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Contest News
The 2009 contest is
closed and a new contest will be announced by September
1, 2009.
-The High School Results are in!
Visit the 2009
High school awards page to see the awardees
* Calculating Low Boom Signatures
Several resources of information on low boom signatures have been added as resources
for students. One is a working version of SEEB code written in FORTRAN. We
have no other code to provide that is publicly available to the international
community, so if you have a PC and are familiar with FORTAN, you should be able
to use it. Check the Recommended Reading section below for the relevant
downloads.
* Students that enter can receive a free seat of Pro/ENGINEER
software. Click here for information.
* Frequently Asked
Questions and Answers page
Reminder
US College
Student Internship Applications due March 1
--------------------------------Photos
from the 2008 Awards Presentation------------------------
Fundamental Aeronautics Student
Competition 2008-2009
Technical Area: Supersonic Flight Project
Background
For the first time in the history of commercial aviation,
we have taken a step backward. We had the capability
to fly faster than sound with commercial transports,
as demonstrated by the Concorde. There are no
commercial supersonic aircraft flying today. How
do we enable people to cover large distances (across
continents and oceans) quickly without placing an excessive
burden on our environment?
The Supersonics Project, part of NASA's Fundamental
Aeronautics Program, has identified a set of key technical
challenges that are barriers to success for practical
supersonic cruise vehicles. Some of these barriers
include:
- Efficiency challenges, including supersonic cruise
efficiency. There are two principal elements
to supersonic cruise efficiency—propulsion efficiency
and airframe aerodynamic efficiency—and these must
be treated as an integrated challenge.
- Environmental challenges, including airport noise
reduction, sonic boom modeling, and high-altitude
emissions reduction.
For this academic year challenge, we ask students
to put together their ideas (high school level) or
design (college level) for a highly efficient and environmentally
friendly, low boom, commercial aircraft with an Initial
Operational Capability (IOC) of 2020.* A successful
design will addresses the efficiency, environmental
and performance challenges described below.
Small Supersonic Airliner Design Goals:
- Cruise speed = Mach 1.6 to 1.8
- Design Range = 4000 nautical miles
- Payload = 35 – 70 passenger range (mixed class)
- Fuel Efficiency = 3 passenger-miles per pound of
fuel
- Takeoff field length < 10,000 feet
There are challenges for four levels of students:
See the High School and University links below for
the details
High School Contest
University Contest
Recommended reading:
NASA TM 4246.pdf
SUP-Coen-final.pdf
*Initial_Operational_Capability.pdf
SEEB code file,
SEED.tar
Darden Technical Paper,
TP-1348
Darden Technical
Report, TND-7842
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