NASA has a ground-testing capability gap in the area of hypersonic vehicle testing in high-enthalpy hypersonic flow with chemically-reacting gas for simulation of entry into Earth or Mars atmospheres.

NASA engaged the GrabCAD community to develop a set of credible concepts for a hypervelocity expansion tunnel for ground testing of human-rated entry vehicles that provides a broad design trade-space for decisions on cost/size vs performance, leading to a down-selection for final design.

NASA has no facilities capable of producing the required test conditions and is forced to rely on external providers at a high cost and limited accessibility. Thus, design safety margins for entry vehicles have high uncertainties, which typically leads to higher mass designs to reduce risks.

The goal of this competition was to generate ideas that can be incorporated into the design of their next generation expansion tunnel facilities, and engage the GrabCAD community to design innovative concepts for an advanced hypersonic (Mach 5 to 20) expansion tunnel that can be used to study human-rated entry vehicles.

This project delivered significant benefits to NASA by addressing a critical testing gap. It provided diverse, compact, and innovative hypervelocity expansion tunnel designs, optimizing space within existing facilities. The exploration of varying flow sources allowed for informed decisions on achievable Mach numbers. Ultimately, this work reduced reliance on external providers, minimized design uncertainty, and paved the way for advanced, cost-effective hypersonic testing.