AEDC has new Mach 18 capable wind tunnel; using drones to monitor hypersonic tests
The Arnold Engineering Development Complex is supporting the Pentagon’s hypersonic testing efforts with new initiatives.
U.S. Air Force photo by A.J. Spicer
The Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9 in White Oak, Maryland was recently upgraded to support speeds up to Mach 18. It can also slow down to support testing at speeds of Mach 6.7, 8, 10 and 14.
The complex is also working with the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) to supplement or replace traditional data collection assets, such as ships with a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle (UAV)-based flight test support capability, called SkyRange.
MQ-9 and RQ-4 unmanned air vehicles will be fitted with telemetry sensors and airborne telescope to observe vehicle surface conditions.
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