The DARPA/AF Falcon Program: The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle #2 (HTV-2) Flight Demonstration Phase

15th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference 28 April - 1 May 2008, Dayton,
Ohio
AIAA 2008-2539
The DARPA/AF Falcon Program: The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle #2 (HTV-2) Flight Demonstration Phase
Dr. Steven H. Walker1 and Lt. Col Jeffrey Sherk2 DARPA Tactical Technology Office, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 Dale Shell3 Schafer Corporation, Albuquerque, NM 87117 Ronald Schena4 ASTi, Albuquerque, NM
Downloaded by INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE on April 26, 2013 | http://arc.aiaa.org | DOI: 10.2514/6.2008-2539
and John F. Bergmann5 and Jonathan Gladbach6 CENTRA Technology Inc., Arlington, VA 22203
[Abstract] The DARPA/Air Force Falcon Technology program is developing and validating, in-flight, hypersonic technologies to enable prompt global reach missions. The far-term vision of the hypersonics program is a reusable, aircraft-like hypersonic cruise vehicle that can take-off and land at today's runways and reach anywhere in the world in 2 hours or less. Key enabling technologies for such a vehicle include efficient aerodynamic shaping for high lift to drag, lightweight and durable high temperature materials, thermal management techniques including trajectory shaping, navigation and autonomous flight control, as well as a turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) propulsion system. A series of hypersonic technology vehicles will be flown to demonstrate these key technologies for a future reusable system. The program will design three different Hypersonic Technology Vehicles (HTVs) to fly these technologies. The program will also investigate and validate current state of the art modeling of the aero and thermal environments for extended hypersonic flight through the upper atmosphere. It is currently impossible to validate models for certain regimes in ground test facilities due to their physical limitations. Building on the materials, thermal protection system, aerodynamic predictions, and navigation guidance and control development in the first and second Phases of the program, Phase Three of the Falcon program will demonstrate these required technologies using two HTV-2 test vehicles. These boost-glide vehicles will be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base and fly a trajectory with significant range and large cross-range maneuver ending near the Kwajalein Atoll. Two flight demonstrations of the same HTV-2 vehicle are scheduled for March 2009 and August of 2009. The HTV-2 flights will follow two representative flight paths designed to demonstrate the key design technologies above. The size of the flight test area will also demonstrate unique test organization coordination challenges for the flight test management, range and integration teams. Support asset usage and data collection will be applicable to the advancement of future long range, high altitude, and high speed test coordination.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Deputy Director, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, AIAA Associate Fellow Program Manager, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive Flight Test Manager, 3548 Aberdeen Ave SE Deputy Flight Test Manager, AIAA Member HTV-2 Chief Engineer, 4121 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800 HTV-2 Assistant Engineer, 4121 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Distribution Statement A (Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited)
This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
he DARPA/AF Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV) demonstration approach will enable the in-flight demonstration of the key enabling technologies required for a reusable, global reach, aircraft-like hypersonic cruise vehicle. The overall program began in the Fall of 2003 with four Phase 1 HTV System Definition proposals. This phase developed program plans and conceptual designs for an incremental hypersonic technology development and demonstration approach represented by the three technology flight vehicles: HTV-1, HTV-2, and HTV-3. The Phase I contractors included Andrews Space, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. After a six-month Phase I effort, Lockheed Martin was awarded Phase II of the HTV program in the Fall of 2004. Phase II developed HTV-1 through Critical Design and conducted multiple aerodynamic and thermal ground tests of the outer-mold-line, the Carbon-carbon aeroshell and internal vehicle structure. Due to manufacturing issues with the originally proposed one-piece carbon-carbon aeroshell, work on HTV-1 did not continue beyond CDR. HTV-2, a higher endurance and more capable vehicle, was pursued with a 'Design for Manufacturing' approach to the aeroshell. A prototype of the aeroshell successfully demonstrated fabrication of the critical aeroshell pieces in the Spring of 2007. Extensive Ground Wind Tunnel and Materials testing has been performed in conjunction with the vehicle design activity to validate design assumptions. Lockheed successfully completed a series of subsystem CDRs with a final System CDR in August 2007. The Falcon HTV-2 is now ready to proceed into the Phase III Flight Demonstration Phase. This paper discusses the HTV-2 program technical progress in advancing the state of the art in hypersonic technology and presents an overview of the flight test planning for the Phase III Flight Demonstration Phase.
