5 Dec 2006

AFRL Completes Vibration Testing for DSX Satellite Trials

AFRL scientists completed vibration testing of the High-Energy Proton Spectrometer (HEPS), which will serve as one of six instruments comprising the Space Weather and Environmental Effects trial on the Demonstration and Science Experiment (DSX) satellite, scheduled to launch in 2008. The evaluation simulated the spacecraft's launch environment and

5 Dec 2006

AFRL Successfully Tests Heat-Pipe-Cooled Wing Leading Edges

AFRL scientists completed thermal validation tests to verify the performance of a heat-pipe-cooled wing leading edge. The effort, which furthers the development of reliable, maneuverable space operating vehicle (SOV) technology, demonstrated a technology readiness level (TRL) increase, advancing the technology's viability from TRL 4 to TRL 5. The

5 Dec 2006

AFRL Successfully Tests SIXA Structural Component

AFRL completed a successful component-level destruct test under the Structurally Integrated X-Band Array (SIXA) program. SIXA is a high-frequency (X-band), load-bearing, phased-array antenna concept that is integrated within a structure and can double as an aircraft component such as a weapons bay door or a wing structure component. During the

5 Dec 2006

AFRL Leads Falcon HTV-1 Model Tests

AFRL researchers led the first Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle (HTV-1) model wind tunnel tests. They conducted these tests to investigate localized aerodynamic heating and validate the accuracy of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions. HTV-1 represents the first of three vehicle designs to be examined under the Falcon program. The

5 Dec 2006

AFRL Conducts Successful TacSat-2 Propulsion Tests

AFRL engineers successfully fired the 200 W Hall Effect Thruster during spacecraft-level thermal vacuum testing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The thermal vacuum test verifies the thermal design of the TacSat-2 spacecraft, and it represents the only opportunity prior to launch to verify the thruster's operation with the spacecraft. AFRL

5 Dec 2006

Patent Granted for Improved Infrared Thermography Techniques

Drs. Shichuan Ou and Richard B. Rivir, of AFRL's Propulsion Directorate, and Dr. Srinath V. Ekkad, of Louisiana State University, were granted a patent titled "Method of Infrared Thermography." The patent describes an invention that uses a high-resolution infrared thermography system to determine heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness

5 Dec 2006

Joint Targeting Toolbox Successfully Integrated at JEFX 2006

AFRL installed and integrated its Joint Targeting Toolbox (JTT) version 3.0.2 into the baseline software architecture at the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment (JEFX) 2006 Spiral 3 exercise, conducted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Over 170 exercise participants and operators received training on JTT. The AFRL-developed tool consists of a set

5 Dec 2006

AFRL Transitions CVT3 to Help Facilitate Accident Investigations

AFRL engineers transitioned their cockpit voice recorder transcription and timing tool (known as CVT3) to both the Air Force Safety Center and the Army Combat Readiness Center. The audio processing technology is designed to facilitate accident investigations that involve audio recordings and instrument data. The software expedites the transcription

5 Dec 2006

AFRL Fields Web-Based Tool for Evaluating

AFRL engineers conceived, designed, and developed an online image-quality evaluation tool to fulfill a critical need associated with the creation of an autonomous approach and landing capability (AALC). The AALC encompasses sensor, human, and air vehicle considerations and thus employs an interdisciplinary approach for capturing both the hardware

4 Dec 2006

Virtual Mannequins Help Improve Ergonomic Design of Future Automobiles

Ford Motor Company has adopted an AFRL-developed multivariate case method to establish an automotive-industry first--a set of nine computer-aided design (CAD)-created virtual mannequins modeled after representative human body characteristics. Ford is using the virtual human mannequins to assist its automotive ergonomists in meeting the demands of a