[American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes...

16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference Bremen (Germany), 19-22 October 2009

AIAA-2009-7269

USV Program Status 2009

G. Russo*

CIRA, Italian Aerospace Research Center, 81043 Capua, Italy, Email: [email protected]

Abstract

The Italian research program named PRORA-USV (Unmanned Space Vehicle) is a technology-driven effort aimed at developing a number of topics that are considered enabling for future space access, reentry and hypersonic vehicles, with the belief that sooner or later trip to space and back will be guaranteed by actual aviation-like systems. An equally important complementary objective of the USV program is to contribute to the development of know-how enabling for future transatmospheric hypersonic commercial flight. The paper describes the different parts of the program as they as fixed today, after some 9 years of activity, with regard to technological objectives, actual achievements and future steps.

I. Introduction he Italian Aerospace Research Centre is conducting a research program named USV (Unmanned Space Vehicle) within the frame of the National Aerospace Research Program, PRORA. USV is a technology-driven program aimed at investigating and developing a number of topics that are considered enabling for future space access,

reentry and hypersonic vehicles, with the belief that sooner or later trip to space and back will be guaranteed by actual aviation-like systems. An equally important complementary objective of the USV program is to contribute to the development of those technologies and know-how building enabling the future transatmospheric hypersonic commercial flight. The main characteristic of the USV Program is that it implements what is known as the Research Triangle, i.e. the combination of theoretical-numerical modeling with on-ground testing and in-flight experimentation. Thus, the design and realization of unmanned Flying Test Beds (FTBs) conceived as flying laboratories represent an important effort necessary to flight test those enabling technologies as innovative materials, global and local aerodynamic prediction capabilities, advanced guidance, navigation and control

T

(GN&C) functionalities and

has to withstand typical large thermal loads, and has to maneuver safely in hypersonic flight.

spacecraft with wider operational

critical operational aspects. The development of such vehicles requires, in particular, the availability of a number of specific key technologies. In fact, the aerospace vehicle has to have good aerodynamic/aerothermo-dynamic characteristics,

II. Program Objectives The development and validation of technologies, which are able to provide future capabilities, is a key factor for a more affordable, easier and quicker access to space.

* Head CIRA Space Systems Dept. and USV Program Manager

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16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conferenc AIAA 2009-7269

Copyright © 2009 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.


A peculiar aspect of the future spacecraft is indeed the possibility to land on any spaceport, in the same way as a

c aerodynamic characteristics of advanced vehicles configuration;

pace

e flexibility for a wider family of reentry trajectories as well as fully innovative avionics (Health Management);

he design, development and operation of a number of Flying Test Beds (FTBs) represent a

d fixed pattern.

These missions are to be accomplished with the FTB_1 laboratory,

executed with the “Polluce” unit during the next winter from an altitude of 24 km

r operating the new

euu

the launchers used

to investigate in flight enhanced lifting re-entry profiles, as compared to conventional

larger than one hour).

conventional commercial transport aircraft. Such an operational capability requires significant R&T steps ahead, specifically in the field of: • hypersoni• aero-thermal design and optimization of the vehicle configuration, with the main task of improving aerodynamic

performances and thermal management, as compared to past and present operational spacecrafts (Soyuz, SShuttle);

• development of autonomous guidance navigation and control capability allowing maximum down and cross-rang

• development of hot structures based on innovative architectures and very high performance materials, allowing to withstand the very high temperatures and large thermal loads during the re-entry phase into the atmosphere.

