Blended Wing Body

Blended wing body shape airplane does not have any tail section and wing and body are all smoothly connected, not like conventional airplanes. BWB generates more lift force than regular ones since its body also makes lift force while typical planes do with only wings. BWB overall body shape is streamline that it can reduce drag force as well. Therefore, in aerodynamic perspective, BWB has lots of beneficial elements.

Topology Optimization

Design has become bigger role in industry. Also, rapid prototyping and digital fabrication are hot issues to make fast mock-up and speed up the design process. All this can be happened since the computer keeps getting smarter. However, there are still problem: cost and time.
In order to design better product, designers start to use digital fabrication such as 3d printer. It is additive manufacturing which means it takes lots of time and need higher cost if 3d model is just a box. The model should have proper empty space to overcome the barrier while maintain its strength.
For that matter, many engineers come up with ideas like topology optimization.
The topology optimization has design variable, boundaries, and goal. Above pictures of airplane wings, design variable is density of material in wings and limits are deflection, and the target is strength. This optimization is called density method. The COMSOL, simulation software, gives outcome with black and white dots. Black means 0, the material has to remain. While white means 1, the material does not need. Based on the pictures, the wing can have empty space in middle section which is right in common sense. Most wing has hollow area in middle and spars and ribs are installed to reduce the weight, the gravity. 

Not only engineer and science can use topology optimization, but also any daily design objects can be based on this method while design the 3d model. Therefore, for rapid prototyping, topology optimization can save time and cost for designer while the strength remains same.

http://www.topopt.dtu.dk/?q=node/863

Inside Capsule

Blunt Body Theory

 "Blunt Body Theory" of aerodynamics, a design technique for alleviating the severe re-entry heating problem which was then delaying the development of ballistic missiles. It was developed by Harry Julian Allen from NASA. This theory was so radical that time in aerodynamic. Most plane should have sharp tip point in order to reduce drag force. But, space capsule needed blunt body to return to Earth from space. The blunt body shape make shockwave in front of the capsule which is stacked of air. This air bump generates some kinds of protecting shield.