This research explores the design of supersonic and hypersonic slender air-breating configurations from prescribed Two-Dimensional shock waves. Through the coupled use of the exact solutions of shock waves in an ideal gas, and the exact representations of planar and axisymmetiic geometric shapes, a series of elementary configurations are developed and analyzed. The design process is accomplished through the use of specially developed subroutines, programmed in FORTRAN, to manipulate and assemble these elementary configurations into either completed vehicle configurations or propulsion system configurations, The elementary shapes of interest to this study include the star-shaped leading edges, the caret-shaped inlets, and cylindrical combustors, convergent and divergent nozzles and plug nozzle after-bodies. This paper describes the generation of these elementary shapes, the aerodynamic basis for their creation and the technical requirements used during the final configuration assembly process As part of this effort an existing FORTRAN code is modified and enhanced. As its output, the design code generates the aircraft configuration and analyzes its aerodynamic performance. Further, the algorithms used to evaluate the resulting aero-thermo-dynamic and geometric characteristics of the resulting configurations; such as the local heat fluxes, the lift and drag, the surface areas and the configuration volume, are based on empirical engineering correlations and strict geometric principles. In general, the code developed as part of this research effort was used to conduct the following studies: Generate propulsion systems configurations from prescribed 2-D shock waves; Evaluate the resulting vehicle wetted surface area and volume; Evaluate the thrust performance of the system; Conduct an aero-thermo-dynamic analysis of the resulting system, and; Identify the design parameters that affect the vehicle's overall performance and shape. The outcome of this research can be classified in the following two categories. First, the propulsion system design and assembly process led to the discovery of engineering parameters that directly influence the aerodynamic performance of the resulting configuration. These parameters were manipulated to generate configurations with superior aerodynamic and thrust properties. Second, routines were developed that led to the design and analysis of a morphing ramjet-to-scramjet configuration.
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