University of

Queensland,

Australia

achieved the world’s

first inflight scramjet

combustion, at Mach

7.6, a “world’s first”… Photograph Courtesy Centre for

Hypersonics, University of Queensland

Promising (Re) Beginnings. . .

False Starts…

X-33 X-38

X-34

…Cautionary Tales…

HyFly HTV-2

X-43 Blackswift

X-43A: The First Scramjet Vehicle

X-43A Checkout at DFRC LRC Engine Test at M = 7

M ≈ 9.7, 11/16/04 M = 6.8, 03/27/04 U.S. Army IR Image

NASA Photos

Scramjet Engine Module

Cruiser

Flow-Through

Interstage

Modified ATACMS

Booster Tungsten

Nose

Cruiser length: 168 inches

Overall Stack length: 301 inches

Cruiser max width: 23 inches

The X-51A: Scramjet Practicality

Stack Gross Launch Weight: 3,884 lbs.

Cruiser Launch Weight: 1,426 lbs.

JP-7 Fuel Weight: 270 lbs.

SOURCE: AFRL

$240 million

5 minute flights

1st Flight 2010

X-51 Flight Test

X-51 Flight Test

May 26, 2010:

X-51-1 accel. to M = 4.87

…the “Kitty Hawk Moment”

X-51 Flight Test

May 1, 2013:

X-51-4 accel. to M = 5.10

…the “Not a Fluke” flight

…Practical Post-Shuttle Transatmospherics…

Boeing X-37B launch… …and Recovery…

As a Result…

We now understand the

Hypersonic Arena better than at

any previous time…

…But so do many others, including:

RUSSIA

CHINA

FRANCE

GERMANY

AUSTRALIA

INDIA

JAPAN

…and it is not beyond their technical and financial

capabilities to achieve

…But so do many others, including:

RUSSIA

CHINA

FRANCE

GERMANY

AUSTRALIA

INDIA

JAPAN

…and it is not beyond their technical and financial

capabilities to achieve

Evolving Defenses. . .

FIGHTERS

SAMS

RADARS

AAA C4ISR

…and an Aging Force-Structure…

A Bothersome Synergy…

Distance + Time + Defenses + Age = Challenge

What Is to be Done???

10

45

100nm 200nm 300nm 400nm 500nm 600nm 700nm 800nm

Source: SAB, Why & Whither (2000), SAB, Immediate Attack Deep in Hostile Territory (2003)

40

35

5

15

0

20

25

30

Capitalizing Upon Speed Enables

Seizure of Opportunity Even

Against

Engagement Range (nm)

Versus Fly-out Time (min)

M = 0.75

M = 6.5

min Distant Fleeting Targets

Long Fly-out Times Risk

Missed Opportunities

Against Even Moderately

Distant Targets

The Hypersonic Advantage…

What Hypersonics Offers

Counters the Tyrannies of

Distance, Time, Defense, and Age

• Inherent Rapid Reach/Target Access

• Redefines “Actionable Intelligence”

• Enhances Survivability in 5th Gen, DD-SAM Era

• Revitalizes Aging Joint Service Platforms

…Some Candidate Platforms…

P-8 Photo Courtesy Boeing

Notional Scramjet Missile Employment

20

90

100nm 200nm 300nm 400nm 500nm 600nm 700nm 800nm

Rocket

Boost

Scramjet

Transition

M = 6.5 – 7.0

Sustained Cruise

Pitchover &

Terminal

Maneuvering M = 4.0

Target

Impact

Altitu

de

(K

ft.)

Total Time of Flight < 10 Minutes

Launch

M = 0.85,

35 K ft.

R. P. HALLION,

80

70

10

30

0

10

100

10,000

1800 1900 2000 2100

MP

H

1,000

…Might We Not Enter the

22nd Century at 6,000 mph?

…and Next???…

Horse Train Jetliner HST?

Long-Range Mobility

Since 1800…