This book is a self-contained text for those students and readers interested in learning hypersonic flow and high-temperature gas dynamics. It assumes no prior familiarity with either subject on the part of the reader. If you have never studied hypersonic and/or high-temperature gas dynamics before, and if you have never worked extensively in the area, then this book is for you. On the other hand, if you have worked and/or are working in these areas, and you want a cohesive presentation of the fundamentals, a development of important theory and techniques, a discussion of the salient results with emphasis on the physical aspects, and a presentation of modern thinking in these areas, then this book is also for you. In other words, this book is designed for two roles: 1) as an effective classroom text that can be used with ease by the instructor, and understood with ease by the student; and 2) as a viable, professional working tool for engineers, scientists, and managers who have any contact in their jobs with hypersonic and/or high-temperature flow.

This volume from The NASA History Series presents an overview of the science of hypersonics, the study of flight at speeds at which the physics of flows is dominated by aerodynamic heating. The survey begins during the years immediately following World War II, with the first steps in hypersonic research: the development of missile nose cones and the X-15; the earliest concepts of hypersonic propulsion; and the origin of the scramjet engine. Next, it addresses the re-entry problem, which came to the forefront during the mid-1950s, showing how work in this area supported the manned space program and contributed to the development of the orbital shuttle. Subsequent chapters explore the fading of scramjet studies and the rise of the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) program of 1985–95, which sought to lay groundwork for single-stage vehicles. The program's ultimate shortcomings — in terms of aerodynamics, propulsion, and materials — are discussed, and the book concludes with a look at hypersonics in the post-NASP era, including the development of the X-33 and X-34 launch vehicles, further uses for scramjets, and advances in fluid mechanics. Clearly, ongoing research in hypersonics has yet to reach its full potential, and readers with an interest in aeronautics and astronautics will find this book a fascinating exploration of the field's history and future.

This study was undertaken in response to a request by the U.S. Air Force that the National Research Council (NRC) examine whether the technologies that underlie the concept of a hypersonic, air-launched, air-breathing, hydrocarbon-fueled missile with speeds up to Mach 81 can be demonstrated in time to be initially operational by 2015. To conduct the study, the NRC appointed the Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Air Force Hypersonic Technology Program, under the auspices of the Air Force Science and Technology Board.

The fourth volume in the British Secret Projects series shows how the hopes of the time failed to see fulfillment. Following a scene-setting introduction, chapters will deal with test vehicles and guided weapons. This includes those developed for air defense, ballistic missile defense, anti-tank weapons, anti-ship ordnance, and stand-off weapons.

A modern treatment of hypersonic aerothermodynamics for students, engineers, scientists, and program managers involved in the study and application of hypersonic flight. It assumes an understanding of the basic principles of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, compressible flow, and heat transfer. Ten chapters address: general characterization of hypersonic flows; basic equations of motion; defining the aerothermodynamic environment; experimental measurements of hypersonic flows; stagnation-region flowfield; the pressure distribution; the boundary layer and convective heat transfer; aerodynamic forces and moments; viscous interactions; and aerothermodynamics and design considerations. Includes sample exercises and homework problems. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Progress in Astronautics and Rocketry, Volume 7: Hypersonic Flow Research compiles papers presented at a conference on hypersonics held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in August 1961. This book discusses the low Reynolds number effects, chemical kinetics effects, inviscid flow calculations, and experimental techniques relating to the problems in acquiring an understanding of hypersonic flow. The structure and composition of hypersonic wakes with attendant complex chemical kinetic effects is only briefly mentioned. This text consists of five parts. Parts A to C comprise of theoretical papers on the problems of calculating flow fields at hypersonic speeds. The experimental techniques that are of immediate practical interest in view of the difficulty of flight testing are discussed in Parts D and E. This publication is beneficial to engineers involved in advanced design problems.

An almost entirely self-contained engineering textbook primarily for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in airbreathing propulsion. It provides a broad and basic introduction to the elements needed to work in the field as it develops and grows. Homework problems are provided for almost every individual subject. An extensive array of PC-based user-friendly computer programs is provided in order to facilitate repetitious and/or complex calculations. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Nineteen years before Space Shuttle, the small, black, rocket-powered, bullet-shaped X-15 showed it was possible to fly into - and out of - space. There had never been anything like the X-15; it had a million-horsepower engine and could fly twice as fast as a rifle bullet. The X-15 set records that stood for years. Specialty Press's bestseller, Hypersonic, has been re-released in a softbound format at a reduced price. This book is the most extensively researched history of the X-15 program yet published. The book was written with the cooperation of surviving X-15 pilots as well as many other program principals and is based on six years of research in Air Force, NASA, and North American archives. It covers the tasks of converting and testing the B-52 carrier airplanes, building the first full-pressure suits to protect the pilot, building the first engineering mission simulators, acquiring the remote lakebed landing sites, and building the radar range. It also covers the flight program in detail, including the most authoritative flight log ever assembled; in many instances, information in this log was derived from the original flight-data recordings. Also covered are each of the experiments that were flown aboard the X-15 late in its career when it became the workhorse of the space program, carrying such things as startrackers destined for the Apollo program and missile-detection systems that would later be sent into orbit on satellites.

In the aviation field there is great interest in high-speed vehicle design. Hypersonic vehicles represent the next frontier of passenger transportation to and from space. However, several design issues must be addressed, including vehicle aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics, aeroshape design optimization, aerodynamic heating, boundary layer transition, and so on. This book contains valuable contributions focusing on hypervelocity aircraft design. Topics covered include hypersonic aircraft aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic design, especially aeroshape design optimization, computational fluid dynamics, and scramjet propulsion. The book also discusses high-speed flow issues and the challenges to achieving the dream of affordable hypersonic travel. It is hoped that the information contained herein will allow for the development of safe and efficient hypersonic vehicles.