HIFiRE-1 Preliminary Aerothermodynamic Measurements

The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program is a hypersonic flight test program executed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). HIFiRE flight one flew in March 2010. Principle goals of this flight were to measure hypersonic boundary-layer transition and shock boundary layer interactions in flight. The flight successfully gathered pressure, temperature and heat transfer measurements during ascent and reentry. HIFiRE1 has provided transition measurements suitable for calibrating N-factor prediction methods for flight, and has produced some insight into the structure of the transition front on a cone at angle of attack. Pressure and heat transfer measurements in the shock-boundary-layer interaction were obtained. Preliminary analysis of the shock boundary layer interaction shows intermittent pressure fluctuations qualitatively similar to those measured in wind tunnel experiments. A large amount of data was obtained on the flight, and significant data reduction efforts continue.