Numerical Study on Heat-Drag Reduction for Hypersonic Vehicles via Integrated Aerospike-Jet Configuration

Abstract

Hypersonic vehicles are constrained by severe aerodynamic heating and drag, which limit both their performance and operational safety. To mitigate these critical issues, this study introduces an integrated aerospike configuration incorporating opposing and lateral jets, designed to achieve simultaneous drag and thermal load reduction. The proposed design was evaluated using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations with the shear-stress transport [Formula: see text] turbulence model, supported by comparative analyses of flow structures, surface heat flux, and aerodynamic performance. Results show that, compared to an unprotected blunt body, the integrated configuration reduces peak surface heat flux by 94.80% and decreases the total drag coefficient by 80.46%. Additionally, it was observed that an increase in the angle of attack intensifies the windward recompression shock, resulting in a moderate decline in drag reduction efficiency. Overall, the proposed configuration demonstrates strong potential for advancing active thermal protection systems in hypersonic vehicle applications.