The high-speed experimental flight test vehicle of HEXAFLY-INT: a multidisciplinary design

This paper will provide a comprehensive and detailed description of the multidisciplinary activities performed by the Italian Aerospace Research Center (CIRA) and Tecnosistem-Engineering and Technology (TET) to design the hypersonic non-propelled glider Experimental Flight Test Vehicle (EFTV) and its experimental flight trajectory. A synthesis of the relevant aspects, means and methodologies used for assessing EFTV’s aerodynamic behaviour and aerothermodynamic features, materials and thermal protection system, structural loads and stress analysis, and trajectory is reported. All these aspects depend on each other and together they lead to the definition of the vehicle and the mission matching the initial requirements. Different approaches for the different phases of the flight are also defined. The final aim of the activity is to define methods and standards for different critical aspects of high-speed flying systems and then to collect valuable flight data to validate methods and technologies in a dedicated experimental flight campaign.