Issued patent
System for Flight Control of Extremely Fast (Hypersonic) Aircraft
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center have designed an electrode-based system for guidance, navigation and control of aircraft or spacecraft moving at hypersonic speeds in ionizing atmospheres. The system is composed of two electrodes that sit on the surface of a craft’s thermal protection system (TPS) and an electromagnet positioned beneath the craft’s TPS. The system operates based on the principles of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and uses energy harvested from the ionized flow occurring during flight at hypersonic speeds to power the electromagnet and generate extremely large Lorentz forces capable of augmenting lift and drag forces to steer and control the craft. The energy harvested can alternatively be stored for later use. NASA’s system is simpler than conventional methods for control of hypersonic craft (e.g., chemical propulsion, shifting flight center of gravity, or trim tabs) and enables new entry, descent, and landing mission architectures.