Project Title:

Graphical User Interface for Design of Hypersonic Vehicles

92-1-03.07-2620                                                   NAS01-19869
Graphical User Interface for Design of Hypersonic
     Vehicles
Adaptive Research Corporation
4960 Corporate Drive, Suite 100A
Huntsville, AL  35805
John F. Stalnaker                                    (205-830-2620)

Abstract:

     Development of a user-friendly graphical interface linking
existing engineering computer programs for optimization of future
hypersonic vehicle concepts is the goal of this project. Phase I
will develop this interface for SRGULL, a suite of engineering
codes developed by NASA for prediction of the integrated
performance of national aerospace plan (NASP) configurations.
SRGULL is an interactive engineering tool capable of nose-to-tail
modeling of NASP components for rapid generation of initial
estimates of vehicle engine performance. The emphasis in Phase I
will be the development of CAD-like software to provide a higher
and more sophisticated degree of automation of the SRGULL code. A
significant strength of the present approach is the modular nature
of the interface which allows upgrades to more advanced grid
generation techniques, including unstructured grids, grid quality
measures, and solution adaptive procedures. Phase II will result
in a super workstation-based aerodynamic and engine performance
simulator with powerful engineering computer programs linked
together by customized pre- and post-processors. The menu-driven
interface will be versatile enough to allow user customization,
modification, or replacement of existing engineering models.
Progressively higher fidelity analyses could be performed in an
engineering design environment on secure, inexpensive machines
quickly and efficiently, thus saving valuable engineering
resources and speeding the design process. The time required to
become proficient in the use of these engineering design tools
would also be greatly reduced.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications:  Graphical user interfaces will
ultimately become the standard as the level of computational
sophistication and user flexibility increases. The interface will
thus make computational fluid dynamics design tools, in general,
much more accessible and attractive to many industries which would
otherwise not foster such expertise. The automotive, chemical,
electronics, environmental, marine, and power industries all offer
high potential for commercial applications.

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