Controls-Oriented Hypersonic Vehicle Modeling Earns Acclaim Published May 21, 2009 By Holly Jordan Air Vehicles WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- AFRL Air Vehicles Directorate scientist Dr. David Doman earned the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Silver Medal for his work on a controls-based modeling approach for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles. One of the world's most respected professional societies, RAeS presents this award for exceptional contributions advancing the aerospace industry. Dr. Doman applied his extensive knowledge of hypersonic aircraft to develop a model capable of characterizing both the specific impact of individual vehicle systems and the cumulative effect of dynamic subsystem interactions on aircraft controllability. This work facilitates the consideration of flight dynamics and controls early in the design cycle, a critical intervention for hypersonic vehicle development in terms of the inherent component interaction and limited (i.e., small) design margins. Compared to conventional aircraft, air-breathing hypersonic vehicles--which can achieve speeds of Mach 5 and higher--pose unique controls-related challenges, arising primarily from the complex interactions that occur between vehicle components. Overcoming these significant difficulties therefore requires a thorough understanding of all involved systems, including the aircraft's propulsion, aerodynamics, structures, control effectors, and thermal protection components. AFRL's recently developed model affords designers and engineers a better understanding of how to modify vehicle configurations for improved response to various feedback controls. The new model is currently in use by more than 20 different teams researching guidance and control technologies for hypersonic vehicles.