Distributed Force and Moment Measurement System

The structural design of aircraft and their propulsion systems is a challenging task that requires accurate, flexible ground facilities capable of operating over the flight regimes of emerging subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic designs. Luna Innovations is proposing to develop distributed fiber optic sensing technology specifically designed to make high precision, thermally compensated, distributed force and moment measurements on wind tunnel test articles and supporting structures. Luna will leverage its patented Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry technology to provide unprecedented high speed data at extremely high spatial resolution. The sensing fiber will have the capability of being embedded into composite test structures, attached to the structure of a flight vehicle or model, and used to simplify force balance designs. This advancement is needed in NASA facilities to support the Aeronautics Test Program's effort to protect current, and provide additional test capabilities, and the Fundamental Aeronautics Program's goals to evaluate new airframe designs through aerodynamic research. An all-optical distributed force and moment measurement system will be applicable to test articles across all of NASA's ground-based aerodynamic test facilities. The system will enable support of projects such as future Lunar and Mars probes, fundamental aerodynamics research, and commercial systems testing.