High Speed Systems Test
Abstract
The HSST project continued to advance ground and flight test technologies, techniques, instrumentation, and modeling and simulation capabilities required for the development of hypersonic weapon systems. In FY20, HSST focused primarily on two critical technology shortfalls for hypersonic test and evaluation: aerothermal and propulsion ground testing capabilities and advanced instrumentation to support hypersonic flight tests. Several other technology development efforts also progressed through the year. To address the technology shortfall involving aerothermal and propulsion testing, HSST is developing a new test facility that utilizes clean-air heat addition (non-vitiated air) and a variable Mach number (VMN) capability to provide the representative high-temperature conditions for characterizing weapon systems, including air-breathing propulsion capabilities. The clean-air heat addition is especially important to the characterization of air-breathing propulsion systems, as previous HSST efforts demonstrated that vitiated air provides different gas properties than clean air found in the atmosphere and thus is not representative of what the vehicle would experience in flight. This significantly affects the engine’s performance and operability in the test environment and results in erroneous flight predictions. Additionally, characterization of advanced sensors for hypersonic systems also benefits from clean-air heat addition as it provides a more representative environment for the sensor to operate in. The variable Mach number capability provides a more representative trajectory simulation for the system under test, permitting more accurate predictions before conducting flight tests. The new test facility, called the Hypersonic Aerothermal and Propulsion Clean-Air Testbed (HAPCAT), was checked out for initial operation in FY20, including the integration of the critical subcomponents of the Regenerative Storage Heater (RSH) and the Air Delivery System (ADS). Initial checkouts were conducted at lower-hypersonic representative temperatures to demonstrate operation of the facility. Designs for advanced sensor tests were developed to support multiple sensor development efforts ongoing within hypersonic development programs. Additionally, a Preliminary Design Review was completed for the VMN capability. All of the efforts associated with HAPCAT also serve as pathfinders for the development of a larger-scale, more capable facility at AEDC. Upgrades and development efforts associated with arc heater testing were also completed in FY20. The arc heater flow quality aerothermal test technology development was completed, demonstrating novel designs for arc heater spin coil components that provide higher quality flow to test articles and increases the lifespan of electrodes required for arc heater operation. These will be used to support the Mid-Pressure Arc Heater capability being implemented at the AEDC arc heater facility. Additionally, HSST completed multiple efficiency upgrades to the AEDC arc heaters to increase capacity in response to significant test demand. Significant progress was achieved in the development of the SkyRange capability, an unmanned aerial vehicle-based range to support hypersonic flight tests and other missions for the Department of Defense. SkyRange will provide a more agile, flexible, and cost-effective method for providing support to hypersonic flight tests with increased data collection capabilities beyond the current state-of-the-art. It also addresses a critical capacity shortfall for supporting the number of hypersonic flight tests required, as a sufficient number of existing assets does not exist. RQ-4 Global Hawks and MQ-9 Reapers comprise the platforms used for SkyRange. SkyRange will augment existing air, sea, and land test support assets referred to as the “string of pearls,” reducing the high costs associated with traditional flight test support. Novel sensors are being developed in the areas of telemetry capture and relay, multispectral imaging, atmospheric sensing, terminal scoring, and other areas to aid in the development of hypersonic systems. Several of these sensors are being developed through HSST for integration into the SkyRange capability. Description: The HSST project continued to advance ground and flight test technologies, techniques, instrumentation, and modeling and simulation capabilities required for the development of hypersonic weapon systems. In FY20, HSST focused primarily on two critical technology shortfalls for hypersonic test and evaluation: aerothermal and propulsion ground testing capabilities and advanced instrumentation to support hypersonic flight tests. Several other technology development efforts also progressed through the year. To address the technology shortfall involving aerothermal and propulsion testing, HSST is developing a new test facility that utilizes clean-air heat addition (non-vitiated air) and a variable Mach number (VMN) capability to provide the representative high-temperature conditions for characterizing weapon systems, including air-breathing propulsion capabilities. The clean-air heat addition is especially important to the characterization of air-breathing propulsion systems, as previous HSST efforts demonstrated that vitiated air provides different gas properties than clean air found in the atmosphere and thus is not representative of what the vehicle would experience in flight. This significantly affects the engine’s performance and operability in the test environment and results in erroneous flight