Aero-thermal Trade-off Analysis of the Italian USV Re-entry Flying Test Bed

In the framework of the USV program, carried on within the Italian Aerospace Research Program, a trade-off analysis has been performed aimed at defining the configuration and the mission profile of a future experimental Flight Test Bed, called FTB-X, devoted to reentry flight experiments. FTB-X shall exhibit well improved aerodynamic and maneuverability characteristics, allowing to perform longer endurance re-entry patterns, as compared to conventional lifting re-entry vehicles, and therefore increasing related operability and safety margins. The long-duration mission requirement is particularly challenging from the point of view of Thermal Protection System (TPS) Design, because it has a direct impact on the type and on the thickness of the insulator used to protect internal structures and equipment. Moreover, a critical issue is the small radius of the nose and of the wing leading edge due to the need to guarantee a high aerodynamic efficiency. The performed thermal analysis and the proposed solutions for the TPS are described in the paper, together with the open points to be more deeply investigated in the next phases of the activity.