Wind-Tunnel Development of an SR-71 Aerospike Rocket Flight Test Configuration

Moes, Timothy R. and Cobleigh, Brent R. and Connors, Timothy R. and Cox, Timothy H. and Smith, Stephen C. and Shirakata, Norm (1996) Wind-Tunnel Development of an SR-71 Aerospike Rocket Flight Test Configuration. Technical Report NASA TM-4749, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

A flight experiment has been proposed to investigate the performance of an aerospike rocket motor installed in a lifting body configuration. An SR-71 airplane would be used to carry the aerospike configuration to the desired flight test conditions. Wind-tunnel tests were completed on a 4-percent scale SR-71 airplane with the aerospike pod mounted in various locations on the upper fuselage. Testing was accomplished using sting and blade mounts from Mach 0.6 to Mach 3.2. Initial test objectives included assessing transonic drag and supersonic lateral–directional stability and control. During these tests, flight simulations were run with wind-tunnel data to assess the acceptability of the configurations. Early testing demonstrated that the initial configuration with the aerospike pod near the SR-71 center of gravity was unsuitable because of large nosedown pitching moments at transonic speeds. The excessive trim drag resulting from accommodating this pitching moment far exceeded the excess thrust capability of the airplane. Wind-tunnel testing continued in an attempt to find a configuration suitable for flight test. Multiple configurations were tested. Results indicate that an aft-mounted model configuration possessed acceptable performance, stability, and control characteristics.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Aerodynamic models, Aerospike, Flight simulations, Rocket, SR-71 airplane, Wind tunnel
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (02) Aerodynamics Aircraft/Project: SR-71 Blackbird
ID Code:	194
Deposited On:	15 July 2004
Additional Information:	28 pages. Presented as AIAA 96-2409 at the 14th Applied Aerodynamics Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 17–20, 1996. Timothy R. Moes, Brent R. Cobleigh, Timothy R. Conners, and Timothy H. Cox, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA; Stephen C. Smith, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA; Norm Shirakata, Lockheed-Martin Skunk Works, Palmdale, CA.