The PRORA-USV program approach consists in the execution of a series of flight tests of increasing complexity, in terms of flight regimes and altitude envelope, with the aim of gradually achieving the final goal of an advanced re-entry capability. For this scope, trelevant effort of the program. The peculiar concept underlying these classes of experimental vehicles is that they are conceived as flying research laboratories, allowing them to fly within an enlarged operating envelope rather than a pre-defined anSystem and technology targets that are needed to achieve the final re-entry capability as above depicted are grouped in three major classes of missions following a complexity criterion related to flight regimes, technologies and launch systems. The first class of missions covers all the flight and mission operation issues related to the low atmosphere part of a re-entry pattern, from about 35 km altitude down to land, the main focus being on aero-structural and flight control of a re-entry vehicle at transonic and low supersonic speed.using a stratospheric balloon as launch system (first stage). The DTFT_1 = Dropped Transonic Flight Test #1 was performed with “Castor”, the first of the two FTB_1 spacecrafts, on Saturday 24th February 2007, from Tortolì Airport in Sardinia within the Air Force Test Range PISQ. The DTFT_2 mission is going to be trying to reach a maximum Mach 1.2 velocity and implementing a complex nose up + angle of attack sweep + three lateral-directional turns allowing also slowing down of the vehicle to the flight conditions useful fosingle-stage parachute system. Another mission of FTB_1 is planned about one year(maximum Mach 1.8) that suggested to label the flight as The second class of missions is dedicated to hypersonic flight in the range of Mach 6-8. Since the beginning the of PRORA-USV program, this kind of mission has been tagged HFT = Hypersonic Flight Test and has been conceptually designed to be realized implementing a “rockoon” (from rocket + balloon), i.e. a system launched by a stratospheric balloon and

d just after the release dies carried out in 2004 cted in 2008-2009, the concept has definitively classified as unfeasible because of either the dimensions of the vehicle bringing to unavailable too large balloon, and the safety aspects of such a mission requiring unavailable too large experimental area, and too cost and time expensive developments. During these days, a feasibility study (tagged as USV_4) in going on in cooperation with University of Queensland, Australian DSTO and DLR for a Mach 8 flight of a 2 meter class vehicle accelerated by one of

Z ≅ 35 km

after that is suppo ic conditions DSFT = Dropped Supersonic Flight Test.

sed to reach clear superson

accelerated by a booster ignitfrom the balloon. After the stand new design iteration cond

within the Australian HIFiRE program. The feasibility study will be completed in early 2010 but it may be anticipated that the mission could be possible at Woomera test range, realizing either an HFT or a SRT = Suborbital Reentry Test. The third class of missions is designed to cover all the flight regimes interested by a complete re-entry pattern, from LEO orbit down to land. These missions will be accomplished with the FTB_X laboratory, using VEGA as reference launch system. The FTB_X mission envelope is defined in order to respond to the major requirement

either non-lifting (capsules) and lifting (Space Shuttle) profiles, in terms of vehicle maneuverability, flight pattern adaptability, and long downrange (re-entry endurance

35-kmM = 7; M>6, 25’’

Z ≅ 35 km

35-kmM = 7; M>6, 25’’

Balloon launched HFT

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The major experimental target of such a class of missions consists in the validation and qualification of aero-thermodynamics, GN&C and hot structures, with special focus onto their capability to withstand high thermal loads

played by CIRA is relevant and dedicated, among others, to the coordination of the scientific

he following scheme represents the CIRA roadmap for reentry and hypersonic development, with specific regard to expected or possible in flight experimentation.

(heat flux as high as 2-3 MW/m2 and temperatures up to 2000°C) associated to advanced re-entry flight patterns (moderate angle of attacks, below 20°, and flight duration longer than 1 hour). The scientific approach used is characterized by the systematic attempt to maximize the synergies between the components of USV and the direct participation in other programs. This is the case of the ESA EXPERT and IXV programs in which the role experiments to be flown coming from different investigators and origin in general. Some of these experiments are being developed by CIRA itself. T

USV_1

EXPERT FLPP-IXV

USV_X

REENTRY REENTRY

REENTR

Y

AeroSpacePlane

Space Tourism

ATLLAS/LAPCAT

USV_2

HYPERSONICS

HYPERSONICS

HYTAM

USV_1USV_1

EXPERT FLPP-IXV

USV_X

REENTRY REENTRY

REENTR

Y

EXPERTEXPERT FLPP-IXVFLPP-IXV

USV_XUSV_X

REENTRY REENTRY

REENTR

Y

AeroSpacePlaneAeroSpacePlaneAeroSpacePlane

Space TourismSpace TourismSpace Tourism

ATLLAS/LAPCAT

USV_2

HYPERSONICS

HYPERSONICS

HYTAM

ATLLAS/LAPCAT

USV_2

HYPERSONICS

HYPERSONICS

HYTAM

ATLLAS/LAPCATATLLAS/LAPCAT

USV_2USV_2

HYPERSONICS

HYPERSONICS

HYTAMHYTAM The two fundamental legs of reentry and hypersonics developments are such to generate competencies and know how for a number of on going projects in Italy and in Europe. All of them could be beneficial towards any kind of space

urism may become a reality in the near future. All of them will certainly contribute to the slow maturation of knowledge towards the aerospaceplane in the long run.

