Aerospace Transportation Systems Lab. (Prof. Tetsuya Sato)
Department of Applied Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering
Our laboratory mainly conducts R&D of the hypersonic precooled turbojet engine to apply for hypersonic cruisers and spaceplanes in cooperation with JAXA. We are currently involved in preliminary studies such as an engine system unsteady simulation, study of supersonic inlet buzz, study of the cryogenic two phase flow, study of the frost formation on the precooler and CFD analysis on the combustor. We have proposed a Mach 5 flight experiment of a small scale ramjet vehicle using a sounding rocket called HIMICO: High Mach Integrated Control Experiment.
Our Targets (Joint research with JAXA)
Precooled Turbojet
Precooled turbojet engine is a jet engine designed for hypersonic aircraft, incorporating a heat exchanger (precooler) between the air-intake and compressor. Precooling not only protect the compressor from aerodynamic heating under hypersonic conditions but also enhances the engine performance. JAXA has developed a sub-scale engine (S-engine) and conducted system combustion tests of the S-engine under the sea-level static conditions up to Mach 4.
Precooled Turbojet（S-engine）（©️JAXA）
HIMICO (High Mach Integrated Control Experiment)
Currently, we are advancing a flight test plan using a small-scale experimental vehicle. This project, named “HIMICO : High Mach Integrated Control Experiment”, aims to demonstrate the airframe/propulsion integrated control technology essential for achieving hypersonic flight using the S-520 rockets.
The overview of the HIMICO project is illustrated in the diagram below. The HIMICO experimental vehicle, with a length of 2.0 meters, is mounted on the nose cone of the S-520 observation rocket and launched from the JAXA Uchinoura Space Observatory. In mid-flight, the nose cone is opened, and the experimental vehicle is separated. The vehicle accelerates during free fall, undergoes controlled aerodynamic maneuvering after re-entry into the atmosphere, and is inserted into a trajectory at Mach 5 and dynamic pressure of 50 kPa.
The experimental vehicle is maneuvered into a backflying configuration, controlled through roll maneuvers, inverted, and finally, the ramjet engine is activated. After conducting integrated experiments, the vehicle concludes by splashing down.
HIMICO Flight Sequence
HIMICO Mach 4 Combustion Test at Kakuda RJTF of JAXA
Other Research
Please see the following pamphlet for other research details.
