Current status and future prospects for the numerical simulation of hypersonic flows

In this paper, we provide a perspective on how the field of computational aerothermodynamics has evolved and make some educated guesses as to where it is headed in the future. Over the past twenty years there have been great improvements in the accuracy, complexity, and reliability of hypersonic flow simulations. However, there is still room to push the boundaries of hypersonic computation with regard to physical modeling capabilities, sensitivity of solutions to the grid, and flexibility for complex geometries. As we move to billion element automated solutions on larger-scale heterogeneous processor systems, methods and solution approaches will have to evolve on many fronts. The continuing increase in computer performance and the improvements to numerical methods will work together to solve many of the multi-disciplinary problems that occur in hypersonic flight.