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NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) Division World-class modeling, simulation, and supercomputing in support of the NASA mission

Enabling Supersonic Over-Land Flight Using Computational Modeling

AMS Seminar Series

Speaker: Scott Neuhoff, Computational Aerosciences Branch, NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division

Presentation

Seminar Slide Deck (PDF-20MB)

Abstract

NASA's QueSST mission is interested in exploring the potential of commercial, over-land supersonic flight, which has been banned since 1973 due to the noise intensity of the sonic booms that supersonic vehicles create. NASA has partnered with Lockheed Martin to design and construct an experimental aircraft, the X-59, that will shape the sonic boom to achieve a perceived loudness on the ground that is lower than 75dB. In this talk, we present new developments in the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) CFD solver framework which are tailored to the analysis of supersonic vehicles, like the X-59, and sonic boom propagation. Utilizing a high-order space marching method, adjoint-based grid adaptation, and robust database capabilities have enabled significant cost savings over traditional CFD methods for the same level of accuracy in perceived boom loudness. Example cases demonstrating the toolset are presented, along with comparisons to experimental wind tunnel data. These developments will enable LAVA to quickly and accurately provide simulation data to the project during X-59's first and subsequent flights in 2024 and beyond.

Funded by the NASA ARMD’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project

Biography

Photo of Scott Neuhoff
Scott Neuhoff is a researcher with the LAVA team in the Computational Aerosciences Branch at NASA Ames Research Center. He joined NASA in 2020 and has worked on projects including SLS launch environment simulations with novel multiphase methods, supersonic retro-propulsion for Martian entry descent and landing, and most recently with the Commercial Supersonic Technology (CST) project in X-59 analysis and database generation. He graduated with a Master's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 2019 and a Bachelor's in Aerospace Engineering from University of Illinois in 2016.