at is composed by an expendable first stage, a carrier ased on a stratospheric balloon, and the winged re-entry flight test bed (FTB_1 vehicle), as the second stage. The

. the ascent phase, from lift-off to the vehicle release (in the range 20-30 km in altitude), during which the carrier

eriments. In this phase FTB_1 passes through the

flight;

to

III. Flight Experiments As said, a series of missions of increasing complexity has been planned, the first of which is the Dropped TransonicFlight Test (DTFT). This is mainly aimed at testing the aerodynamics and flight behavior in tran-supersonic flight regime, in a condition similar to that experienced by a winged launcher stage during its atmospheric re-entry trajectory. The design of the DTFT is based on using a two-stage system thbnominal mission profile of DTFT consists of three main phases: 1

system brings FTB_1 to the target altitude by means of the stratospheric balloon; 2. the flight phase, from vehicle release to parachute opening, when FTB_1 is released from the carrier and flies

accelerating to achieve the required velocity to perform the exptransonic regime (the maximum Mach number ranges from 1 to about 2), between 10 and 15 km, in stabilized attitude while performing an autonomous aero-controlled

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3. the deceleration phase, from parachute opening to splashdown, in which FTB_1 opens the parachute and the mission ends with the sea splashdown and succeeding recovery.

The first DTFT was carried out on last 24th February 2007 from Arbatax in Sardinia, Italy. The flight itself was very good, with a nose-up maneuver under transonic conditions, reaching a maximum Mach as high as 1.07. The mission target was completely achieved as some 2 million measures were taken related to flight data, housekeeping, as well as

system. Previous papers report the scientific and technological sults obtained with the first mission.

The second mission is planned for January-February 2010 from the same launch base in Sardinia. The trajectory will be mu own in the following figures.

500 aerodynamic and structural experimental sensors. Unfortunately, the vehicle has been destroyed during splash down because of a failure in the first stage of parachutere

ch more complex as sh

Mach 0.7 @ 21 s

Mach 1 @ 33 s

Parachute Opening @ 37 s

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.40

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5x 10

4

Alt

itu

de

[m]

Longitudinal Trajectory

Mach

Mach Hold Start @ 47 s

Mach Hold End @ 55 s

ACCELERATION PHASE

DECELERATION PHASE

First Mission DTFT_1

Second Mission DTFT_2

Mach 0.7 @ 21 s

Mach 1 @ 33 s

Parachute Opening @ 37 s

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.40

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5x 10

4

Alt

itu

de

[m]

Longitudinal Trajectory

Mach

Mach Hold Start @ 47 sMach Hold Start @ 47 s

Mach Hold End @ 55 sMach Hold End @ 55 s

ACCELERATION PHASE

DECELERATION PHASE

First Mission DTFT_1

Second Mission DTFT_2

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

x 104

-6000

1000

-5000

-4000

-3000

-2000

-1000

0

No

rth

Dir

. [m

]

Lateral Reference Trajectory

East Dir. [m]

First Turn Start @ 55.8 s

TAEM Start

Third Turn End @ 125 sAcceleration &AoA Sweep

First Turn End @ 74.3 s Third Turn Start @ 113.9 s

Second Turn Start @ 81.8 s

Second Turn End @ 106.7 s

Mission End @ 140 s

followed by a series of maneuvers in both the longitudinal plane (nose up, ngle of attack sweep) and the lateral-directional plane (turns) aimed at the end at decelerating the vehicle and bringing

it to the defined parachute opening area. The scientific objectives of the two DTFT missions are similar and related to the topics included in the following table.

