The Aerospace Engineering Department

of the United States Naval Academy

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Aerospace Engineering
Facilities

Course work is strongly supported throughout the curriculum by hands-on experience with some of the most complete and sophisticated laboratory experimental facilities in the world. Facilities such as the Satellite Ground Station which provides routine access to operational earth-orbiting-space-craft, space environment chamber, and a thermo-elastic stress measurement system provide unique opportunities in the material sciences. A full scale rotor blade lab, propulsion lab, variable stability flight simulator, and various wind tunnels with flow velocities ranging from subsonic to hypersonic offer unique opportunities to get true hands-on experience with today's technologies. These facilities are available to the midshipmen and faculty through course work and research efforts and prepare midshipmen to meet the challenges of current high speed, high performance aircraft and spacecraft. 
FLIGHT PROPULSION LAB- In cooperation with the Propulsion Laboratory director the Aerospace Engineering Department has available to it to a small turbojet and various other gas turbine engine assets for student laboratory and research use. 
FLIGHT SIMULATION LAB- This lab contains a "moving" flight simulator that can be programmed to fly with the characteristics of any aircraft. The simulator is used by students in their senior design class to validate their personal aircraft designs on stability and airworthiness. 
ROTOR LAB- This is one of the largest facilities in the Aerospace Department, taking the space equivalent to two entire rooms. With this facility, full size helicopter rotors or aircraft engine propellers can be tested at speed using various strobe camera, computer, and smoke visualization techniques. This facility provides invaluable research data for those interested in understanding the complex dynamics of helicopter flight. 
SATELLITE TRACKING STATION- Through the use of 12 meter and 3 meter dishes, and various UHF and VHF antennas, the ground station can receive information from various orbiting satellites, and even the space shuttle! Using the Global Positioning System, the ground station is also responsible for tracking various yard patrol boats during summer training cruises. For more information, also visit the small satellite program website here.
SPATE CAMERA- The Stress Pattern Analysis by Thermal Emission camera is another state of the art addition to the Aerospace Department. Using infrared imaging techniques, this camera can "see" stress patterns and stress anomalies on any surface without any contact. This technology is currently at the forefront of research and is being integrated into the student curriculum. 
SUBSONIC WIND TUNNELS- The Department currently maintains and operates 4 subsonic wind tunnels. The largest of these has a test section of 38" x 54" and can reach speeds of up to 200 mph. These wind tunnels are used by faculty and students in both research and classroom instruction. 
SUPERSONIC WIND TUNNEL- The supersonic wind tunnel can reach speeds up to 4 times the speed of sound (Mach 4). With a test section area of 6" x 6", small models representing spacecraft re-entry vehicles or supersonic aircraft can be subjected to these high speed airflows under a variety of conditions. 
STRESS ANALYSIS LAB- This hands-on laboratory is designed to test and measure the various stress and strains on loaded aircraft structures. With the ability to apply multi-axial loads to space frames, beams, trusses, and other structures, the stress lab is a highly utilized facility in the Department. Students take several courses in the aerospace curriculum that involve the use of the lab for stress and strain measurement and structural design. 
TORSION LAB- A part of the stress analysis lab, the torsion lab uses hydraulic rams and state of the art computing to subject space frames and structures to rotational loads. The reaction of the structures to the loadings are recorded by computer for analysis by both faculty and students. This facility is also utilized in the student's aerospace curriculum. 
WATER FLOW TABLE- The water flow table is a large water table that is used to simulate supersonic flow conditions. Any number of aircraft or spacecraft shapes can be put onto the flow table to visualize the shock wave interactions that occur around them.