TABLE OF CONTENTS In this book basics of aerothermodynamics are treated, which are of importance for the aerodynamic and structural layout of hypersonic flight vehicles. It appears to be useful to identify from the begin classes of hypersonic vehicles, because aerothermodynamic phenomena can have different importance for different vehicle classes. This holds especially for what is usually called "heat loads". In this book we introduce the "thermal state of the surface", which encompasses (and distinguishes between) thermal surface effects on wall and near-wall viscous-flow and thermo-chemical phenomena, and thermal (heat) loads on the structure.
The scientific and technical discipline "aerothermodynamics" is multidisciplinary insofar as aerodynamics and thermodynamics are combined in it. However, recent technology work for future advanced space transportation systems has taught that "aerothermodynamics" should be seen from the beginning in an even larger context.
In aircraft design, a century old design paradigm exists, which we call Cayley's design paradigm, after Sir George Cayley (1773 1857), one of the early English aviation pioneers [1]. This paradigm still governs thinking, processes and tools in aircraft design, but also in spacecraft design. It says, that one ought to assign functions like lift, propulsion, trim, pitch and yaw stabilization and control, et cetera, plainly to corresponding subsystems, like the wing, the engine (the propulsion system), the tail unit, et cetera. These subsystems and their functions should be coupled only weakly and linearly. Then one is able to treat and optimize each subsystem with its function, more...
