Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Stephen A. Whitmore

Committee

Stephen A. Whitmore

Committee

Doug Hunsaker

Committee

Matt Harris

Abstract

Developing hypersonic vehicles requires testing under extreme heat, airflow, and pressure. Traditional facilities like shock tunnels and arc-heated wind tunnels are costly and slow to set up. This thesis proposes a simpler, low-cost method using a small-scale hybrid rocket motor as a gas generator. The rocket’s hot exhaust is directed onto the front edge of a scaled-down model that represents the nose of a hypersonic vehicle. This creates a realistic flow that matches both the intense heat energy and the pushing force experienced in high-altitude hypersonic flight. The setup allows easy measurement of motor performance, surface pressures, leading-edge temperatures, and how well different materials hold up. Initial tests showed hotter-than-expected exhaust. Injecting nitrogen gas at the rocket’s nozzle exit cooled the plume significantly, enabling accurate simulation of Mach 6 to Mach 8 conditions. This nitrogen addition also helped the flow behave more like real atmospheric air. Overall, this method provides an effective and affordable option for early-stage hypersonic research, letting researchers test and refine ideas quickly before investing in more expensive, high-precision facilities.

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