Summary of test techniques used in the NASA Langley 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel

This paper describes test techniques used to obtain data in the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. Main sections include steady aerodynamic testing, unsteady aerodynamics, non-intrusive measurements, tunnel performance, and fluid mechanics. Test techniques with adequate previous documentation are briefly presented and referenced, and those for which no documentation yet exists are more thoroughly discussed. Attention is given to the model building and instrumentation technology necessary for testing at high Reynolds numbers in the presence of free transition. It is concluded that the testing techniques thus far demonstrated in the 0.3-m TCT are on par with modern transonic tunnels, and that the specialized techniques needed to exploit the advantages of cryogenic operation can be realized.