Rapid transonic aerodynamic prediction for hypersonic lifting bodies

A rapid analytical method for predicting the transonic pressure distribution on high-speed, waverider-based, vehicle fuselages is presented. The goal of this method is the prediction of inviscid lift and drag using minimal CPU time. The method is based on the solution of the two-dimensional and axisymmetric transonic, small disturbance, velocity potential equations. Comparison is made between theory and the matching inviscid, three-dimensional, computational solution over a representative vehicle geometry. For purely subsonic flow, the methodology predicts lift, drag, and thrust on the lower surface to within 0.5, 1.1, and 0.5%, respectively, compared to the computational solution. For sonic flow, the methodology predicts lift, drag, and thrust on the lower surface to within 4.7, 5.1, and 9.5%, respectively, compared to the computational solution. For purely supersonic flow, the methodology predicts lift, drag; and thrust on the lower surface to within 7.4, -1:6, and -4.4%, respectively, compared to the computational solution. The analytical and computational analyses showed that this class of vehicle geometry generates little lift at low-speed and will require lift augmentation.