![Ames' Arcjet chamber](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/arcjet_small-1.jpg?w=600)
![Arc Jet Block at NASA Ames Research Center](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/arcjet-block.jpg?w=1024)
![HFFAF](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/36433-acd06-0177-011.jpg?w=1024)
Thermophysics Facilities Branch
The Thermophysics Facilities Branch (TSF) is responsible for the safe, effective, and efficient operation of the Entry Systems and Technology Division’s high enthalpy facilities. TSF facilities provide unique environmental simulation capability to serve customer-driven aerothermal and thermal response simulation requirements for NASA’s mission directorates. These facilities, including the Arc Jet Complex, the Ballistic Range Complex, and EAST, involve high voltage, high pressure, and vacuum infrastructure with potential operational impacts on other Center activities. Continued safe and efficient operation of these systems requires ongoing development of a wide range of specialized engineering and craft skills, as well as operational best practices. TSF works collaboratively with potential customers to develop test procedures and techniques that maximize customer value and advance Agency missions.
Location
Moffett Field, CA
NASA
Ames Research Center
Branch Chief
Scott Eddlemon
Deputy Branch Chief
Peter Race
Focus Areas and Capabilities
![Arc Jet Test](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spaceship-gif-downsized-large.gif?w=980)
Arc Jet Complex
The Ames Arc Jet Complex has a rich heritage of over 55 years in Thermal Protection System (TPS) development for every NASA Space Transportation and Planetary program including Apollo, Space Shuttle, Viking, Pioneer-Venus, Galileo, Mars Pathfinder, MER heatshield, Stardust, NASP, X-33, X-34, SHARP-B1 and B2, X-37 WLE TPS and most recently CEV/Orion heatshield development and Mars Science Laboratory TPS.
![Ames Vertical Gun Range](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/avgr-impacts-0.png?w=1024)
Ballistic Ranges
Providing critical testing support to the Nation’s Research and Development activities in hypervelocity impact physics, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics , flow-field structure and chemistry.
![Overall view of the Ames Electric Arc Shock Tube (EAST)](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/acd13-0184-003.jpg?w=1024)
Electric Arc Shock Tube
Providing ground-based hyperthermal and hypervelocity environments in support of the nation’s research and development activities in thermal protection materials, aerothermodynamics, vehicle structures and hypersonic propulsion and flight.
![Planetary Aeolian Laboratory](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/img-5643.jpg?w=1024)
Planetary Aeolion Laboratory
The Planetary Aeolian Laboratory (PAL) is a unique facility used for conducting experiments and simulations of aeolian processes (windblown particles) under different planetary atmospheric environments, including Earth, Mars, and Saturn’s moon Titan.
![Radiation heating](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/banner1.png?w=1024)
LEAF
The Laser Enhanced Arc-Jet Facility (LEAF) uses up to four 50-kW continuous wave (CW) infrared lasers (1070nm) to simulate radiative heating on Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials. LEAF is a test capability of the Interaction Heating Facility (IHF) at the NASA Ames Research Center Arc Jet Complex.
Learn More
Media
![Vice President Visits Arc Jet Complex](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/105986-acd19-0192-007.jpg?w=300)
![Laura Kushner sets up an experiment on the moon in the Ames Vertical Gun Range](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/laura-kushner-at-avgr.jpg?w=300)
![Tests of new thermal heat shield material in the Ames 60-MW arc jet](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ajd11-a296-138.jpg?w=300)
![testing the future space shuttle's wing leading edge TPS in the Ames 60-MW arc jet](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/wle-shuttle.jpg?w=251)
![Ames' Arcjet chamber](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/arcjet_small-1.jpg?w=600)
![NASA Ames Center Director Pete Worden introduces Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to Dr. George Raiche, Branch Chief of Thermophysics Facilities Branch on 22 September 2014. Dr. Raiche exlains what the Ames Arc Jet Complex does and the cooperation between the Ames Arc Jets and Italy's CIRA facility near Naples, Italy.](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/acd14-0180-002.jpg?w=300)
![Orion Heat Shield Manufacturing Prototype](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/100-0950.jpg?w=300)
![Ames Vertical Gun Range operates from 0 to 90 degree to gravity vector.](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/118397main-a33996.jpg?w=240)
![PICA Heatshield](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/msl-4.5m-pica-heat-shield.png?w=292)
![Arc Test of IsoQ model](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ajd11-a296-133-1-1.jpg?w=300)