Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics - 535.761

The course objective is to demonstrate the design process of a hypersonic vehicle’s thermal protection system (TPS). The first half of the course analyzes the inviscid flow-field surrounding blunt and slender bodies traveling at high speeds. Topics include compressible gas dynamics, high-temperature physics, and reacting flows. The second half of the course then uses the flow field predictions to calculate the aerothermal loads and material response of the TPS. Topics include compressible boundary layers, material ablation, and thermal conduction into the TPS. The students will solve a combination of theoretical and numerical problems using MATLAB or Python, culminating in a final design project.