Hypervelocity Capability of the HYPULSE Shock-Expansion Tunnel for Scramjet Testing

New hypervelocity capabilities for scramjet testing have recently been demonstrated in the HYPULSE Shock-Expansion Tunnel (SET). With NASA's continuing interests in scramjet testing at hypervelocity conditions (Mach 12 and above), a SET nozzle was designed and added to the HYPULSE facility. Results of tests conducted to establish SET operational conditions and facility nozzle calibration are presented and discussed for a Mach 15 (M15) flight enthalpy. The measurements and detailed computational fluid dynamics calculations (CFD) show the nozzle delivers a test gas with sufficiently wide core size to be suitable for free-jet testing of scramjet engine models of similar scale as, those tested in conventional low Mach number blow-down test facilities.