Propulsion facilities

12V Space Chamber

Arnold AFB, TN

Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit

Arnold AFB, TN

The Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (APTU) is a blowdown facility designed for true temperature aerodynamic, propulsion, and material/structures testing. A vitiated air heater (VAH) provides the required temperature. Liquid oxygen is added in an oxygen mole fraction exists in the test medium. The facility is completely computer-controlled during a run, and very rapidly transitions in pressure and temperature (altitude changes) that can be accomplished at a fixed Mach number. The remote location of the facility plus the straight line ejector exhaust configuration, allows for unique test capabilities. For example, test article hardware separation, i.e. releasable model shrouds, is allowed. Certain types of ammunition/explosive (live-fire testing can be done. The facility is also sited for 10,000 pounds of Class 1.3 explosives.

Aeropropulsion Systems Test Facility (ASTF)

Arnold AFB, TN

Information processing capability-ASTF C-cells Data Acquisition and Processing System (CDAPS) with its 12 minicomputers plus a high-speed CRAY-XMP/14SE super computer can acquire and process test information from more than a thousand sensors embedded in the facility and propulsion system and deliver the results in near real time to engineers directing the test.

Air-breathing Propulsion Research Facility

China Lake, CA

Overview. The Air-breathing Propulsion Research Laboratory is a facility suited for the research and development testing of air-breathing engines, liquid rocket engines, and solid rocket motor propulsion systems and subcomponents.

Aircraft Horizontal Thrust Measurement Facility

Edwards AFB, CA

This facility is designed to support the DoD mission by providing unique air vehicle installed engine performance (thrust output) measurements. This system consists of four thrust measurement platforms designed to support any size aircraft. This facility also supports other government agencies and civilian aircraft testing. Four electronic thrust measuring platforms with a range of 0-100,000 pounds thrust each calibrated to 0 +/- 0.1 percent actual thrust

ASTF Icing Capabilities

Arnold AFB, TN

Under existing FAA and JAA certification regulations, an airplane must demonstrate the ability to operate safely in a wide range of icing conditions. Engine icing occurs as aircraft fly through clouds of supercooled liquid water droplets. The water droplets impact the forward facing surfaces of the aircraft and the engine and, when the heat of fusion of the liquid water is removed from the surface, the small water droplets freeze. Ice adhering to airfoil surfaces will distort the airflow and lead to altered performance of the airfoil. In turbine engines and inlets, ice collection can eventually, sometimes in a matter of a few minutes, alter or block enough airflow to cause engine operability problems.

Diesel Engine Development Facility

West Bethesda, MD

The Diesel Engine Development Facility includes three major sites: the Diesel Engine Test Facility (DETF), the LSD-41/49 Propulsion Support Facility; and the FFG-7 Ship Service Diesel Generator (SSDG) Land Based Engineering Site. The DETF is designed to test two diesel engines up to the 4,000 HP range, and can also accommodate gasoline engines, smaller gas turbines, gearbox testing, and other propulsion and power generation prime mover or auxiliary type equipment. The LSD-41/49 Propulsion Support Facility simulates the complete LSD-41 Class ship starboard propulsion plant. This test and engineering site consists of two Colt Pielstick PC2.5 propulsion diesel engines, a shipboard reduction gear, and all associated engine, reduction gear, and controllable pitch propeller controls. The FFG-7 Class SSDG is a duplicate of the unit that is in service in the fleet. It consists of a Detroit Diesel 16V149 turbocharged, intercooled diesel engine, a Reliance Generator, and a Garrett Start-Air Compressor.

Electric Propulsion Laboratory (EPL)

Cleveland, OH

The Electric Propulsion Laboratory (EPL) supports research and development of spacecraft power and electric propulsion systems. EPL features two very large space environment chambers; intermediate and smaller environment simulation chambers for testing small engines or components; bell jars used for small-scale development and component testing; and support areas.

Electric Propulsion R&D; Lab

Philadelphia, PA

Conduct performance testing and characterization of reduced scale and full-scale electric propulsion systems. May be used to develop, test or evaluate classified or proprietary technologies. The designation above refers only to the lab per se.

Electric Propulsion Research Building (EPRB)

Cleveland, OH

The Electric Propulsion Research Building (EPRB) capability centers on its suite of vacuum chambers, which are configured to meet the unique requirements related to electric propulsion, spacecraft power, and space environmental effects. EPRB chambers range in size from bench top bell jars to 3-meters in diameter and are equipped with a variety of pumping systems (cryopumps, diffusion pumps, oil-free pumping trains, and high-throughput roots-blowers). In addition to the vacuum chambers, EPRB provides over 20,000 sq ft of specialty labs, clean rooms, and assembly rooms.

