Abstract
An experimental study on aerodynamic effect of RLVs (Reusable Launch Vehicles) due to fuselage cross sections has been conducted in subsonic flow. Three fuselage models and two wing-body models have been considered. Fuselage models have a circular, a square and a triangular cross section. Wing-body models have a square and a triangular cross section with wings. Experiments have been conducted under test conditions of free-stream Mach number M∞=0.3 and Reynolds number Re=3.2×106. Aerodynamic forces are measured and flow fields are visualized by smoke-wire technique and oil-flow technique. Results show that fuselage cross sections have much effect on whole aerodynamic characteristics, the fuselage model with a triangular cross section has higher lift coefficient in high angle of attack region than that of the other fuselage models and the wing-body model with a triangular fuselage cross section does not stall till high angle of attack region compared with the “Square” fuselage wing-body model.
