Flight Testing the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE)

Abstract The design of the next generation of space accessvehicles has led to a unique flight test that blends thespace and flight research worlds. The new space vehicledesigns, such as the X-33 vehicle and Reusable LaunchVehicle (RLV), are powered by linear aerospike rocketengines. Conceived of in the 1960's, these aerospikeengines have yet to be flown, and many questionsremain regarding aerospike engine performance andefficiency in flight. To provide some of these data beforeflying on the X-33 vehicle and the RLV, a spacecraftrocket engine has been flight-tested atop the NASASR-71 aircraft as the Linear Aerospike SR-71Experiment (LASRE). A 20 percent-scale, semispanmodel of the X-33 vehicle, the aerospike engine, and allthe required fuel and oxidizer tanks and propellant feedsystems have been mounted atop the SR-71 airplane forthis experiment. A major technical objective of theLASRE flight test is to obtain installed-enginepertbrmance flight data for comparison to wind-tunnel*Stephen Corda+ Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion and PerformanceBranch, (805) 258-2103, stephen.corda@dfrc.nasa.gov'Bradford A. Neal, Aerospace Engineer, Operations EngineeringBranch, (805) 258-3204, brad +neal@dfrc+nasagov