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8155157 
Journal Article 
X-33 experimental aeroheating at Mach 6 using phosphor thermography 
Horvath, TJ; Berry, SA; Hollis, BR; Liechty, DS; Hamilton, HH; Merski, NR 
2001 
Yes 
Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
ISSN: 0022-4650 
AMER INST AERONAUTICS ASTRONAUTICS 
RESTON 
38 
5 
634-645 
WOS:000171573400001 
The goal of the NASA reusable launch vehicle technology program is to mature and demonstrate essential, cost-effective technologies for next-generation launch systems. The X-33 flight vehicle presently being developed by Lockheed Martin is an experimental single-stage-to-orbit demonstrator that seeks to validate critical technologies and ensure applicability to a full-scale reusable launch vehicle. As with the design of any hypersonic vehicle, the aeroheating environment is an important issue, and one of the key technologies being demonstrated on X-33 is an advanced metallic thermal protection system. As part of the development of this thermal protection system, the X-33 aeroheating environment is being defined through conceptual analysis, ground-based testing, and computational fluid dynamics. An overview of the hypersonic aeroheating wind-tunnel program conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center in support of the ground-based testing activities is provided. Global surface heat transfer images, surface streamline patterns, and shock shapes were measured on 0.013 scale (10-in.) ceramic models of the proposed X-33 configuration in Mach 6 air. The test parametrics include angles of attack from -5 to 40 deg, unit Reynolds numbers from I x 10(6) to 8 x 10(6)/ft, and body-flap deflections of 0, 10, and 20 deg. Experimental and computational results indicate the presence of shock/shock interactions that produced localized heating on the deflected flaps and boundary-layer transition on the canted fins. Comparisons of the experimental data to laminar and turbulent predictions were performed. Laminar windward heating data from the wind tunnel was extrapolated to flight surface temperatures and generally compared to within 50 degreesF of flight prediction along the centerline. When coupled with the phosphor technique, this rapid extrapolation method would serve as an invaluable thermal protection system design tool.