Sharp flat plate heat transfer in helium at Mach numbers of 22.8 to 86.8

Surface heat transfer rates were measured on a sharp flat plate at zero angle of attack with helium over a Mach number range of 22.8 to 86.8 in a hypersonic shock tunnel. The density and leading edge Knudsen numbers were varied to span the continuum to near free molecule regimes. The strong interaction parameter varied from 11 to 16,000 with leading edge Knudsen numbers from 0.56 to 17.1, respectively. For high unit Reynolds number the rate of change of the heat transfer coefficient with the strong interaction parameter agreed well with the strong interaction theory of Li and Nagamatsu (1953, 1955).