Hypersonic Vehicle Base Drag Reduction and Improved Inlet Performance Through Venting Forebody Bleed Air to Base Area Using Open Core Ceramic Composites

A method of routing air through walls of an air breathing engine for improved performance of an air vehicle powered by the air breathing engine, comprising:

• passing air through a first plurality of apertures in an inlet region of an air-breathing engine to a plurality of interconnected cavities in a duct wall of the air-breathing engine, the first plurality of apertures fluidly coupled to the plurality of interconnected cavities;
• routing the air through the plurality of interconnected cavities from a front portion towards a rear portion of the duct wall;
• and
• passing the air through a second plurality of apertures in a rear surface of the air-breathing engine.

An air breathing engine, comprising:

• an engine duct comprising porous walls;
• an inlet region having apertures for allowing air to flow into the porous walls of the engine duct;
• and
• an aft region having apertures for allowing the air to flow out of the porous walls of the engine duct.