Progress Report on the APTU Upgrade Activities

Hypersonic air-breathing propulsion system research and development is being conducted by the United States Air Force, Navy, Army, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Other countries also are investing in research programs related to hypersonic flight. The air-breathing propulsion test requirements for these developing systems will place complex and growing demands on ground test facilities. As these developing systems mature towards becoming flight vehicles, it is especially important that ground test facilities be able to accurately simulate key flight parameters such as dynamic pressure, total enthalpy, and Mach number.1 Test durations on the order of several minutes also will be required.2 In order to support the development of hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems for fast-reaction weapons and space access systems, the United States government has invested in a major Military Construction (MILCON) program at Arnold Engineering Development Center’s (AEDC’s) Aeropropulsion and Test Unit (APTU). The upgrade was started in FY02 and will continue through FY05. This paper presents an update on the construction activities of the MILCON program. Other planned upgrades to the APTU also are presented.