UMN Professor Using Expertise in Hypersonics to Help Launch Simulation Center for Predictive Science

In the field of aerospace engineering, developing vehicles capable of traveling at hypersonic speeds is crucial for the future of space exploration. However, the challenge engineers face is ensuring that their designs can withstand the extreme conditions of hypersonic travel, with speeds exceeding 4,000 miles per hour.

A new grant awarded by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration and Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program (PSAAP) seeks to meet this challenge by establishing the Stochastic Simulations of Ablative Geometries with Error-Learning in Space and Time (SAGEST) Center. Researchers from multiple universities will collaborate at the center, which is housed at the University of Virginia, to develop advanced simulation tools that will help scientists test designs under extreme conditions.

Assistant Professor Anabel del Val from the University of Minnesota's Department of Aerospace Engineering will use her expertise to co-lead the team responsible for uncertainty quantification, a scientific approach used to identify and minimize uncertainties in simulations, improving both their accuracy and reliability.

“By the end of the five-year project, we hope to have the most advanced and accurate hypersonic simulation possible. To achieve this, we are pushing the limits of uncertainty quantification,” explains del Val.

The team will work closely with the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Belgium, where del Val earned her PhD. The institute will provide high-quality experimental data used to inform and refine the team's simulations.

Although the primary focus of the SAGEST team is aerospace and hypersonic flight, the research conducted at the center will have broader applications in fields like energy, medicine, materials science, and manufacturing. A key innovation of this work is its ability to balance computational precision with efficiency, using layered approaches to improve accuracy while quantifying uncertainty.

In addition to advancing scientific knowledge, the project will offer Professor del Val's students valuable hands-on experience working at one of three national laboratories involved in the initiative.

As hypersonic flight becomes a reality, advancements like those made at the SAGEST Center will be vital in ensuring that these next-generation vehicles are both safe and efficient. By enhancing simulation accuracy and reliability, researchers are not only helping to propel space exploration forward but are also contributing to a range of industries where precision and innovation are key. The outcomes of this project could help define the future of both aerospace engineering and scientific research across multiple fields.