The SpaceX launch may not be happening today, due to weather restrictions, but it is still a good opportunity for a reminder about our county’s rich and high-tech history.
In an article published November of 2014, Arnold Air Force Base announced the reactivation of a 16T Pitch Boom mechanism at the 16 foot transonic wind tunnel that provided “an alternate model system for new Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) test customers.”
One of those customers was SpaceX, a company that designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft like the one seen in today’s attempted launch.
“16T Pitch Boom reactivated to support wind tunnel tests” headlined the Arnold Air Force Base news page. You can read the full article from November of 2014, written by Deidre Ortiz, AEDC/PA below.
“ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. — The reactivation of the 16T Pitch Boom mechanism at the 16 foot transonic wind tunnel (16T) is providing an alternate model system for new Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) test customers.
Recent and new customer SpaceX, a company that designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft, was able to meet their schedule needs as a result of successfully working this alternate configuration plan.
Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) systems engineer Robert Reed stated that the 16T Pitch Boom is a model support system used in conjunction with a roll mechanism to provide a combined pitch and roll movement where only low angles of attack are required.
“Pitch boom uniquely provides the ability to pitch about a range of points both on and off tunnel centerline and is able to vertically translate the model without pitching,” he said.
AEDC’s test schedule in early 2014 was full of tests requiring the use of the High Angle Automated Sting (HAAS) model support system in the 16T Test Cart 1. According to Reed, this resulted in a need for installing Pitch Boom into 16T Test Cart 2.
“Test Cart 2 is a multi-purpose test cart, designed for use with 16T Captive Trajectory System (CTS), 16T Pitch Boom and strut-mounted test articles including those with propulsion,” he said. “Alternating tests between the 16T Test Cart 1 and Cart 2 allows for increased throughput in 16T.”
The reactivation is also significant because this type of system had not been used at AEDC in many years.
“Pitch Boom had not been utilized in more than 13 years and no maintenance efforts had been performed,” Reed said.
Additionally, the Universal Roll mechanism for Pitch Boom had not been proven in tunnel operations since its release to service in 2007. With minimal time and cost, these systems have been successfully evaluated and reactivated for operational readiness in 16T.”
The SpaceX launch was delayed for weather today, but is rescheduled for Saturday, May 30th beginning around 3 p.m. central time. You can watch a live stream of the event on the NASA website here.