Development of high fidelity tools and robust design approaches for low boom aircraft

The NASA Commercial Supersonic Technology Project recently completed a project Technical Challenge, “Low Sonic Boom Design Tools” which ran from 2011 to 2015. As part of this research effort, tools were developed, refined, and validated to support full-vehicle low-boom analysis, including inlet and nozzle effects. In addition, new and updated tools and processes were developed and demonstrated for application to robust low boom shape optimization. The work included both fundamental research efforts, computational analysis of full vehicle configurations, and application of robust low boom design methods to low boom aircraft concepts. This presentation will primarily focus on the technical achievements during the last 2 years leading to the recent successful completion of this technical challenge.