A propulsion system includes at least one rotating detonation actuator comprising: a flow path extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the flow path; an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the flow path; and at least one aircraft wing. The rotating detonation actuator is disposed in the aircraft wing. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the flow path from the inlet end to the outlet end.

A supersonic flow system in which a supersonic flow is encountered includes a surface configured to be exposed to a supersonic fluid flow, wherein the surface includes an upstream end and a downstream end opposite the upstream end, a wave generator coupled to the surface and including one or more actuators configured to selectably induce strain in the surface, and a wave controller in signal communication with the wave generator and configured to activate the one or more actuators to induce one or more travelling waves configured to travel along the surface between the upstream end and the downstream end of the surface.

A supersonic flow system in which a supersonic flow is encountered includes a surface configured to be exposed to a supersonic fluid flow, wherein the surface includes an upstream end and a downstream end opposite the upstream end, a wave generator coupled to the surface and including one or more actuators configured to selectably induce strain in the surface, and a wave controller in signal communication with the wave generator and configured to activate the one or more actuators to induce one or more travelling waves configured to travel along the surface between the upstream end and the downstream end of the surface.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to monitor a shock wave proximate a surface of an aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first camera at a first location on an aircraft to capture a first image of a surface of the aircraft during a first time period, and capture a second image of the surface during a second time period, a second camera at a second location to capture a third image of the surface during the first time period, and capture a fourth image of the surface during the second time period. The example apparatus further includes a position calculator to identify a first position of a shock wave based on the first and third images, and a second position based on the second and fourth images, and calculate a difference between the first and the second positions, and a command generator to generate a command to control at least one of an actuator and a control surface based on the difference.

An apparatus and method that improves the operation of aerospace planes or rockets having an integrated flute and hat components whereby the flute functions as a hypersonic refrigeration engine and the hat as a flat plate heat exchanger to achieve an isothermal compression of the incipient hypersonic air in front of the nosecone to reduce hypersonic vibrations during flight, these improvements allow for the reduction in temperature during flight operation allowing for improved cooling of the aerospace plane or rocket.

An apparatus and method that improves the operation of aerospace planes or rockets having an integrated flute and hat components whereby the flute functions as a hypersonic refrigeration engine and the hat as a flat plate heat exchanger to achieve an isothermal compression of the incipient hypersonic air in front of the nosecone to reduce hypersonic vibrations during flight, these improvements allow for the reduction in temperature during flight operation allowing for improved cooling of the aerospace plane or rocket.

An aircraft wing has an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the surface element which includes: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1, a downstream segment SEG.sub.2, an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole or at least a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole or at least a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and a link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil. The first mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.

An aircraft wing has an upper surface element and a first actuator powered mechanism for varying the shape of the surface element which includes: an upstream segment SEG.sub.1, a downstream segment SEG.sub.2, an interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG.sub.3 extends along the whole or at least a major part of the downstream edge of SEG.sub.1 and the whole or at least a major part of the upstream edge of SEG.sub.2, and a link element LNK interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG.sub.1 with an upper surface of the aircraft wing, and the first mechanism interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil. The first mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to monitor a shock wave proximate a surface of an aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first camera at a first location on an aircraft to capture a first image of a surface of the aircraft during a first time period, and capture a second image of the surface during a second time period, a second camera at a second location to capture a third image of the surface during the first time period, and capture a fourth image of the surface during the second time period. The example apparatus further includes a position calculator to identify a first position of a shock wave based on the first and third images, and a second position based on the second and fourth images, and calculate a difference between the first and the second positions, and a command generator to generate a command to control at least one of an actuator and a control surface based on the difference.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to monitor a shock wave proximate a surface of an aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first camera at a first location on an aircraft to capture a first image of a surface of the aircraft during a first time period, and capture a second image of the surface during a second time period, a second camera at a second location to capture a third image of the surface during the first time period, and capture a fourth image of the surface during the second time period. The example apparatus further includes a position calculator to identify a first position of a shock wave based on the first and third images, and a second position based on the second and fourth images, and calculate a difference between the first and the second positions, and a command generator to generate a command to control at least one of an actuator and a control surface based on the difference.