The maximum Mach number will be 1.2 a

AerodynamicsValidation of aerodynamic databaseVerification of prediction capabilities on critical areas

StructureEvaluation of external forces (shears and moments) starting from the deformation measured during flight of FTB_1;Estimate of aeroelastic parameters (frequency and damping) of the vehicle subjected to the aerodynamic field

Guidance, Navigation & ControlVerification of flight mechanics uncertainty models and related control clearance tools;Validation of design tools and control strategies to obtain the desired aerodynamic test conditions;Demonstration of GN&C rapid prototyping development and verification technologies that will allow to rapidly and safely implement new GN&C algorithms for subsequent missions

The vehicle accommodates onboard scientific payloads (or Passenger EXperiments, PEX) which are aimed at conducting experiments: an aerodynamic test coupled with a structural test for validating the overall aerodynamic and

ructural design and analysis tools, and a GN&C technology test aimed at validating the stability and control augmentation system and related analysis and design tools in the re-entry flight phase of Terminal Area Energy Management (TAEM), which ranges from Mach 2.0 to 0.5.

st

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Identification of the most interesting regions304 pressure sensors mounted on FTB_1

flush mounted air data system

Large pressure variations in non symmetric flight

conditions

extended re-circulating base flow region

maximum pressure variation and presence of shock waves in

transonic regime

strong interference caused by the upper and lower V-Tails

Identification of the most interesting regions304 pressure sensors mounted on FTB_1




conditions


conditions




transonic regime


transonic regime



DTFT Aerodynamics Experiments

20 25 30 350.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

CL

20 25 30 350

0.01

0.02

0.03

t [s]

1σA

ccu

racy

Post FlightBefore Flight

20 25 30 350.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

CL

20 25 30 350

0.01

0.02

0.03

t [s]

1σA

ccu

racy

Post FlightBefore Flight

Vehicle Model Identification

0 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 3 0 . 4 0 . 5 0 . 6 0 . 7 0 . 8 0 . 9 1 1 . 1- 2 0

- 1 5

- 1 0

- 5

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0_ o

Angle of Attack Target AreaTarget Area

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

Ao

A -

α -

[°]

Montecarlo Results

AoA

0 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 3 0 . 4 0 . 5 0 . 6 0 . 7 0 . 8 0 . 9 1 1 . 1- 2 0

- 1 5

- 1 0

- 5

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0_ o


0 0 . 1 0 . 2 0 . 3 0 . 4 0 . 5 0 . 6 0 . 7 0 . 8 0 . 9 1 1 . 1- 2 0

- 1 5

- 1 0

- 5

0

5

1 0

1 5

2 0_ o


0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

Ao

A -

α -

[°]

Montecarlo Results

AoA

Robust Control Algorithm with Rapid Prototyping Techniques

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-2000 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000-6000

-4000

-2000

0

2000

4000

6000

East Direction [m]

North D

irec

tion [m

]

DropPoints

DropPoints

TargetPoint

On-Line Adaptive 4D Guidance

Furthermore, the DTFT/DSFT mission allow gathering significant information regarding the separation from the balloon and the starting phase of the FTB_1 descent; and the capability to cope with the mission final phase, from parachute opening to recovery. As said in the previous paragraph, the USV_4 is related to a small vehicle that will certainly be no more than 2 m long and will be a glider. Launched by means of one of the HIFiRE launchers, the small vehicle would reach a Mach as high as 8 for at least 15-20 seconds. Such kind of conditions may be achieved either along a ballistic trajectory (realizing the SRT mission) or following what is indicated as a semi-suppressed trajectory (realizing the HFT mission).

From the technological point of view, because of space limitation, it is here the case to mention the Sharp Hot Structure project. Good results have already achieved on both the nose and the wing leading edge. Although the TRL is still relatively low, it is true that very large pieces of hardware have been designed, verified, realized and tested in the 70 MW plasna wind tunnel.

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Reference Vehicle:FTB_4/X

Wing Leading Edge Demonstrator made of CMC coated with UHTC

Nose Cap Demonstrator: the tip is made of massive UHTC









Heat fluxes have been obtained as high as 3 MW/m2 together with a surface temperature at the stagnation point at 1800° centigrade.

