Hypervelocity Aerodynamics in a Superorbital Expansion Tube

The viability of the Superorbital Expansion Tube concept as a ground-based testing facility has been demonstrated by the operation of a small scale tube able to produce test flows in air of up to 13 km.s−1 for durations of 15 μs. The useability of these test flows for aerodynamic research has been confirmed by initial experiments measuring heat transfer rates to the surface of a model placed in the flow. The flat plate heating rates measured at superorbital velocity are found to be of the same order as Eckert’s laminar correlation.