Thomas Horvath of Langley’s Aerothermodynamics Branch examines the surface of a model of the X-33 prior to testing in the 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Wind Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. The tests, held during the month of September 1997, were conducted to determine aeroheating characteristics of the X-33. The X-33 vehicle will consist of a lifting body airframe with two cryogenic propellant tanks (liquid hydrogen, LH2, and liquid oxygen, LOX) placed within the aeroshell. The vehicle will have two linear aerospike main engines. The X-33 Design and Flight Demonstration Program key objectives are to reduce business and technical risks to privately finance development and operation of a next-generation space transportation system through ground and flight tests of a spaceplane technology demonstrator, ensure that the X-33 design and major components are usable and scaleable to a full-scale, single-stage-orbit reusable launch vehicle (RLV), demonstrate autonomous capability from takeoff to landing, and verify operability and performance in “real world” environments.
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Characteristics
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Data Acquisition
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Data Acquisition and Processing
Inputs: Analog/Digital
Dynamic Data Acquisition: No
Customer Computers: Yes
Classified Capability: Yes
Instrumentation
Strain Gauge Balances: 5 and 6-component
Available Corrections: Interactions, Temperature effects, Attitude tares, Axes orientation
Electronically Scanned Pressure (ESP) System: 512 channels
Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory Fact Sheet