IV. References 1. G. Russo, et al., Access to Space: Flying test Beds as Need for Long Term R&D, 2nd International Symposium

Atmospheric Re-entry Vehicles and Systems, Arcachon (France) – 26/29 March 2001

2. G. Russo, G. Borriello, S. Borrelli, F. Mura, Preliminary Design And Performance Of The PRORAUSV Experimental Vehicle, 2nd Int. Symp. On Atmospheric Re-entry Vehicles and Systems, Arcachon 26/29 March 2001

3. G. Russo, Next Generations Space Transportation Systems: R&D and Need for Flying Test Beds, AIAA/NAL/NASDA/ISAS 10th Int. Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Kyoto (Japan) – 24-27 April 2001

4. G. Russo, et al., The PRORA-USV Programme, 4th European Symposium on Aerothermodynamics for Space Vehicles CIRA, Capua (Italy) 8-11 October 2001, ESA-SP-487, pp. 37-48, March 2002

5. G. Russo, Next Generations Space Transportation Systems, MUSEAS1 Multifunction Sensors For Structural Health Monitoring in Aerospace Structures – Capua, Italy, 8-9 November 2001, Aerotecnica Missili e Spazio, Vol. 81 N. 2, pp.65-72, April-June 2002

6. G. Russo, Salvatore V., PRORA-USV Space propulsion Technologies, 8-IWCP Int. Workshop on Racket Propulsion: Present and Future, Accademia Aeronautica, Pozzuoli (Italy), 16-20 June 2002

7. G. Russo, Towards RLVs: the PRORA-USV Program, 11th AIAA-AAAF Int. Aerospace Plane & Hypersonic Syst. & Techn. Conf., Orleans (France), 29 Sept.- 4 Oct. 2002

8. G. Russo, Status of the PRORA – USV Program, 3rd International Symposium Atmospheric Re-entry Vehicles and Systems, Arcachon (France) – 24/27 march 2003

9. G. Russo, Flight Test Experiments Foreseen for USV, VKI Lecture Series on Flight Experiments for Hypersonic Vehicle Development, Brussels 24-28 October 2005

10. P.P. De Matteis, G. Russo, et al., The USV_X Concept: Mastering Key-Elements for Future Reentry Systems, 1st International ARA Days - Atmospheric Reentry Systems, Missions and Vehicles, Arcachon – France, 3-5 July 2006

11. G. Russo, G. Marino, USV Unmanned Space Vehicles - Ready to Fly, 14th AIAA/AHI International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Canberra (Australia), November 6th 2006

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12. G. Russo, et al., Unmanned Space Vehicle Program: DTFT In Flight Experiments, 18th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research, Visby Sweden, 3-7 June 2007

13. P.P. De Matteis, F. Corraro, R. Sabatano, G. Russo, DTFT-1: The First Flight of the Automatically Controlled Unmanned Space Vehicle, 1st International Workshop on “Autonomous Navigation and Artificial Intelligence: state-of-the-art and advances”, Pratica di Mare (Italy), July 2007

14. G. Russo, PRORA-USV: The First Dropped Transonic Flight Test, 1st CEAS European Air and Space Conference, 10–13 September 2007, Berlin

15. G. Russo, DTFT-1: Analysis of the First USV Flight Test, 58th International Astronautical Conference Hyderabad, India, 24-28 September 2007, Acta Astronautica 65 (2009) 1196–1207

16. G. Russo, PRORA-USV: Closer Space and Aeronautics, Keynote Lecture at the West-East High Speed Flow Field (WEHSFF-2007) Conference, 19-22 November 2007, Moscow, Russia.

17. G. Russo, PRORA-USV and Related Projects, 2nd International ARA Days “10 Years After ARD”, Arcachon – France, 21-23 October 2008,

18. Russo, G., P.P. De Matteis, PRORA-USV Two Flight Missions Exploring Transonic Conditions, 15th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Dayton (OHIO), 28 April – 1 May 2008

19. G. Russo, UHTC-based Space Applications: The Italian Origins, 1st Workshop on Science and Technology of UHTC-based Hot Structures, CIRA, Capua – Italy, 28 October 2008

20. G. Russo, PRORA-USV: Advanced Hypersonics and Reentry Program, First Sino Italian Conference on Aerothermodynamics and Hot Structures, Beijing 26 May 2009

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