Numerical study of the influence of cone-cylindrical body geometry on aerodynamic processes in transonic flow

Purpose This study aims to investigate the aerodynamic behavior of cone-cylinder flight bodies with varying geometric parameters under subsonic, transonic and low-supersonic flow conditions. The motivation stems from the development of ultralight polymer-based launch vehicles (LVs) using autophage propulsion systems. Design/methodology/approach Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations with the Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model. The flow around cone-cylinder bodies was analyzed for Mach numbers ranging from 0.6 to 2.0, focusing on pressure distributions, drag characteristics and shock wave dynamics. Findings The simulations revealed that pressure fluctuations and self-oscillations of local shocks occur in the transition region between the conical and cylindrical parts, particularly in the transonic regime. The aerodynamic drag is strongly influenced by the elongation and shape of the nose section. Ogive shapes demonstrated lower drag than conical ones of the same elongation. Flow separation and vortex structures were observed at non-zero angles of attack, contributing to unsteady aerodynamic loads. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on idealized geometries and does not consider structural deformations or thermal degradation, which could be relevant for polymer-based LVs. Practical implications The results are critical for the structural design and trajectory optimization of polymer-bodied LVs, particularly under transonic aerodynamic loads where local shocks and pressure oscillations can lead to material failure. Originality/value This work provides new insight into the transient aerodynamic phenomena around cone-cylinder configurations relevant to novel lightweight autophage propulsion systems, addressing an underexplored area of LV aerodynamics.