Engine Components Research Lab (ECRL)

Cleveland, OH

This facility houses three separate test rigs, each focused on a unique area of research. ECRL-1B is used to test and evaluate advanced combustor concepts for full-scale engine combustors and augmentors. High-temperature materials and cooling concepts for advanced engines are explored in ECRL-2A. ECRL-2B is a small turbine engine test facility.

Engine Research Building (ERB)

Cleveland, OH

With 152,235 square feet of floor space and housing more than 60 test rigs, the massive Engine Research Building (ERB) is the largest and most adaptable test facility complex at NASA Glenn. Almost half of the rigs support aeronautics programs in four general areas of research -- turbomachinery, combustion and aerochemistry, aeropropulsion, and aerodynamic fluid flow.

ENGINE TEST FACILITY (ETF)

Arnold AFB, TN

Propulsion systems are the key to developing reliable future flight vehicles. The most critical pacing element for aircraft, missiles and spacecraft is the flight vehicle's propulsion system. Testing of rocket propulsion systems provides information such as the burning characteristics of propellants, the precise amount of thrust delivered, durability of the engine and compatibility of the components and associated controls. Simulated flight tests of rocket propelled missiles or space systems can provide information which can reduce the number of costly launches and test flights and reduce the time required in development of a system. Flight failures cost millions of dollars and cause major schedule delays because typically they come very late in the development cycle.

Gas Turbine Development Facility

West Bethesda, MD

The Gas Turbine Development Facility consists of the DDG-51 LBES and Intercooled Recuperated (ICR) Gas Turbine Facility. Prominent in usage is the DDG-51 LBES since the ICR site is planned (completed awaiting testing) for the Navy’s future marine gas turbine development. The DDG-51 site consists of two GE LM-2500 marine gas turbines and associated auxiliary equipment configured as engine room #2 in the AEGIS Arleigh Burke Destroyer Class. This site became operational in 1989 and is used in a variety of components and system oriented tests that include integration testing of propulsion machinery (reduction gears, lube oil systems, air systems, water systems) as well as machinery control and data acquisition and information systems.

Heated Tube Facility

Cleveland, OH

The Heated Tube Facility at NASA GRC investigates cooling issues by simulating conditions characteristic of rocket engine thrust chambers and high speed airbreathing propulsion systems.

High Speed Wind Stream Facility

Picatinny Arsenal, NJ

This facility is one of only two high-speed wind stream facilities within the Department of Defense. It simulates the environment that countermeasure flares experience when they are dispensed in a free-fall manner from an aircraft. The facility contains air-handling apparatus that operates in the intermittent blow-down mode. Air speeds are from 0.1 Mach to 0.9 Mach for run times of 100 seconds at the lower speeds. It provides both constant and preprogrammed variable velocity-time profiles. The latter is achieved via a microprocessor-controlled valve. Flares are mounted at the exit nozzle of the air handling system and remotely ignited. State of the art instrumentation measures and analyzes burn times, spectra and IR emission.

Instrumented Propulsion Complex

Edwards AFB, CA

This unique capability allows all engine parameters to be checked and updated at a rate of 3.7 megabytes per second. This facility has four independent sound suppression test cells, each rated to 50,000 pounds of thrust. One test cell incorporates the T-9 test adapter. This facility can test jet engines for B-1, B-2, F-15, F-16, T-38 T-39, KC/EC-135, and other aircraft. An advantage of this unique Test Cell is it's completely automatic, delivering a high quality product in less time than manual testing. An unlimited range of engine repair and inspection capability is offered by maintenance.

Large Cavitation Channel (LCC)

West Bethesda, MD

The Large Cavitation Channel is a vertical plane, closed recirculating 1.4 million gallon, variable speed, variable pressure, channel with lower half submerged in 2.5 million gallon water filled trench, plus numerous other acoustic treatment features, 6:1 contraction ratio, aeration/deaeration system, filter system (5-micron), temperature control, stainless steel shell, models mounted on large removable test top, low turbulence (0.1%). High speed capability up to 50 ft/s. Large test chamber with 10 ft by 10 ft cross-section and a 13.1 m (43 ft) working length. Pressure in the LCC test section ranges from less than atmospheric to four times atmospheric pressure, the equivalent of water approximately 100 feet deep.