Demonstrate key Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle Technologies in-flight through a series of Hypersonic Technology Vehicles (HTVs)
I. Introduction
HTV-1
HTV-2
HTV-3X
HCV
Ground Demonstration
Completing Phase II Phase III First Flight FY 09 Technology Areas
Conceptual Design/ Risk Reduction
Vision Vehicle
Aero-Thermal Dynamics High-Temperature Materials & Structures Navigation Guidance and Control Communications through Plasma
Prompt Global Reach from CONUS
Reconnaissance Anti-access capability
Reusable Space Access Aircraft-like operations
Figure 1. The Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle Program II. HTV-2 Design Studies and Ground Testing A. A New Class of Vehicle As a Boost Glide Vehicle, HTV-2 will achieve unprecedented cross range maneuverability and endoatmospheric flight time. The HTV-2 design has focused on providing a stable test platform for a variety of flight environments. Unlike the short endoatmospheric exposure of a traditional ballistic vehicle, HTV-2 is designed for 3000 seconds of atmospheric glide phase. Figure 2 illustrates the typical mission differences. The high hypersonic lift to drag ratio allows for substantial downrange and cross range maneuverability; however, it presents material and thermal insulation challenges due to the increased integrated heat loads and endoatmospheric aerodynamic control. The
vehicle is also completely autonomous from separation to impact, significantly increasing the state of the art for hypersonic autonomous flight. Finding solutions to these critical enabling technology challenges for hypersonic flight is the core of HTV program. The HTV-2 flight design was formulated based upon two sets of design trajectories. The vehicle designed for an endo-atmospheric glide 9000 nm downrange; and independently, a 3000 nm cross range is required. Using an external carbon-carbon (C-C) aeroshell and an internal insulation Thermal Protection System (TPS), HTV-2 will satisfy the cross range and downrange requirements. The two flight tests (A and B) will provide a substantiation of the design. The HTV-2 has passed its subsystem CDR's in August 2007 and its Final CDR in September 2007. Long lead Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) tasks have begun.
Figure 2: Trajectory Comparison between HTV-2 and Traditional Ballistic Reentry Vehicles B. Extensive Aerothermal Ground Test Program Development of effective hypersonic computational tools and aerodynamic shaping is a primary objective of the HTV-2 development effort. Before ground testing was initiated, independent Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) solutions were developed by Lockheed Martin and the University of Minnesota. DARPA and the AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratory) sponsored wind tunnel tests at NASA Langley Research Center's (LaRC) 20'' Mach 6 and 31'' Mach 10 tunnels, the Calspan University Buffalo Research Center (CUBRC) LENS tunnels, the Purdue University Quiet Tunnel, and the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Tunnel 9 facility at White Oak, Maryland. Test conditions ranged from Mach 6 to Mach 16 and were calibrated to provide an overview of the flight envelope. After calibration, CFD solutions correlated well with test results, with most CFD predictions being within 5% of wind tunnel aerodynamic coefficient measurements. Post flight, aerodynamic parameters will be estimated based on the vehicle response from maneuvers to be executed at various flight condition Mach numbers. Tests at LaRC, CUBRC, and Purdue included aerothermal visualization techniques. Data from these tests will provide an assessment of boundary layer transition, a critical effect on the heating of the HTV. Accurate boundary layer transition predictions are a key HTV-2 program technological accomplishment. Because direct placement of thermocouples on the outer surface of the vehicle is not possible, boundary layer transition in flight will be inferred from thermocouples placed on the inner surface of the aeroshell. C. Materials Testing An extensive materials development effort was led by the Falcon Materials Integrated Product Team (MIPT) in Phase II of the program. The team performed a battery of coupon tests on five distinct Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials: 1) 3000o F C-C Leading Edge Materials, 2) 3600o F refractory Composite Materials, 3) high 3
temperature Multi-Layer Insulation, 4) Acreage TPS, and 5) high-temperature seals. These tests defined the performance of materials used in the HTV-2 vehicle. Details on these tests are reported in a previous AIAA report1,2. In addition to extensive coupon tests, Arcjet Tests were performed at the NASA Ames Test Facility on representative nosetip and leading edge HTV-2 sections. All samples survived the leading edge tests and conformed to pre-test recession predictions.
III. Flight Demonstration Program Plan and Status

