Dr. Christopher S. Schulz
Senior Director of Advanced Reusable Spance Transportation
Space Systems Development Division
Blue Origin
About Dr. Christopher S. Schulz
Dr. Schulz is the senior director of advanced reusable space transportation for the Space Systems Development division at Blue Origin. In this role he leads the early formulation, development, test, and fielding of highly reusable deep space transportation systems for commercial and government sector clients. Prior to joining Blue Origin, Dr. Schulz was the Director of Advanced Strategic Programs, Strategic and Missile Systems Division, Lockheed Martin Space where he led the development of advanced hypersonic and space system programs. He has expertise in identifying user requirements, articulating top-down architectures, and decomposing them into novel product opportunities that will satisfy end user needs. Dr. Schulz has extensive aerospace program management experience, including several assignments at the Office of Secretary of Defense. He has served as the Program Manager for the Falcon HTV-2 hypersonic technology demonstration program in the Tactical Technology Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Arlington, VA. In this position he directed the development and fight test execution of advanced long range hypersonic fight systems to meet future commercial and Government customer needs.
Dr. Schulz received both a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1998 from West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia. As well, he received a Masters of Science and Ph.D in Aeronautical Engineering in 2003 and 2007, respectively, from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. His experience base includes assignments at the National Air Intelligence Center, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, where he served with distinction as a foreign weapon systems analyst. Dr. Schulz has held multiple assignments in technical development and research centers to include serving as the Chief of the Control Theory Optimization Branch, Air Vehicles Directorate, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. There he led the research and development of decentralized cooperative control technologies for autonomous air vehicle systems. He has served as the Director of Hypersonic Research, Hypersonic Combined Test Force, 412th Test Engineering Group, Edwards AFB, CA. In this position he led the research, development, and test efforts in the area of adaptive navigation, guidance and control methods for advanced hypersonic fight systems. He is a published author in several leading scientific and technical publications in the area of guidance and control of manned and unmanned air vehicles, rockets, spacecraft, and reentry systems.
Abstract
Hypersonic flight, or simply flight above Mach 5 has provided new capabilities through the extreme speed, reach, and altitudes that it offers. Over the past six decades Hypersonic vehicles have provided important operational capabilities in atmospheric reentry, launch and space access, missile interceptor systems, reusable spacecraft, and interplanetary mission support. This seminar will provide a brief overview of the basic definition of hypersonic flight and the associated technical challenges with this flight regime. The applications for hypersonic systems will be presented accompanied by a survey of historical research and operational flight programs that span the use cases. Finally, the highlights of the design process for hypersonic systems will be presented, with emphasis on how to address the unique coupling of aerodynamics, aerothermal, structural, materials, and control.