AC PLASMA SENSOR SUITE FOR HYPERSONIC TEST FACILITIES AND FLIGHT SYSTEMS

As the Department of Defense (DoD) and aerospace community continue to develop hypersonic capabilities there is an increasing need for sensors and instrumentation that can accurately measure key attributes about the flow while surviving in austere and dirty environments. To address this need, Spectral Energies, LLC (SE) proposes to develop a plasma-based measurement system for pressure, temperature, and gas mixture composition that can accurately, repeatably, and reliably operate in the above-mentioned conditions. SE’s probe will be based on a concept developed as part of a previous Phase I STTR. In that program, the SE’s team designed and implemented a plasma-based sensor probe capable of measuring pressure, velocity, and temperature fluctuations in hypersonic environments for extended periods. During the base portion of the currently proposed Phase II program, SE will perform testing of the proposed sensor in academic facilities and in Calspan-University at Buffalo Research Center (CUBRC) facilities (if the schedules and logistics permit) to demonstrate the sensor’s capabilities. During the option part of the Phase II program, SE will explore the challenges and issues related to tech transition and system integration into hypersonic vehicles and flight systems. SE intends to make the sensor probe as close to a commercially available product as possible by making the probe more turn-key and addressing some of the design and engineering issues associated with it.