Utility management system for hypersonic vehicles

The authors discuss the issues involved in developing a utility management system (UMS) for hypersonic vehicles. Hypersonic vehicles require that the vehicle subsystems be highly integrated to minimize weight. This integration of the subsystems also makes the most efficient use of consumables. Consequently, a highly integrated, yet distributed, set of controls is required to manage these subsystems efficiently. A UMS integrated into a vehicle management system allows for such control of fuel, active vehicle cooling, secondary power (including electrical power and hydraulic power), environmental control, life support systems, etc. UMSs use nontraditional concepts for the architecture, procurement, integration testing, and developmental approach to the hardware and software