New Flow-Through Wind-Tunnel Balance for Retropropulsion Testing

What is it about?

Aerodynamic loads in wind tunnel facilities are measured with force transducers, which are also known as balances. Balances that pass fluid through them are referred to as flow through balances. In this work, we present a new flow through balance designed specifically to measure supersonic retropropulsion performance of powered descent vehicles. This balance will be used to support an upcoming retropropulsion test campaign at the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. The test campaign will be used to help the development of human Mars lander vehicle concepts, which are expected to require the use of supersonic retropropulsion as part of the descent and landing on Mars.

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