Bluntness Parameter for Hypersonic Vehicle Design

What is it about?

A new hypersonic bluntness parameter is introduced which accurately correlates (L/D)max for spaceplanes and space capsules. The new parameter depends only on effective frontal diameter, wingspan b, length l, and nose diameter thereby providing a geometric framework for developing new spaceplane designs or comparing competing designs. Experimental values of the maximum lift to drag ratio for practical spaceplanes and space capsules were correlated to within +9% by simple relations. In addition the new parameter is shown to correlate the zero-lift drag coefficient CD,0 and the drag due to lift factor k.

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