Conduction of Heat within a Structure subjected to Kinetic Heating: A Study of the Problem of Skin Temperature at Hypersonic Speeds

MANY hold the view that the attainment of very high speeds of flight will be prohibited by the excessive skin temperatures involved, particularly in the vicinity of the wing leading edge, at least until that time when unforeseen advances in metallurgy, or in the application of ceramics, enable the extraordinary problems involved to be overcome. As an opinion it may for all one knows be justified by the event, but it seems (at least to the author) to exaggerate the facts, because it surely ignores the important role played by the conduction of heat along the skin in limiting the temperature. It is the intention of the present article to convert others to this way of thinking.