New Air-Launched Small Missile (ALSM) Flight Testbed for Hypersonic Systems. Meeting Paper AIAA-2006-221, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center

Bui, Trong T. and Lux, David P. and Stenger, Michael T. and Munson, Michael J. and Teate, George F. (2006) New Air-Launched Small Missile (ALSM) Flight Testbed for Hypersonic Systems. Meeting Paper AIAA-2006-221, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

A new testbed for hypersonic flight research is proposed. Known as the Phoenix air-launched small missile (ALSM) flight testbed, it was conceived to help address the lack of quick-turnaround and cost-effective hypersonic flight research capabilities. The Phoenix ALSM testbed results from utilization of two unique and very capable flight assets: the United States Navy Phoenix AIM-54 long-range, guided air-to-air missile and the NASA Dryden F-15B testbed airplane. The U.S. Navy retirement of the Phoenix AIM-54 missiles from fleet operation has presented an excellent opportunity for converting this valuable flight asset into a new flight testbed. This cost-effective new platform will fill an existing gap in the test and evaluation of current and future hypersonic systems for flight Mach numbers ranging from 3 to 5. Preliminary studies indicate that the Phoenix missile is a highly capable platform. When launched from a high-performance airplane, the guided Phoenix missile can boost research payloads to low hypersonic Mach numbers, enabling flight research in the supersonic-to-hypersonic transitional flight envelope. Experience gained from developing and operating the Phoenix ALSM testbed will be valuable for the development and operation of future higher-performance ALSM flight testbeds as well as responsive microsatellite-small-payload air-launched space boosters.

EPrint Type:	Other
Keywords:	Aerodynamics, F-15B aircraft, Flight research, Hypersonics, Phoenix AIM-54 missile, Propulsion, Scramjet
Subjects:	Aircraft/Project: F-15B (12 - 20) Astronautics: (15) Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (07) Aircraft Propulsion And Power (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (02) Aerodynamics (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (01) Aeronautics - General (12 - 20) Astronautics: (20) Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
ID Code:	1730
Deposited On:	28 September 2007
Additional Information:	13 pages. Presented at the 44th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, Nevada, January 9–12, 2006. Also published as NASA/TM-2007-214624. Bui, Lux, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center; Stenger, Munson, Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California; Teate, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Edwards, California.