Rapid Steady-State Hypersonic Aerothermodynamic Loads Prediction Using Reduced Fidelity Models

Balancing accurate and efficient estimation of aerothermodynamic loads is a significant challenge for multidisciplinary modeling and analysis of high-speed vehicles. This study focuses on this issue by studying the impact of analytical and data-driven model reductions over a broad operational space. Reduced models are compared with Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes predictions for steady-state aerodynamic pressure and heat flux on the surface of a complete hypersonic vehicle geometry over a broad operational space. Both accuracy and computational requirements are considered so as to provide guidance on tradeoffs when carrying out multidisciplinary simulation of high-speed vehicles.