NASA, SpaceX Advance Wind Tunnel Tests for Starship Rocket

NASA and SpaceX conducted advanced wind tunnel tests on the Super Heavy Version 3 rocket booster, preparing for the Artemis III mission to the Moon. Engineers at NASA Ames Research Center in California tested a one-point-two percent scale model in both transonic and supersonic wind tunnels to measure the extreme aerodynamic forces the booster will experience during re-entry. Per NASA News, the tests evaluated both steady air flows and unpredictable buffeting that could cause vibrations as the rocket descends through Earth's atmosphere. That data helps refine the flight software that guides the booster and informs structural analysis that ensures the rocket can withstand those forces. The upgraded Super Heavy is expected to support Artemis III in twenty twenty-seven and a crewed lunar landing in twenty twenty-eight.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton