Problem Description
To avoid doing hypersonic CFD of the entire rocket, we begin with the following assumptions:
- The fin is at 0 angle of attack
- The X-Axis Body Rate are negligible
- The vehicle is flying through a perfect gas
We predict the conditions at the leading edges of the fins by using the free stream conditions V_\infty, \; \rho_\infty, \; T_\infty When the flight regime is supersonic, the leading edge shock must also be considered. Normal Shock relationships may be used to evaluate the flow behind the shock.
Now that the properties of the flow surrounding the fin have been ascertained, it is necessary to determine the boundary layer coefficients. These are typically empirical properties that describe the convective heat transfer from the flow to the vehicle.