Launcher Aerodynamics : a Suitable investigation Approach At Phase-a Design Level

This chapter deals with launcher aerodynamic design activities at phase-A level. The goal is to address the preliminary aerodynamic database of a typical launch vehicle configuration as input for launcher performances evaluations, control, sizing, and staging design activities. In this framework, different design approaches relying on both engineering and numerical methods are considered. Indeed, engineering-based aerodynamic analyses by means of a three-dimensional panel methods code, based on local surface inclination theory, were performed. Then, accuracy of design analysis increased using steady-state computational fluid dynamics with both Euler and Navier-Stokes approximations.