USA Applied Hypersonics

16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes and

Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference
19-22 Oct 2009
Thomas A. Jackson, Ph.D.
Aerospace Propulsion Division
Approved for Public Release Propulsion Directorate
88ABW-2009-4321
9 Oct 2009 Air Force Research Laboratory
 Outline

• Introduction – USAF development approach for hypersonic,

air-breathing propulsion
• US national efforts in air-launch free-flight
• US national efforts in ground-launch hypersonic R&D
• USAF/DARPA X-51 Scramjet Engine Flight Experiment
• USAF/AUS DSTO HIFiRE Flight 2
• US DARPA FaCET
• US TES&T HyV
• USAF Robust Scramjet S&T Program
• Conclusion

Approved for Public Release 88ABW-2009-4321, 9 Oct 2009 2

 AFRL’s Scramjet Technology
Development Approach

Stair-step
approach builds
2030

upon prior Operationally Responsive Spacelift

successes (Robust, Responsive)

2020

Large
Large Hypersonic Missiles Scramjets
Small Launch Systems and CCEs
2015

Medium
Hypersonic Missiles/ Scramjets
1980 ~ 2010

Small Launch Systems

LRC

LRC

Small
Hypersonic Missiles
Scramjets
(Time-Critical Targets) X-51
LR C

Program
Ramjets
Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878 3
 National Hypersonic
Flight Demo Landscape
Program Speed Significance First Flight

X-43A M 7,10 Airframe-Integ Mar 04

HyFly DCR M6 Missile ATD Oct 07

X-51A M 6+ H/C Fuel Dec 09

Cooled Engine

Blackswift M6 Reusable 2012+

Comb Cycle Engine

Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878

 National Hypersonic
Ground-Launch Flight Experiments
Program Speed Significance First Flight

FASTT M6 accel free-flt Mar 04

HyShot M 8-10 low cost R&D Oct01-Jun07

(AUS)
HyCAUSE M 10 strm-trace IML Jun 07
(AUS/DARPA)

HIFiRE Flt2 M 6-8 Depressed Traj Nov 10

(AF/DSTO)
HyV M5 Vitiation effects Mar 11
Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878
 Introduction
Scramjet Overview and Challenges
Endothermic Fuel Process:

~ 1000 BTU/lbm

• Liquid Hydrocarbon (endothermic JP7) Fuelled Advanced endotherm-no deposits

• Fixed Geometry, Self-Starting Inlet Variable internal contraction and BL bleed
• Nominal 10 lbm/sec airflow Times 10 for large weapon application (10X)
• Planar Cross-Section Shape transitions, axisymmetric, streamline-traced IML
• Accelerate over 2 Mach numbers Accelerate over 3+ Mach numbers
• Dual-Fuel Combustor Ignition System Rapid ignition on liquid fuel – Cold Start
• Un-Cooled Engine Leading Edges, Inlet Ramp, Nozzle
• Cooled Internal Inlet, Isolator, Combustor with Thermal Higher T materials and
Balance at Cruise increased fuel endotherm

Distribution A: 88ABW-2009-2489, 5 June 2009 6

 X-51A Program Objective

Flight test the USAF Hypersonic Technology (HyTech) scramjet

engine, using endothermic hydrocarbon fuel, by accelerating a
vehicle from boost (~M=4.5) to Mach 6+

• Acquire ground and flight data on an actively cooled, self-controlled

operating scramjet engine (rules and tools development)
• Demonstrate viability of an endothermically fueled scramjet in flight
• Prove viability of a free-flying, scramjet powered, vehicle (Thrust > Drag)

Cleared for Public Release: 88ABW-2008-0845

 X-51A Propulsion Heritage

X-51A propulsion system has

strong foundation in past
component & freejet tests

Performance Test Engine (Jan ’01)

HyTech Flowpath •Copper heat sink construction
Development •Partial width flowpath

X-51A Flight Test

Ground Demo Engine 1 (June ’03)
•Flight weight
•Fuel cooled, but open loop fuel system

X-51A FCE SJX61-2 (Oct 08)

•Flight Clearance Engine
•Flight fuel pump & instr.

Ground Demo Engine 2 (Mar ’06) X-51A Dev. Engine, SJX61-1 (Jul ’07)
•Center engine for X-43C •Full X-51A forebody and nozzle
•Fuel cooled, closed loop fuel system •Fuel cooled, closed loop fuel system
Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878
 X-51A Subsystems Packaging
Engine Subsystems
(Packaged Wet in JP-7)
• Engine Fuel Pump
• Ethylene (Engine Start)
• Nitrogen (Fuel Pressurization)
Subsystems Bay
• GCU/IMU/GPS
• FADEC
• Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI)

FTS, FTI and

Control Systems
• Antennas
JP-7 Fuel
• Sensors
• Integral Tanks
• Control Actuators
• 271 lb

Batteries
Fuel System • Engine Systems
• Fuel Pump (Li-ion Pack)
• Actuators
• Avionics and FTI
• Flight Termination System (Separate)
Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878
 X-51A Propulsion Configuration

JP-7 Fuel Tank

Vehicle Nozzle

Integral forebody / Flowpath & Heat Exchanger

inlet
F119 FADEC Fuel Pump

Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878

 Fuel-Cooled Scramjet Overview
Closed Loop Fuel System & Cold Start

Body Exit Hot coolant fuel

Manifold out of HEX

Fuel Coolant Collection

Manifold
Fuel Coolant Inlets
Hot fuel into
flowpath
Cold coolant fuel
into HEX

Body Inlet
Manifold
Heat Exchanger
Panel
t Fuel Dist.
h Hea
ug
t hro Valves
e l flow )
fu EX
o l a n t e r (H
Co hang
Ex c

