Project Description: When trying to understand the behavior of a vehicle in any given flow environment, various diagnostics can be used to measure forces and moments acting upon the vehicle (using a 'balance'). While this has been established as the default approach in recent years, it imparts limits on the vehicle size/configuration to be tested (so that it can fit the balance internally). In addition, this does not detect coupled motion that can prove disastrous for a vehicle(pitch-roll coupling, etc). In this project, the intern will be responsible for establishing a capability to perform 'free-flight' tests - where the model is released from any support during the test and permitted to 'fly' naturally. Image processing will be used to establish accelerations to determine forces and moments indirectly. Tests will be performed in the Indraft Supersonic Wind Tunnel.
NASA Relevance: NASA has long prioritized understanding aerodynamics around vehicles in complex environment. Free-flight testing offers unique opportunities to capture coupled vehicle dynamics.
Work Description:
- Consider various concepts for free-flight mechanisms
- Down select and mature the most promising approach
- Fabricate, assemble and install system in the wind tunnel
- Perform experimentation to verify design
Open or Reserved Project: Open, 1 position available.