DynaSoar
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Obviously, fillets are good for fin/body strength. Less obvious, but often said, is that they reduce drag. No doubt this is true, because it's mentioned in write ups of such vehicles as the Pegasus launcher and X-33. They reduce interference drag. OK, fine.
But how much fillet? How much is enough? Is there such a thing as too much, and how much would that be? What factors go into figuring this out, and how is it to be measured? I seem to recall from somewhere that the measure is in radius of curvature, but I don't know how that relates to the other dimensions or other factors.
Anyone seen any hard numbers generated in figuring this out? Or is the calculation going to be so complex that we're stuck with trial and error and wind tunnels?
But how much fillet? How much is enough? Is there such a thing as too much, and how much would that be? What factors go into figuring this out, and how is it to be measured? I seem to recall from somewhere that the measure is in radius of curvature, but I don't know how that relates to the other dimensions or other factors.
Anyone seen any hard numbers generated in figuring this out? Or is the calculation going to be so complex that we're stuck with trial and error and wind tunnels?