predictions. Additionally, characterization of advanced sensors for hypersonic systems also benefits from clean-air heat addition as it provides a more representative environment for the sensor to operate in. The variable Mach number capability provides a more representative trajectory simulation for the system under test, permitting more accurate predictions before conducting flight tests. The new test facility, called the Hypersonic Aerothermal and Propulsion Clean-Air Testbed (HAPCAT), was checked out for initial operation in FY20, including the integration of the critical subcomponents of the Regenerative Storage Heater (RSH) and the Air Delivery System (ADS).. Initial checkouts were conducted at lower-hypersonic representative temperatures to demonstrate operation of the facility. Designs for advanced sensor tests were developed to support multiple sensor development efforts ongoing within hypersonic development programs. Additionally, a Preliminary Design Review was completed for the VMN capability. All of the efforts associated with HAPCAT also serve as pathfinders for the development of a larger-scale, more capable facility at AEDC. Upgrades and development efforts associated with arc heater testing were also completed in FY20. The arc heater flow quality aerothermal test technology development was completed, demonstrating novel designs for arc heater spin coil components that provide higher quality flow to test articles and increases the lifespan of electrodes required for arc heater operation. These will be used to support the Mid-Pressure Arc Heater capability being implemented at the AEDC arc heater facility. Additionally, HSST completed multiple efficiency upgrades to the AEDC arc heaters to increase capacity in response to significant test demand. Significant progress was achieved in the development of the SkyRange capability, an unmanned aerial vehicle-based range to support hypersonic flight tests and other missions for the Department of Defense. SkyRange will provide a more agile, flexible, and cost-effective method for providing support to hypersonic flight tests with increased data collection capabilities beyond the current state-of-the-art. It also addresses a critical capacity shortfall for supporting the number of hypersonic flight tests required, as a sufficient number of existing assets does not exist. RQ-4 Global Hawks and MQ-9 Reapers comprise the platforms used for SkyRange. SkyRange will augment existing air, sea, and land test support assets referred to as the “string of pearls,” reducing the high costs associated with traditional flight test support. Novel sensors are being developed in the areas of telemetry capture and relay, multispectral imaging, atmospheric sensing, terminal scoring, and other areas to aid in the development of hypersonic systems. Several of these sensors are being developed through HSST for integration into the SkyRange capability. Achievements were made for both SkyRange aircraft platforms in FY20. Work continued on the modification of two RQ-4s to facilitate eventual sensor package integration as part of SkyRange. Upon completion, this will result in three operational RQ-4s for SkyRange. For the MQ-9s, six aircraft were acquired and stationed at the main operating base in California. These MQ-9s will be used for integrating various sensors, generally through the use of pylon-carried pods. The development, integration, and operation of a phased-array telemetry capability continued as part of SkyRange. Various checkouts of the telemetry system were performed while installed on an RQ-4 as part of the development of this capability to support hypersonic flight tests. Progress continued on the development of a high-fidelity automated and reconfigurable multispectral imaging tracking system for integration into an RQ-4 Global Hawk as part of the overall SkyRange capability. Design of the system was completed and fabrication and assembly progressed toward ground checkouts of the system. Development of an airborne variant of the High-Altitude LIDAR Atmospheric Sensing (HALAS) system continued, with a prototype version successfully installed on a Gulfstream G-IV business jet. Flight operations were conducted to acquire atmospheric data in an operational environment, and the data will be used to inform the design of the HALAS system for integration on an unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk as part of the overall SkyRange capability. Development of a ground based multispectral thermal imaging prototype was completed to enable collection of thermal imagery in the terminal phase of a hypersonic flight test for thermal protection system evaluation. The system was deployed to the Kwajalein Atoll to support terminal phase data collection for a hypersonic flight test, and the prototype successfully acquired thermal imagery data that was subsequently provided to the weapon system program. Initial evaluation of the imagery indicated a successful deployment. Additional upgrades and technology development continued at the CUBRC hypersonic shock and expansion wind tunnels to support hypersonic ground testing. These included the design of fast-response force and moment balances for use in the CUBRC facilities, and multiple non-intrusive diagnostic systems for evaluation of hypersonic systems. In addition to these upgrades, a new effort was initiated to develop and demonstrate a new test facility that utilizes wave rotor technologies for extended run-times with representative conditions at hypersonic speeds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 298ebfc5202c50a2d8037888df85244c