Flow Field Survey in the Test Region of the SR-71 Aircraft Test Bed Configuration

Mizukami, Masashi and Jones, Daniel and Weinstock, Vladimir D. (2000) Flow Field Survey in the Test Region of the SR-71 Aircraft Test Bed Configuration. Technical Report NASA/TM-2000-209025, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

A flat plate and faired pod have been mounted on a NASA SR-71A aircraft for use as a supersonic flight experiment test bed. A test article can be placed on the flat plate; the pod can contain supporting systems. A series of test flights has been conducted to validate this test bed configuration. Flight speeds to a maximum of Mach 3.0 have been attained. Steady-state sideslip maneuvers to a maximum of 2° have been conducted, and the flow field in the test region has been surveyed. Two total-pressure rakes, each with two flow-angle probes, have been placed in the expected vicinity of an experiment. Static-pressure measurements have been made on the flat plate. At subsonic and low supersonic speeds with no sideslip, the flow in the surveyed region is quite uniform. During sideslip maneuvers, localized flow distortions impinge on the test region. Aircraft sideslip does not produce a uniform sidewash over the test region. At speeds faster than Mach 1.5, variable-pressure distortions were observed in the test region. Boundary-layer thickness on the flat plate at the rake was less than 2.1 in. For future experiments, a more focused and detailed flow-field survey than this one would be desirable.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Flight testing, Flow distortion, Fluid flow, SR-71 aircraft, Supersonic inlet
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (02) Aerodynamics Aircraft/Project: SR-71 Blackbird
ID Code:	77
Deposited On:	12 July 2004
Additional Information:	120 pages. Masashi Mizukami and Daniel Jones, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California; and Vladimir D. Weinstock, Analytic Services and Materials, Inc., Hampton, Virginia. Equations (9)–(11) and (13)–(15) are included in a patent filed on a NASA invention.