Dolores Beasley<br />Headquarters, Washington February 14, 2006<br />Phone: (202) 358-1600<br /><br />Kim Newton<br />Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.<br />Phone: (256) 544-0034<br /><br />RELEASE: 06-064<br /><br />NASA'S EXPLORATION SYSTEMS PROGRESS REPORT<br /><br />Testing is under way by engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight<br />Center, Huntsville, Ala., to lay the foundation for developing the<br />Crew Launch Vehicle, the agency's future launch vehicle system.<br /><br />Sixty-six wind tunnel tests were conducted on a 16.5-inch scale model<br />of the vehicle. The tunnel is 48 inches long with a 14-inch by<br />14-inch cross section. Wind tunnel "flights" are used to assess new<br />geometric configurations before designs are incorporated into space<br />vehicles.<br /><br />In the tube-like, tunnel structure, giant fans or high-pressure air<br />generate artificial wind to flow over vehicles, engines, rockets or<br />scale-model hardware, helping scientists determine flight performance<br />characteristics of new concepts.<br /><br />The first, two-week entry in the test series began in December and was<br />performed at Marshall's Aerodynamic Research Facility. The facility<br />is used for concept validation of space launch vehicles. Additional<br />testing continues this month.<br /><br />The initial test data are the foundation for more detailed testing<br />this spring and summer. Bigger vehicle models will be used in larger<br />wind tunnel facilities at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton,<br />Va., and Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.<br /><br />The scale model for the Marshall tests included the crew capsule,<br />service module and escape tower. The model simulated the full Crew<br />Launch Vehicle take off load. NASA's Constellation Program is<br />developing both crew and launch vehicles as it follows NASA's Vision<br />for Space Exploration by returning humans to the moon and preparing<br />for voyages to Mars and beyond.<br /><br />Engineers also conducted flow visualization tests. The imaging is used<br />to identify shock waves and component expansions similar to those<br />experienced during supersonic flight. The test series was intended to<br />provide the first actual crew launch vehicle configuration data for<br />guidance, navigation and control systems analysis. Testing was<br />performed over a Mach .5 to 4.96 range.<br /><br />For information about NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate<br />on the Web, visit:<br /> http://exploration.nasa.gov/ <br /><br />For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:<br /> http://www.nasa.gov/home<br /> <br /> <small>[ 23. March 2006, 03:06 AM: Message edited by: David Bate ]</small>