Experimental Analysis of a 2-D Lightcraft in Static and Hypersonic Conditions

Aiming at the hypersonic phase of the Earfh-to-Orbit trajectory for a laser propelled vehicle, a 2-D Lightcraft model was designed to be tested at the T3 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel at the Henry T. Nagamatsu Laboratory for Aerodynamics and Hypersonics. A high energy laser pulse was supplied by a Lumonics TEA 620 laser system operating in unstable resonator cavity mode. The experiments were performed at quiescent (no flow) conditions and at a nominal Mach number of 9.2. A Schlieren visualization apparatus was used in order to access both the cold hypersonic flowfield structure (without laser deposition) and the time dependent flowfield structure, taking place after the laser induced breakdown inside the absorption chamber. The model was fitted with piezoelectric pressure transducers and surface junction thermocouples in an attempt to measure pressure and heat transfer time dependent distributions at the internal surfaces of the model's absorption chamber. The 2-D model followed a modular design for flexibility on the analysis of geometrical features contribution on the expansion of the laser induced blast wave. Finally, fixture evolution of the experiments being currently pursued is addressed.