Aerodynamic study of advanced space transportation system with morphing concept for wider cross range and down range

The flight regimes of RLV must cover from hypersonic regime to subsonic regime. Therefore, conventional space transportation systems, whose geometry is designed mainly for re-entry phase, could not always realize best aerodynamic performance in all flight conditions. In order to overcome those problems, a new concept of space transportation system named Morphing Space Transportation System, whose configuration changes in order to realize higher aerodynamic performance at each flight regime, has been proposed by the present authors. For strategy of development of promising configuration of morphing space transportation high lift to drag ratio (L/D) and high lift coefficient (CL) are selected as estimation parameters for high aerodynamic performance. Also the candidates of morphing configuration should satisfy the proposition that all candidate configurations should be realized by deforming baseline configuration. Higher L/D results in wide cross range and long downrange as well as higher levels of manoeuvrability. On the other hand, higher CL enables the vehicle to land at lower landing speed, and thus led to increase in safety and choices of runway. Those configurations of morphing RLV have been investigated from in hypersonic flight regime to in subsonic flight regime. Finally the recommended series of morphing configuration of RLV have been proposed. nose and high swept back wings with blended connection between nose body and wing shows highest L/D.