Surface heating effects of X-33 vehicle thermal-protection-system panel bowing

The thermal protection system on the windward side of the Lockheed Martin X -33 technology demonstrator vehicle consists largely of metallic panels. As the vehicle travels through the Earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, t hermal gradients between the top and bottom face sheets of the honeycomb pa nels cause them to bow. This study uses Navier-Stokes flow analysis to asse ss the effects of panel bowing on the surface heating of the vehicle, Analy sis is performed at keg locations on the design trajectory. A series of sur face heating augmentation factors an! presented that provide the increase o r decrease in heating rate as a function of bow height. The existence of re verse flow at the panel interfaces because of panel bowing is demonstrated.