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What are some of the challenges in building a hypersonic vehicle?
In order for a vehicle to be considered hypersonic, it must be able to travel at speeds faster than approximately Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. The two main challenges that determine the structure and body of the hypersonic vehicles are withstanding extreme temperatures and shock waves.
The extreme temperature is mainly due to the vehicle compressing the air in front of it to cause the air’s temperature to rise. The shock wave can also cause vibration and control problems with the vehicle.
The space shuttle, which can reach speeds up to 17,500 mph or Mach 25, encounters temperatures up to about 1,650 ° C (3,000 ° F) when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. The space shuttle’s nose and lower fuselage are blunt shaped in order to create an insulating cushion of air between the spacecraft and the shock wave that is created.
