Langley hypersonic aerodynamic/aerothermodynamic testing capabilities - Present and future

Abstract

The Langley Hypersonic Facilities Complex consists of nine hypersonic, blowdown-to-vacuum wind tunnels that complement one another to provide a range of Mach number from 6 to 22, with Reynolds number from 0.03 to 40 million per foot and, most importantly for blunt configurations, a normal shock density ratio from 4 to 12. Presently, most of these facilities are receiving modifications and upgrades to hardware components and instrumentation to increase their capability, reliability, and productivity. Descriptions and capabilities of these facilities are presented along with measurement techniques routinely used. Future facility plans are discussed, with the focus on an Advanced Hypervelocity Aerophysics Facility being proposed for construction in the mid-1990s.