Visualization and Analysis of Bow Shocks in a Superorbital Expansion Tube

摘要

Superorbital expansion tubes are being developed at Lhe University of Queensland to generate flows faster than Earth orbital speeds.' They are capable of producing enthalpies far greater than those of existing ground-based testing facilities (free piston-driven shock tunnels and conventional expansion tubes), which enables the aerodynamic study of vehicles designed to return to Earth "s atmosphere or enter the atmosphere of other planets.