Medium Voltage Test Site

Philadelphia, PA

The facility power electronics can be reconfigured to perform proof-of-concept demonstrations of new converter topologies, advanced system architectures, medium voltage phase legs and components. The facility has 46MVAs worth of power electronics.

Propulsion Noise Test System

New London, CT

The Propulsion Noise Test System (PNTS) is the only known land-based facility in the world capable of measuring the radiated noise of an operational underwater vehicle while excluding noise from propulsor and body-flow components. The system measures both external and internal radiated noise, while providing real-time monitoring of test item status. This land-based testing is far more cost-effective than in-water testing and provides more data with greater fidelity.

Propulsion Systems Laboratory (PSL)

Cleveland, OH

The Propulsion Systems Laboratory is NASA's only ground-based test facility that can provide true flight simulation for experimental research on air-breathing propulsion systems. Altitudes to 70,000 ft and Mach numbers to 3.0 in one cell and 6.0 in the other can be simulated continuously.

Research Combustion Laboratory (RCL)

Cleveland, OH

The Research Combustion Laboratory (RCL) develops aerospace propulsion technology by performing tests on propulsion components and materials. Altitudes up to 137,000 feet can be simulated. The Small Multi-Purpose Research Facility, or SMiRF, evaluates the performance of the thermal protection systems required to provide long-term storage (of up to 10 years) of cryogenic propellants in space.

Skytop Propulsion Complex

China Lake, CA

Small Gas Turbine Test Facility

West Bethesda, MD

The Small Gas Turbine Test Facility houses a broad range of equipment that support small to medium gas turbines up to 10,000 hp and gas turbine marine aerosol/separator intake systems. This facility is designed to accommodate rapid response testing for emergent Fleet problems as well as to test and validate design modifications (e.g., exhaust diffusers, foreign object damage screen, exhaust gas turbine limiter, carbon and ceramic seals, electronic sequencing unit, flexible fuel manifolds, air movement control, air conditioning, particulate monitoring).

Small Multi-Purpose Research Facility (SMiRF)

Cleveland, OH

The Research Combustion Laboratory (RCL) develops aerospace propulsion technology by performing tests on propulsion components and materials. Altitudes up to 137,000 feet can be simulated. The Small Multi-Purpose Research Facility, or SMiRF, evaluates the performance of the thermal protection systems required to provide long-term storage (of up to 10 years) of cryogenic propellants in space.

Spacecraft Propulsion Facility (B-2)

Cleveland, OH

NASA's Spacecraft Propulsion Research Facility is the world's only high altitude test facility capable of full-scale rocket engine and launch vehicle system level tests. The facility supports mission profile thermal vacuum simulation and engine firing. The engine or vehicle can be exposed for indefinite periods to low ambient pressures, low-background temperatures, and dynamic solar heating, simulating the environment the hardware will encounter during orbital or interplanetary travel.

Steam Propulsion Support Facility

West Bethesda, MD

The Steam Propulsion Support Facility supports Surface and Undersea Vehicle Propulsion, Auxiliary Systems and Components, T&E, Acquisition and ISE, and Logistics, Materials and Processing RDT&:E for numerous ship classes, which include over half the fleet. These facilities consist of condensate and feedwater systems, evaporators, seawater, fuel and water purification and storage systems, and a compressed air system for controls. Materials and components investigated at this facility include surface ship and submarine main propulsion equipment, auxiliary equipment, generator sets, and boilers.

Steam Propulsion Test Facility

West Bethesda, MD

The Steam Propulsion Test Facility was developed to be an integrated, cost effective alternative to shipboard testing. Systems evaluated at this facility include surface ship and submarine main propulsion, auxiliary equipment, generator sets and main boilers. The system is capable of supplying one million pounds/hour of superheated or saturated steam to major turbine or component test sites. This facility also has the capability to supply feedwater at 1500 psi, cooling water capability of 180,000 gpm flow and 500,000 hp heat rejection.

The von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility Wind Tunnels

Arnold AFB, TN

Turbopropulsion Laboratory and Gas Dynamics Laboratory

Monterey, CA

The Turbopropulsion Laboratory (TPL) and Gas Dynamics Laboratory (GDL) possess a unique set of facilities which are used in teaching and research related to air-breathing propulsion, space propulsion and turbomachinery. The research activities are supported by the U.S. Navy, NASA and industry.