Ground Simulation of Hypersonic Real Gas Flow

Abstract

The aerothermodynamic design of vehicles entering a planetary atmosphere relies largely on information gathered in ground simulation facilities. Due to the different nature of flow pheneomena occuring along the flight path usually different wind-tunnels dedicated to particular phases of the flight are used. Ground simulation of the "hot phase" is particulary difficult because of the high level of power required to generate the wind tunnel flow. Especially close attention has to be paid when transposing test results ro the real flight case.