Cost Effective Hypersonic Ground Test Capabilities

National hypersonic testing capabilities are key to the development of advanced defense systems. By developing a low cost and accessible scramjet test facility together with a major research university (collaboration with the University of Notre Dame’s Turbomachinery lab in phase II proposed,) the mission impact of this project on the Air Force and the Department of Defense will be a cost-effective scramjet testing capability which will allow for rapid RDT&E of new scramjet concepts at the missile scale. The proposed work will also enhance academic collaboration and hypersonic work force The proposed phase I will consist of customer interviews and project planning for phase II together with AFRL/RQ, NSWC/JHTO and the DoD Test Resource Management center (TRMC) to close on desired test facility specifications. FGC Plasma will then utilize this input to refine the design of their direct connect test facility to the preliminary design review level. This design will be briefed to abovementioned stakeholders.