X-43A Stage Separation System - A Flight Data Evaluation

The successful flight tests of the Hyper -X / X -43A research vehicles in March and November 2004 provided a major demonstration of the airframe -integrated scramjet engine. The execution of stage separation was a key, high -risk event that initiated the free flight of the Hyper -X research vehicle, enabling the goals and objectives of the program to be achieved. This execution marked the first asymmetric, endo -atmospheric, hypersonic separation event ever achieved. The separation system design consisted of several previous ly developed components (explosive bolts, hot -gas initiated pistons, ordnance drivers) combined with an array of instrumentation (LDVTs, reset -able breakwire indicators, pressure transducers, accelerometers, and onboard video cameras). A ground test progr am was devised to characterize the components and the full -scale system to support a 6 + 6 DOF flight simulator. This paper will provide an overview of the separation system, a description of the ground test program, and review in -flight results.