TY - GEN
T1 - Aeromechanics of inflatable airfoils
AU - Simpson, Andrew
AU - Usui, Michiko
AU - Jacob, Jamey
AU - Smith, Suzanne
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - The BIG BLUE (Baseline Inflatable Glider Balloon-Launched Unmanned Experiment) project at the University of Kentucky under a NASA Workforce Development Grant has a primary objective of promoting aerospace careers to undergraduate students. The goal of the project was to flight-test a high-altitude aircraft with inflatable/rigidizable wings to determine concept feasibility for a Mars explorer mission. The wings will be stowed in the fuselage, inflate during ascent, and rigidize with exposure to UV light. The vehicle will descend as a glider with only tail control. Ease of manufacturing is the primary design constraint in choosing the wing profile. Results from combined XFoil and ANSYS analyses on multiple profiles are presented. The E398 profile was selected and has been tested with ideal and inflatable profiles in a wind tunnel at flight conditions. Results from lift/drag tests are presented. A summary of future and current work on inflatable airfoils at the University of Kentucky is reviewed.
AB - The BIG BLUE (Baseline Inflatable Glider Balloon-Launched Unmanned Experiment) project at the University of Kentucky under a NASA Workforce Development Grant has a primary objective of promoting aerospace careers to undergraduate students. The goal of the project was to flight-test a high-altitude aircraft with inflatable/rigidizable wings to determine concept feasibility for a Mars explorer mission. The wings will be stowed in the fuselage, inflate during ascent, and rigidize with exposure to UV light. The vehicle will descend as a glider with only tail control. Ease of manufacturing is the primary design constraint in choosing the wing profile. Results from combined XFoil and ANSYS analyses on multiple profiles are presented. The E398 profile was selected and has been tested with ideal and inflatable profiles in a wind tunnel at flight conditions. Results from lift/drag tests are presented. A summary of future and current work on inflatable airfoils at the University of Kentucky is reviewed.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84896761883
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84896761883#tab=citedBy
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84896761883
SN - 9781624100314
T3 - 34th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference and Exhibit
BT - 34th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference and Exhibit
T2 - 34th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference and Exhibit 2004
Y2 - 28 June 2004 through 1 July 2004
ER -