The Hexafly-INT project intends to test in free-flight conditions an innovative gliding vehicle with several breakthrough technologies on-board. This approach will create the basis to gradually increase the readiness level of a consistent number of technologies suitable for high-speed flying systems.
This paper presents a Finite Element thermal analysis of the Experimental Flight Test Vehicle, combining information coming from the flight trajectory, the structural layout, the vehicle aerothermodynamics and the thermal behavior of the preliminarily selected materials in high temperature conditions. Numerical results show the thermal performances of the selected high temperature resistant materials in moderate enthalpy flow conditions and provide fundamental information on the thermal loads to be considered for structural analyses.
Thermo-Structural Design of the HEXAFLY-INT Experimental Flight Test Vehicle (EFTV)