Test Engineering for Arc Jet Testing of Thermal Protection Systems: Design, Analysis, and Validation Methodologies

*† ‡ An integrated process of defining objectives and conducting arc jet tests in support of thermal protection systems (TPS) development at NASA Ames Research Center has been developed. Computational simulations of the nonequilibrium arc jet flows, validated by detailed measurements of flow field parameters using a variety of laser-spectroscopic and conventional techniques, can be used to characterize test conditions with high fidelity. Using simulations, test programs can be designed for a range of facility conditions that correlate critical aspects of the targeted flight conditions to the expected aerothermal, thermochemical, or thermostructural response mechanisms of a TPS material or subsystem. Basic research initiatives have supported the development of these simulation capabilities that enhance our efforts in meeting program-level requirements of NASA missions. Examples of our research efforts and mission-specific test programs will be described in the context of our testing methodology.