A. Flight Test Mission Goals The HTV-2 vehicles have been designed to have a 9000 nm down range and a separate 3000 nm cross range capability. The primary objective of the HTV-2 flight tests is to verify that performance over a realistic test range. The HTV-2 vehicles will be launched on a Minotaur IV Lite launch vehicle from Vandenberg AFB and terminate in a broad ocean area north of the Reagan Test Site at the Kwajalein Atoll. Vehicle time, position and velocity data will be obtained over the entire flight. Secondary data will include miss distance and optical data in the terminal area. Tertiary data includes aeroshell thermocouple and leeward plasma environment data. Mission A is designed to be a lower aerothermal risk mission. Mission B validates the design with a thermally challenging mission and significant cross range. The flights are planned for May 2009 and October 2009 respectively. The HTV-2 assembly and flight test schedule are shown in Figure 3 below.
Figure 3: HTV-2 Program Schedule
B. On Board Instrumentation The HTV-2 is equipped with a full suite of onboard instrumentation for data collection. 129 total thermocouples are included on the vehicle, with 29 of those on the aeroshell backface for aeroheating measurements. These thermocouples will closely monitor internal temperatures for indications of boundary layer transition and insulation 4
performance. Four internal pressure sensors and six aft cover calorimeters will provide pressures and heat transfer data to correlate with thermal performance models. Post flight, aerodynamic parameters will be estimated based on the vehicle response from maneuvers to be executed at various flight condition Mach numbers. Techniques to be employed will be same as used by NASA for the X-43 (Hyper-X) flights4. Reconstruction of a Best Estimated Trajectory (BET) will depend heavily upon position and acceleration information transmitted to the ground in flight. In addition to the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Global Positioning System (GPS) data, included on the vehicle are 5 independent accelerometers and one multi axis rate gyroscope. Collection of all on board data will prove crucial to post flight mission analysis. An AFRL Hanscom Space Weather Center of Excellence designed plasma probe will also be affixed to the rear windward side of the vehicle to measure and characterize plasma creation and levels throughout flight. The probe will be utilized to calibrate plasma prediction methodologies with flight data.
C. Flight Test Launch Vehicle Given the projected final weight of the HTV-2, the Space X Falcon I rocket performance was deemed insufficient for both flight tests. Lockheed Martin and the government Flight Test Team investigated alternative options in late 2006 and selected the Minotaur IV Lite Launch Vehicle produced by Orbital Sciences Corporation. The Minotaur IV Lite, shown in Figure 4 below, is a three stage Peacekeeper based launch platform, including the Taurus payload fairing, and commercial avionics. The Lite designation arises from the removal of the Orion 38 Stage IV motor from the full up Minotaur. The Space Development and Test Wing (SDTW) is responsible for the launch vehicle acquisition and integration, and along with Northrup Gumman, providing launch mission assurance.
Figure 4: Minotaur IV Lite Launch Vehicle. D. Mission Planning Activities Lockheed Martin, working closely with Orbital through DARPA and SDTW, has baselined flight test trajectories for Missions A and B terminating with an impact in a broad ocean area (BOA) north of the Kwajalein Atoll island of Roi-Namur. Both missions were optimized with Optimal Trajectories by Implicit Solution (OTIS) code to effectively demonstrate the capabilities of the vehicle. Trajectory optimization codes include aerothermal atmospheric models and recession predictions for the vehicle to ensure accurate mission modeling with vehicle design constraints. Diagrams of Missions A and B with mission characteristics are included below in Figure 5. 5
The first flight test, Mission A, will fly an essentially straight line from VAFB to the KMR (Kwajalein Missile Range)-north BOA passing approximately 300nm north of the Hawaiian Island chain to remain clear of any inhabited islands. It will include some minor turns (programmed test inputs (PTIs)) designed to help characterize the various hypersonic aerodynamic coefficients and also to provide energy management during the glide phase of flight. The second flight test, Mission B, is being planned to fly an arcing flight from VAFB passing approximately 900nm north of Hawaii turning to impact in the KMR-north BOA to both demonstrate the extended cross-range capability of the HTV and to also remain clear of any inhabited islands for flight safety. E. Flight Safety Requirements The HTV-2 was conceived as a safe-by-design vehicle. The vehicle requires active control in flight to remain stable. In the absence of active control, the HTV will enter a ballistic spiral. This requirement limits the impact dispersion of any failure mode. The vehicle contains an active onboard autonomous flight safety system, which will also safe the vehicle if any anomaly or off-course condition is detected during flight. The flight test planning group is working closely with Vandenberg Flight Safety to ensure a safe flight for both flight tests. Because the HTV does not have a fully redundant Guidance system, a unique method of ensuring accurate navigation is required. The HTV operates with a tightly coupled GPS-IMU Guidance solution. Lockheed Martin has developed a gated flight safety concept to ensure that the HTV remains inside the flight safety corridor. This concept includes a series of gates, beyond which the HTV flight will be terminated if it does not meet flight safety criteria. These criteria include navigation checks to ensure a functioning navigation system prior to Launch Vehicle separation. F. Data Collection and Assets Asset coordination has begun to assure effective flight test mission data collection for both Mission A and B. Because of the importance of onboard data to post flight reconstruction, all telemetry data collected will be stored and burst to the ground at least twice during each mission for redundancy. To support this, a telemetry downlink of 7.5 Mbps is used. A telemetry asset study for Mission A, concluded in July 2007, indicated the viability of this store and burst model. Ground, air and sea based assets will receive the crucial S/C band telemetry data from the vehicle during the trajectory (Figure 6). A typical asset string consisting of 2 EP-3Ds, the USNS Worthy Naval Ship, and the telemetry antennas at Makaha Ridge and the Kwajalein Atoll is envisioned.
Wake
KMR North Impact
Figure 5: Flight Test Mission Ground Tracks7
Glide 613s
Atmospheric Pierce
430s
Transmitter Start Switchover Recording 230S 179S
Terminal Dive
Vehicle Sep. 270s Fairing Sep. 186s
End of Mission 1817s
Figure 6: Telemetry Asset Diagram for Mission A