SJX61-1 Ground Test Engine Configuration

Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878

Four Vehicles in Assembly
(Boeing Palmdale Facility)

12
Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878
 Ground Test Operations

X-51 to B-52 Carriage Integration

X-51/B-52 on Aircraft System Integration
Electromagnetic Compatibility / Safety of Flight Test (EMC/SOF)
13
Cleared for Public Release: #88ABW-2009-3878
 HIFiRE
Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation

• Joint program: U.S. AFRL and AUS DSTO … AFRL/RB Lead

• Up to 10 flights exploring fundamental hypersonic technologies
• AFRL/RZA prime for Flights 2 & 6 and Experiment Contributor in Flight 1

Flight 1 Flight 1:
•Optically–based, engine
air mass capture

HF2 Conceptual Payload Layout Flight 2:

•Ram-Scram mode
transition
•Scram performance
•Scram stability (LBO)
•Combustion progress

Pervasive Opportunities:
• Experimental Approach – seconds of clean, high-speed flight
• Core flow measurements with high spatial and temporal resolution
Distribution A: 88ABW-2009-2489, 5 June 2009 14
 Nominal Trajectory / Test Window
120000
Nom. Flight
Flight Path Scramjet Performance f)
Nominal Path (1000-ps
q=1000 47.9-kPa
q=47.9 kPapsf
(1000 psf) Experiment
100000
q=3000kPa
q=143.6 psf(3000 psf)
(3000 -psf)
143.6-kPa
80000
Altitude (ft)

e
60000
c ra m j et-mod
S
ua l- mode to pe riment
Inlet D ion E x
Shroud Start Transit econds • Flight Trajectory Objectives
40000 ~6s • Flight Trajectory Objectives
Deployment • • Constant
ConstantQQ0 trajectory
trajectoryofof86.2-kPa
86.2-kPa(1800-psf)
(1800-psf)
0

• • 22sigma
sigmaQQ0 range
rangeofof47.9
47.9––143.6-kPa
143.6-kPa(1000
(1000––3000-psf)
3000-psf)
0

20000 • • Accelerating
Acceleratingfrom
fromMach
Mach5.5
5.5––8.5
8.5
• • Test
Testtime
time≥≥ 88seconds
secondsininthe
thetest
testwindow
window
Maintain≤≤±±2°
• • Maintain and≤≤±±2°
2°and 2°
0
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Mach Number

45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

Denver, Colorado August 2 - 5 2009
Approved for Public Release 88ABW-2009-4321, 9 Oct 2009
 TDLAS
 Goal: Develop first generation compact diode laser systems
 Predecessor of system to measure combustion efficiency and thrust
 System components
 Two independent flight electronic systems each with one distributed
feedback laser (DFB) scanned at 50,000 Hz
 Four detector channels per DFB
 Processed by custom-built electronics (Zolo Technologies, Inc.)
 System specifications Nozzle

 2kg mass, 14W max power consumption Isolator /

 Processed data telemetered at up to 1 kHz Combustor

 8 simultaneous line-of-sight measurements

45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

Denver, Colorado August 2 - 5 2009
Approved for Public Release 88ABW-2009-4321, 9 Oct 2009
 Turbine-Based Combined Cycle (TBCC)
DARPA’s Falcon Combined-Cycle Engine Technology (FaCET)

Notional Mach 6 prompt

global ISR/strike aircraft

Reproduced with DARPA permission from

4 Aug2009 AIAA JPC presentation of
paper AIAA-2009-5537
FaCET freejet engine installed in
AEDC APTU (Tullahoma, TN)
 Short Duration Propulsion Test and
Evaluation (Hy-V) Program
• SDPTE Program established and combined with Hy-V Program
• Goal is to resolve effects of duration and vitiation of ground test
media on DMSJ performance
• Culminates with Mach 5 sounding rocket flight of two DMSJ
flowpaths

Prediction of Flight
Performance
- Thrust
- Combustor pressure
- Isolator pressure
- Inlet operability
- Heat flux
UVa Direct-Connect Flight at
Tests ATK Freejet Tests NASA WFF

Cleared for public release AEDC PA 2009-292

 Robust Scramjet 10X Program
• Narrowed scope to 10x (from 100x) Heavy Hypersonic Cruise Missile
• Focus limited resources • 10X Design Concept
• 1x to 10x is significant leap as a – Operation over range of 3 Mach
design challenge numbers within Mach 3.5 to 8.0
• 10x is still compatible with national – Operating dynamic pressure
T&E infrastructure at least in direct- range from at least 1000 to more
connect mode than 2000 lbf/sq ft
• AFRL/RZA-led exercise with industry – On-design captured air mass flow
rate of 100 lbm/s
to identify technology gaps
– Resultant off-design capture
Primary Technology Gaps between 50 and 200 lbm/s
•Ignition/Engine Start Sequence • Ops Concept
•Flameholding Scaling and Flow Coupling – Air-launch from B-52H
•Inlet Starting/Operability Limits – Rocket boost
•Seals, Gaps, and Tolerances
•Shape Stable High Temperature Materials
•Thermal Management
•Fuel Modeling, Characterization , Stability
Distribution A: 88ABW-2009-2489, 5 June 2009 19
 AFRL Hypersonic Propulsion Technology Programs

X-51A Scramjet Engine Demonstration Robust Scramjet

• Demo HyTech scramjet in flight • 10X – 100X scale
• First flight FY09 • Increased durability
• Improved operability

LR C

10 X SED
100 X SED
LR C

LR C

Combined Cycle Engine Components

• Merge scramjet with turbine and
rocket engines for wide range of
flight speeds
• Key to air breathing access to space
20
Cleared for Public Release: # DOD 06-S-2154