Innovative Aerodynamic Measurement for Integrated Hypersonic Inlets

This SBIR gives GHI the chance to evolve our measurement techniques within our overarching design-to-test process. If we can develop rapid instrumentation design methods and techniques that can enable us to quickly evaluate and fix problems with existing designs and quickly develop new designs with well thought out diagnostics, this would enable us to offer a complete service to new and existing programs in the aerospace community. This proposed SBIR program provides GHI the opportunity to develop tools which permit the development of rapid instrumentation arrays based on CFD simulations for performance quantification and troubleshooting, minimally-intrusive optical access for the hard-to-reach internal duct sections and automated instrumentation topologies for use with Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to enable a short transition from instrumentation concepts to wind-tunnel model generation using rapid prototyping techniques. The capabilities and tools developed here could be used to develop and improve inlet designs and accelerate other hypersonic-related design and testing programs within our company and the US aerospace community. BENEFIT: With respect to this proposal, commercialization is not only the selling of our design services; it also means that the technology developed here could provide a breakthrough opportunity and permit the widespread use of our services. Our proposed instrumentation and inlet model design techniques would greatly improve the data capture ability of small-scale inlets, greatly improving experimental investigations with rapid prototyped inlets. If we can provide a cost effective design and testing service with the ability to rapidly instrument and test models with a great deal of instrumentation at a relatively small price, then this would offer opportunities within the DOD, NASA and the US aerospace community. In addition to scramjet inlets, the tools developed here could be used on any other aerodynamic wind tunnel test article, enabling new business within other sectors of the wind-tunnel testing market, including UAV and auto-industry testing.