Relative Heat Load Comparison of Vehicles Flying Hypersonic Transatmospheric Trajectories

An approximate analysis to estimate the stagnation-point heat e ux and heat load for hypersonic vehicles e ying transatmospheric periodic, glide, and steady-state cruise trajectories is presented. The analysis was developed by approximating density and velocity proe les for a hypersonic vehicle with aerodynamic characteristics that are assumed to be representative of current and future cone gurations. Results from a comparative investigation of relative heating rates and heating loads suggest that there exists a e ight corridor of mean altitudes and cruise velocities at which a periodic cruise trajectory achieves lower average heating rates when compared to glide or steady-state cruise trajectories.