7
The above image was generated utilizing AGIs Satellite Toll Kit software
The Flight Test Integrated Product Team is coordinating ground-, sea-, air and space-based asset studies along the entire route of flight and in the terminal area to provide additional sources of tracking and trajectory data. The Reagan Test Site (RTS) at the Kwajalein Atoll has a large array of radar, optical, thermal imaging, and telemetry assets to support both missions (Figure 7). However, only the assets at Roi-Namur and Gagan will have sufficient viewing angle to acquire the HTV position and telemetry data in the terminal dive. There are 5 Super Radots, and 3 MW Infrared Cameras at Roi Namur and Gagan. The cameras based on Roi Namur and Gagan islands are being analyzed for their ability to take high quality images of the vehicle in the terminal area. The fixed and tracking telemetry antennae located on Gagan and Roi-Namur islands respectively, will also be used to track the HTV-2 vehicle to as close to impact as possible. HTV-2 will go below the horizon from Roi Namur at approximately 4000 ft. At this point, radar tracking and telemetry support from the Kwajalien Atoll will be limited.
Figure 7: Kwajalein Asset Overview3 In addition to radar tracking of the vehicle in the terminal area by the assets at Roi Namur and Gagan, potential optical, infrared, and telemetry assets mounted on board a floating scoring system and support and tracking vessels may be used in acquiring the vehicle position data prior to impact. IV. Conclusion HTV-2, as a critical link in the HTV test flights, is pushing the state of the art for hypersonic aerodynamics; materials; autonomous guidance and control; and flight test planning. The vehicle mechanical and electrical design is complete. Several subsystem CDR's have been held and the vehicle is ready for assembly. Flight test planning is well underway, with potential telemetry, optics, radars, and launch vehicle already having been selected. The two test flights of HTV will exhibit the unique capabilities of this class of vehicles.
References
Glass, D. E., Dirling, R., Croop, H., Fry, T. J., and Frank, G. J., Materials Development for Hypersonic Flight Vehicles, AIAA-2006-8122, 14th AIAA/AHI Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies, Canberra, Australia, Nov. 2006. Glass, D. E., Bowman, K., Swanson, A., and Eckel, A., Materials Development for the Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicles, APS-III-01, 29th JANNAF Airbreathing Propulsion Meeting, San Diego, CA, Dec. 2006.
3 4 2 1.
Range Instrumentation. [Online]. URL < http://www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/RangeInst.html>, 26 July 2007.
Morelli, Eugene A., Derry, Stephen D., Smith, Mark S., "Aerodynamic Parameter Estimation for X-43A (Hyper-X) from Flight Data", AIAA 2005-5921, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, San Francisco, CA, 15-18 August, 2005.

The DARPA/AF Falcon Program: The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle #2 (HTV-2) Flight Demonstration Phase

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The DARPA/AF Falcon Program: The Hypersonic Technology Vehicle #2 (HTV-2) Flight Demonstration Phase

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

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15th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference 28 April - 1 May 2008, Dayton,

Completing Phase II Phase III First Flight FY 09 Technology Areas

Conceptual Design/ Risk Reduction

Prompt Global Reach from CONUS

Reconnaissance Anti-access capability

Reusable Space Access Aircraft-like operations

III. Flight Demonstration Program Plan and Status

Figure 3: HTV-2 Program Schedule

KMR North Impact

Figure 5: Flight Test Mission Ground Tracks7

Transmitter Start Switchover Recording 230S 179S

Vehicle Sep. 270s Fairing Sep. 186s

End of Mission 1817s

Figure 6: Telemetry Asset Diagram for Mission A

Range Instrumentation. [Online]. URL < http://www.smdc.army.mil/KWAJ/RangeInst.html>, 26 July 2007.

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