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There are two controllable 3,000 pounds-per-square-inch auxiliary air systems, each capable of flow rates up to 40 pounds per second.
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This facility is part of the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel complex at NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California, where generations of commercial and military aircraft and NASA space vehicles, including the space shuttle, have been designed and tested.
The 11 X 11 Foot TWT is a closed-return, variable-density tunnel with a fixed-geometry, ventilated test section --- with evenly distributed slots on all four walls --- and a dual-jack flexible nozzle. It is one of two separate test sections powered by a common drive system. Airflow is produced by a three-stage, axial-flow compressor powered by four, wound-rotor, variable-speed, induction motors.
Interchangeability of models among the unitary test sections allows testing across a wide range of conditions.
The 11 X 11 Foot has been instrumental in the development of virtually every domestically produced commercial transport and military fixed-wing airframe since the 1960s. The facility is used extensively for airframe testing and aerodynamic studies and has played a vital role in every manned spaceflight program, including NASA’s new Orion space capsule, on which astronauts will fly to the International Space Station, the Moon and beyond.
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Above: Scale Model of the Crew Launch Vehicle being tested in the 11-by 11-foot Transonic Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. The purpose of this test was to obtain an aerodynamic assessment from this revision of the CLV. |
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+ Read more about our capabilities... |
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NASA's ATP Program
Read about one of the largest, most versatile and comprehensive set of testing facilities in the nation.
+ View the fact sheet (PDF) |
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11-Foot Transonic Unitary Plan Facility
+ View the fact sheet (PDF) |
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NASA Ames Windtunnels
Get further information about the 9'x7' SWT and 11'x11' TWT facilities at NASA Ames.
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"The right facility at the right time" - NASA Aeronautics Test Program |
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and Accessibility Certification