Past Captain’s Corner Entry

Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2011

Our October program was an outstanding briefing on hypersonic flight by Dr. Richard Hallion.  Hypersonics:  where we have been and where we are going.  What it is:  the art of the possible; flight at Mach 5 (M-5) and above; rocket and/or air-breathing propulsion; consistent with DoD capabilities evolution; meets future needs to address future threats; and less than 10 years from possible IOC.  What it isn't:  wishful thinking.  What it can be:  timely, theater/global, combat power.
Dr. Hallion discussed "Round One":  test aircraft accomplishing transonic flight through M-2.  Then on to "Round Two":  the X-15 era and the X-15A-2 with flight out to M-6.7 on 3 Oct 1967.  And finally to "Round Three":  the X-20A Dyna-Soar Program through the NASA-USAF lifting bodies and the path to shuttle using laboratory methodologies for design.  STS-1 (Space Shuttle Columbia, 14 Apr 1981), was the first winged hypersonic reentry from orbit of an inhabited spacecraft.  What has been accomplished:  we have refined design  approaches for aircraft, missiles, and aerospace craft.  We have mapped the high-speed frontier from M-0.75 to beyond M-27.  We have achieved notable milestones including true "transatmospheric" operations.  Dr. Hallion continued with a reflection on an intensive research effort:  Bell XS-1 (X-1) - exceed M-1 for first time (M-1.45);  Bell X-1A/B/D/E, M-2+ aerodynamic research (M-6.72); Lockheed X-17, hypersonic reentry testing (M-14.4); Shuttle Columbia, Piloted Lifting Entry, 4/12-14/81 (orbital); X-43A Hyper-X, Scramjet ignition and operation (M-9.7); X-51A, Hydrocarbon Therm Bal Scram (M-4.87); X37B, Routine Reusable Space Access (Orbital).  The first inflight scramjet combustion was completed on 30 July 2002.  The Center for Hypersonics, University of Queensland, Australia, flew a Scramjet combustion test vehicle to M-7.6, a 'world first'.  This was followed by the X-43A:  the first Scramjet Vehicle: M-9.7, 11/16/04.  His conclusion was with evolving defenses and an aging force-structure, there is a bothersome synergy:  distance + time + defenses + age = challenge.  What is to be done?  The hypersonic advantage"  long fly-out times risk missed opportunities against even moderately distant targets: M-0.75.  There is engagement range (nm) versus fly-out time (min).  Capitalizing upon speed enables seizure of opportunity even against distant fleeting targets:  M-6.5.

See you at Eglin on Tuesday, 15 November, with Col Larry Van Pelt as our guest speaker.

Volabamus, Volamus

Charlie Heifner
Flight Captain