Medium-size High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel

Medium-size High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel
Also possible to use as a ballistic range for a small vehicle flight experiment

The facility was established as a pilot high enthalpy shock tunnel. At present, it also is being used as a ballistic range to conduct small vehicle flight experiments.

This facility, when used as a ballistic range, requires no gunpowder when launching a projectile (small-sized flight vehicle model). In light of this, we realized high operability as it is possible to conduct four tests a day.

Operations that do not use gunpowder are also helpful to reduce operational costs and to improve safety.

Department

Research Unit IV，Research and Development Directorate
Installation location

Kakuda Space Center
Ballistic range specifications

Secondary air storage tank pressure (MPa): 7.0
Piston weight (kg): 15 to 40

Compression tube length (m) / diameter (mm): 16 / φ210
Compression tube pressure (MPa): 75

Launch tube No. 1 length (m) / diameter (mm): 4.0 m / φ15 mm
Launch tube No. 2 length (m) / diameter (mm): 6.5 m / φ72 mm
Launch tube No. 3 length (m) / diameter (mm): 2.5 m / φ120 mm

Number of tests: 4 times/day

In the case of using a 3 g projectile: Speed of 3 km/s (actual)
In the case of using a 600 g projectile: Speed of 200 m/s (actual)

Shock tunnel specifications

 Test airflow stagnation enthalpy: Maximum of 25 MJ/kg Test airflow stagnation pressure: Maximum of 60 MPa Test airflow duration： more than 2 milliseconds Nozzle exit diameter: 400 mm Number of tests: 2 times/day
Year for improving the ballistic range

March 1999