Aerogravity Assist
One of the most significant issues involved with exploration of the solar
system or galaxy is the time required to reach even our nearest neighbors.
Higher velocity flight is perhaps the easiest way to cut down on this time.
However, it brings its own drawback: the fuel necessary to reach a higher velocity.
One of the suggested solutions would be to use the mass or atmosphere of a
planet to propel a ship to a higher velocity without a large expenditure of
fuel. NASA-Dryden is interested in research related to the latter - "skimming"
off of the atmosphere using hypersonic shock to propel the spacecraft. Related
NASA projects include aircraft based on the waverider concept and the X-43A
HyperX.
Related Resources
Keywords
Aerodynamics; Aircraft design; Aircraft performance; Atmospheric entry;
Autonomous air navigation; Flight simulation; Fuel reduction; Hypersonic
flight; Structural analysis; Supersonic flight
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