Conceptual design of hydrogen-powered high-speed aircraft in low supersonic regime

The thesis aims to create a MATLAB program capable of generating a conceptual design for a liquid hydrogen-powered supersonic civilian aircraft at Mach 2, extending its appli- cability to a broader range, specifically between Mach 1.5 and Mach 2.5. The program begins with a statistical analysis of aircraft concepts that do not yet exist due to both regulations that do not permit them and the fact that liquid hydrogen as aircraft fuel is a developing technology. Afterward, all aerodynamic aspects, fuel weight considera- tions, and operational empty weight are calculated. The verification of wing loading and thrust-to-weight ratio requirements is then carried out, concluding with the design of the tanks, which is crucial for an aircraft of this type because LH2 has a much lower density compared to conventional fuels, necessitating larger storage space. These calculations are iterated until the total calculated mass is similar to that of the previous iteration. At that point, using the obtained data, various graphs and preliminary aircraft designs are developed. A strong point of the program is that the user can choose input data according to their preferences, allowing for the generation of different configurations. In the thesis, 5 different configurations are also analyzed, varying the Mach number and the number of passengers. The method used for the calculations is the same as for conven- tional aircraft, with appropriate modifications to meet the requirements imposed by this new technology.