Shock shapes on blunt bodies in hypersonic-hypervelocity helium, air, and CO2 flows, and calibration results in Langley 6-inch expansion tube

Shock shape results for flat-faced cylinders, spheres, and spherically blunted cones in various test gases, along with preliminary results from a calibration study performed in the Langley 6-inch expansion tube are presented. Free-stream velocities from 5 to 7 km/sec are generated at hypersonic conditions with helium, air, and CO2, resulting in normal shock density ratios from 4 to 19. Ideal-gas shock shape predictions, in which an effective ratio of specific heats is used as input, are compared with the measured results. The effect of model diameter is examined to provide insight to the thermochemical state of the flow in the shock layer. The regime for which equilibrium exists in the shock layer for the present air and CO2 test conditions is defined. Test core flow quality, test repeatability, and comparison of measured and predicted expansion-tube flow quantities are discussed.