We invite you to participate in the first annual Hypersonic Technology & Systems Conference (HTSC) which will take place at the Aerospace Presentation Center in Redondo Beach, CA 27 - 30 August 2018.
Sustained hypersonic flight within dense atmosphere has substantial utility. Advances in underlying technologies and integration into weapon systems offer the DOD significant enhancements in its ability to penetrate heavily defended areas and prosecute time-critical targets. Other nations are also actively pursuing these technologies; as such, defense against such systems is also of increased interest. The technologies required to enable the reliable use of hypersonic vehicles are multi-disciplinary. These include aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, navigation, guidance and control, in addition to challenges of air-breathing propulsion, rocket boost, and launch platform integration. This conference will bring together the best and brightest involved in the development of hypersonic technologies in a forum which will facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities. This conference will highlight the nation’s investments in hypersonic technologies for both research & development and weapon platform integration. This event will be held at the SECRET//NOFORN level. Attendance is limited to U.S. citizens with a final SECRET clearance.
Aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics play a significant role in the design of hypersonic missile systems, driving flight vehicle performance and durability. These phenomena must be adequately characterized and uncertainties identified to develop guidance and control methodologies. Due to the unique challenges associated with hypersonic flight, significant investment must be directed to developing aerodynamic models through the use of computational fluid dynamics and ground test and evaluation. The HTSC Aerodynamics and Aerothermodynamics topic area is devoted to discussions addressing the challenges and on-going investments in hypersonic system technology maturation.
Focus areas include:
Hypersonic threats present a unique challenge to U.S. defense systems. Hypersonic threats operate at high velocity, are capable of high acceleration maneuvers, operate across a large range of altitudes, and do not have a predictable trajectory. This topic area will examine the applicability of current and future defense systems against the hypersonic threat. The Defense Systems topic area is devoted to discussions addressing modeling and simulation of defense systems against hypersonic threats, all aspects of the threat kill chain, survivability of the defense system through the flight regime, and determination of lethality (hard or soft kills).
This topic area will examine radio frequency (RF) technologies and capabilities for detecting, countering the operation, and counter detection of hypersonic objects. There is a need to develop the capabilities to detect and defeat the adversaries’ hypersonic threats in different flight scenarios. This topic area is devoted to examining possible RF detection techniques associated with the hypersonic dynamics and flight environment effects, as well as the possible techniques to counter such detection. For example, analysis and characterization of target, as well as clutter produced due to the presence of different types of density irregularities inside the flow around a hypersonic vehicle could provide valuable insights for new efficient detection and countering capabilities. Combined with technologies and testing associated with achieving hypersonic velocities, areas of interest include:
Hypersonic flight tests have been conducted for several years, the results of which have brought a wealth of data about the characteristics of hypersonic flight. DARPA, DOE, NASA, and the defense services have demonstrated various key technological areas using sled tests and wind tunnel tests, and have conducted full system flight tests. This topic area is dedicated to plans, objectives, results, and other items related to hypersonic flight testing. Topics such as accuracy, maneuvers, thermal protection capabilities, range infrastructure, diagnostics, measurements, communications and capabilities will also be addressed. The ultimate goal is to share knowledge and plans of hypersonic flight testing and determine where knowledge and efforts can be leveraged.
The ability to provide a conventional precision strike on time-sensitive and critical targets is of extreme importance to the DoD, as is the ability to defeat the adversaries’ hypersonic weapons. This session will be devoted to examining the various service and agency capabilities and the technologies and testing associated with achieving hypersonic velocities, advanced flight dynamics, and defeating hypersonic threats. Areas of interest include:
Hypersonic weapon system components of interest include thermal protection systems, propulsion systems, ordnance technologies, seekers and associated components, airframe structures, as well as aerodynamic control systems. Specific system ground test areas of interest include aerodynamics, shock and vibration, aerothermodynamics, ablation, boundary layer transition, thermostructural characterization, weather encounter, lethality assessment, propulsion testing (including air-breathing), and flight electronics.
Hypersonic weapon R&D programs are being conducted by each of the services and agencies such as Office of the Secretary of Defense, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Strategic Capabilities Office. Each organization working on hypersonic weapons programs brings some unique capabilities. Differences such as being ground launched or air launched are fundamental differences, but areas such as hypersonic vehicle shapes, ranges, sizes, and other key areas are different as well. This topic area will focus on discussions related to service and agency hypersonic weapon R&D programs with the focus on current path and plans for the future and ultimate goals of each program.
This topic area addresses propulsion concepts that support single-use hypersonic flight and responsive strike systems. Three main areas of interest include solid rocket motors, air-breathing propulsion, and small solid stage motors with responsive solutions for end game maneuverability. While concept development phase activities are of interest, consideration will be given to elevated TRLs/MRLs where ground and flight test data from prototype propulsion components and systems are available.
Solid Rocket Motors Areas of Interest:
Air-Breathing Propulsion Areas of Interest:
Small Stage Solid Rocket Motor Areas of Interest:
Other Miscellaneous Areas of Interest:
Existing sub-sonic missiles have developed terminal sensors to increase accuracy and lethality for both stationary and moving targets. This topic seeks abstracts that investigate terminal sensors for a hypersonic missile. The high speed environment adds additional difficulty in the areas of reduced terminal engagement time line, high surface temperature on the sensor window, and limited aperture size. In addition, future capability requirements may drive the need for developing the ability to send and receive multiple signal types and thus require a variety of sensors and windows. Areas of interest include:
This topic area includes all aspects of thermal protection systems (TPS) design, analysis, and manufacturing that support ballistic, airbreathing, boost-glide, defense against hypersonics, high-energy kinetic projectiles, and re-entry systems for military applications.
Topics may include high-temperature materials and associated material properties, insulation materials and concepts, TPS and material modeling and simulation, TPS system concepts and design, electromagnetic windows, ablation, erosion, and manufacturing of TPS systems. Program and system overviews with pertinent materials, issues, and updates related to current missile programs are also included.
Focus areas include:
Hypersonic missile systems offer enabling capability to counter adversarial threats and provide the U.S. with significant advantages to address both offensive and defensive requirements. However, deviations from the historical aerodynamic configurations of re-entry systems require technology maturation in Navigation, Guidance & Control (NG&C) and electrical systems to support hypersonic flight systems. This topic is focused on addressing NG&C requirements for current and future configurations of interest within DOD. Discussions are encouraged in the following areas:
Additional interest exists in flight test and evaluation of hypersonic systems and resulting modeling and simulation validation for NG&C components and methods. Specifically, challenges, lessons learned, future requirements, and description of additional development and validation planned during future technology maturation.