The Oxford T6 Stalker tunnel: performance, upgrades and new modes of operation

Conference item

The T6 Stalker tunnel is a multi-mode high enthalpy pulse facility for testing of aerothermodynamics for high speed flight. It operates with a free-piston driver and can be coupled to several different components downstream to become a shock tube, reflected shock tunnel or an expansion tube. This allows for a wide range of testing from subscale model testing to exploration of fundamental high-speed flow processes. Its development was initiated in 2014 with its first commissioning beginning in 2017. Eight years from its conception, has seen its successful commissioning in all modes of operation. Research has been conducted in several fields including shock layer thermochemistry and radiation, convective heating and boundary layer transition. Additional hardware has been developed to expand its capability and operability. This paper will highlight the performance of the facility in each of its modes now that it has been operated against the overall performance map for the facility. Some of the research performed in the facility, including radiation testing, satellite demise and sub-scale planetary probe testing, is also presented.

Authors: McGilvray, M; Collen, P; Doherty, L; Steer, J; Leader, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: European Space Agency
• Publication date: 2022-06-19
• Acceptance date: 2022-06-19
• Event title: 2nd International Conference on Flight Vehicles, Aerothermodynamics and Re-entry Missions Engineering (FAR 2022)
• Event location: Heilbronn, Germany
• Event website: https://atpi.eventsair.com/far2022/
• Event start date: 2022-06-19
• Event end date: 2022-06-23
• Language: English
• Keywords: ground test facility; high enthalpy; shock tunnel; FFR; aerothermochemistry