The Sharp Edge Hypersonic Flight Experiment SHEFEX

Abstract

In order to achieve a low cost access to space by keeping the reliability at a high level, the design cycle duration has to be reduced and the service and refurbishment of the space vehicle have to be simplified. Design tools like CFD or structure codes are to be improved with respect to physical modelling using accurate data from ground testing or flight experiments. Although ground testing still provides the main validation data and allows a better understanding of the physics, a complete simulation of the flight conditions is mostly not possible. Flight experiments are the only way to obtain validation data for the design or prediction tools under real conditions. Complex geometry of the TPS components of operational space vehicles like Shuttle leads to costly manufacturing and maintenance processes. Flat panels with the same basic shape could be a realistic solution to reduce the costs and improve the aerodynamic performance of the space vehicle. Therefore DLR decided to perform a simple flight experiment to study the feasibility of a sharp edge hypersonic vehicle with facetted thermal protection panels. This lecture describes the complete SHEFEX mission with a main focus on the payload instrumentation and in-flight data measured with temperature, pressure and heat flux sensors, which were integrated into the TPS panels and main structure of the vehicle.