The SpaceLiner Hypersonic System – Aerothermodynamic Requirements and Design Process

Abstract

The revolutionary ultrafast passenger transport SpaceLiner is under investigation at DLR since 2005. The two-stage, fully reusable vehicle is powered by rocket engines. The maximum achieved velocity, depending on the configuration or mission type, is beyond 7 km/s putting some challenging aerothermal requirements on the vehicle. At the lower end of the speed-range, the SpaceLiner should have the smallest possible flight velocity for landing with an acceptable angle of attack. This paper describes the technical status achieved for the most recent SpaceLiner 7 configuration. The focus is on all system aspects of the reference vehicle’s preliminary design including the SpaceLiner’s nominal trajectory and flight performance which have an impact on the aerodynamic configuration. Major design requirements are defined. An overview on the aerodynamic database established by numerical calculations of the four different flyable configurations (both stages, launch configuration, emergency passenger capsule) in the complete, broad Mach-number range is provided.