Langley Aerospace Test Highlights 1990
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Langley Aerospace 4" Test Highlights I _ r-4 r_ i-j S_ L_ .Z: i:" 7 >- t,/ ,. 1990 Langley Research Center NASA Technical Memorandum 104090 ORIGINAL PAGE AND Wt-fTTE _:"-_TO_PAPH Langley Aerospace Test Highlights 1990 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Langley Research Center Langley Research Center NASA Technical Memorandum 104090 Hampton, Virginia 23665-5225 k ¸ Foreword The role of the NASA Langley Research Center is to perform basic and applied research necessary for the advancement of aeronautics and spaceflight, to generate new and advanced concepts for the accomplishment of related national goals, and to provide research advice, technological support, and assistance to other NASA installations, other government agencies, and industry. This report highlights some of the significant tests that were performed during calendar year 1990 in the NASA Langley Research Center test facilities, a number of which are unique in the world. The report illustrates both the broad range of the research and technology activities at the NASA Langley Research Center and the contributions of this work toward maintaining United States leadership in aeronautics and space research. Other highlights of Langley research and technology for 1990 are described in Research and Technology 1990-- Lan,gley Research Center. Further information concerning both reports is available from the Office of the Chief Scientist, Mail Stop l OS-A, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23665 (804-864-6062). Richard H. Petersen Director °o° PRECEDING PAGE BLANK NOT FILMED 111 Availability Information For additional information on any highlight, contact one of the individuals identified with the highlight. This individual is either a member or a leader of the research group. Commercial telephone users may dial the listed extension preceded by (804) 86. Telephone users with access to the Federal Telecommunications System (FTS) may dial the extension preceded by 928. Numerous photographs and figures were submitted in color by the authors. Please contact the Langley Research Center Photographics Section to determine if a color version is available. Langley (L) numbers are provided where available. iv Contents Foreword ..................................................................................................................................... iii Availability Information ............................................................................................................ iv 30- by 60-Foot Tunnel (Building 643) ......................................................................................... 1 Free-Flight Tests of Supersonic Persistence Fighter ............................................................................................... 2 X-31 Wind-Tunnel Free-Flight Tests ...................................................................................................................... 2 Stability and Control Research on Generic NASP Configuration .......................................................................... 3 HL-20 Static and Dynamic Wind-Tunnel Tests ..................................................................................................... 3 Forebody Controls Research ................................................................................................................................... 4 Tail Buffet Research ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Low-Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (Building 582A) ..................................................................... 6 Three-Component Laser Velocimeter Development for LTIYF .............................................................................. 7 High-Lift Airfoil Research ....................................................................................................................................... 8 Reynolds Number Effects on Delta Wing of 65 ° .................................................................................................... 8 Subsonic Aerodynamics Characteristics of HL-20 Lifting-Body Configuration ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Subsonic Aerodynamics Characteristics of HL-20A Lifting-Body Configuration in LTPT ......................................................................................................................................... 10 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel (Building 645) ............................................................................ 11 Tumbling Research ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Pressure Distributions in Rotational Flow ............................................................................................................ 12 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel (Building 1212B) ................................................................. 13 Effect of Winglets on Induced Drag for Low-Aspect-Ratio Wing ........................................................................ 13 F-18 Forebody/LEX Test ....................................................................................................................................... 14 High-Alpha Gritting to Simulate Flight Reynolds Numbers ................................................................................ 15 Subsonic Control Effectiveness of HL-20 Lifting-Body Configuration ................................................................ 15 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel (Building 1212C) ................................................................... 17 Rotor Inflow Research .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Powered Ground Effects Investigation of a Single-Stage-to-Orbit Vehicle .......................................................... 19 V 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel (Building 640) .................................................................... 20 Fiber Optic-Based Laser Vapor Screen System ...................................................................................................... 22 Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Generic High-Speed Civil Transport ................................................................... 23 Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (Building 648) ............................................................................. 24 Flutter Tests of A-12 Advanced Fighter ................................................................................................................ 25 Flutter Characteristics of Trail-Rotor Model ........................................................................................................ 26 Aeromechanical Stability of Hingeless Rotors ..................................................................................................... 27 Statically Unstable Model on Cable Mount System ............................................................................................ 28 NACA 0012 Benchmark Model Test .................................................................................................................... 29 Transonic Shock-Induced Dynamics of Flexible Wing in TDT ........................................................................... 30 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel (Building 1146) ............................................................................... 33 National Transonic Facility (Building 1236) ............................................................................ 34 Mach Number Calibration on National Transonic Facility Test Section ............................................................ 35 Reynolds Number Effects on High-Speed Civil Transport at Takeoff Speeds ...................................................... 36 Reynolds Number Effects on Commercial Transport .......................................................................................... 36 0.3-Meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (Building 1242) .......................................................... 38 Half-Wing Test in Adaptive-Wall Test Section .................................................................................................... 40 Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (Building 1251) ............................................................................. 41 Flow Field Survey Apparatus for Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel .............................................................................. 41 Sonic Boom Tests .................................................................................................................................................. 42 Supersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics of Sidewinder Missile Variant Configurations ..................................................................................................................................................... 43 Incipient Leading-Edge Separation Study ............................................................................................................ 43 Experimental Analysis of Optimized Waveriders ................................................................................................ 44 Supersonic Aerodynamics Characteristics of HL-20A Lifting-Body Configuration in UPWT ......................................................................................................................................