The trisonic wind tunnel at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology in Cologne is a blow-down wind tunnel. It is used to investigate the static and dynamic stability of missiles and spacecraft across a broad range of Mach speeds (a Mach speed of 1 is equal to the local speed of sound).
Generating experimental databases for validation
DLR's trisonic wind tunnel is one of the most effective systems for aerodynamics research in Europe. The facility enables the study of aerodynamic characteristics of scaled spacecraft models and missiles. The trisonic wind tunnel generates experimental databases for validating computational methods and aerodynamic simulations across a broad Mach range, from subsonic – Mach 0.5 – through the transonic range and up to supersonic or even hypersonic speeds as great as Mach 5.7. Tests with TMK are used to evaluate the aerodynamic characteristics of missiles and spacecraft, as well as to qualify individual components for flight.
Contact
Volker Speelmann
Head of Research Infrastructures
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Executive Board department for Innovation, Transfer and Research Infrastructure
