AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF TUBE VEHICLE SYSTEMS

A general description of the aerodynamics of tube vehicles is presented. The advantages of dividing the flowfield into a far flowfield away from the vehicle and a near flowfield close to the vehicle are discussed. Solutions for the near flowfields and asymptotic short- and long-time solutions for the far flow are presented. Combined flowfield solutions are then presented along with predictions of thrust and power requirements. The effects of the vehicle propulsion system and of flow velocities reaching M = 1 about the vehicle are shown to be of fundamental importance.