Aerospace Vehicle Technologies

The Aerospace Vehicle Technologies program, part of the Air Force's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation efforts, is dedicated to advancing technologies in high-speed systems, flight controls, aeromechanics, structural systems, and nuclear system technology. Its primary goal is to develop and analyze aerospace vehicle technologies critical to the Department of the Air Force. This involves creating component-level technologies for hypersonic systems, enhancing flight control capabilities for various aerospace vehicles, and designing advanced aerodynamic configurations through simulations and experiments.

A key project within this program is High Speed Systems Technology. It focuses on developing technologies for both expendable and reusable high-speed aerospace systems. The project emphasizes maturing critical technologies for hypersonic systems with a focus on longer-range flights and heavier payloads. It also involves developing innovative structural concepts and thermal management techniques to support future high-speed weapons and platforms.

Another significant project is Flight Controls and Pilot-Vehicle Interface. This initiative seeks to maximize the capability of manned and autonomous aerospace vehicles through advanced control technologies. It includes developing autonomy capabilities for dynamic tasking in complex environments and ensuring safe interoperability between manned and unmanned aircraft. The project also focuses on integrating these technologies into full-scale simulations to enhance vehicle performance throughout the flight envelope.

The Nuclear System Technology project supports national requirements for nuclear deterrence by developing nuclear-related technologies such as environmental modeling for re-entry systems. It coordinates with inter-agency partners to advance modeling and simulation capabilities and test platforms for next-generation strategic systems. The project aims to improve seismic monitoring techniques using machine learning approaches and enhance prediction capabilities through advanced waveform tomography.