Abstract
A new type of low-density wind tunnel called the “Mars Wind Tunnel (MWT)” has been developed to simulate airfoil flow in the Mars atmosphere. This paper presents the design features of the MWT and its construction. The results of operational performance tests including the driving performance of a multiple supersonic ejector and calibration tests for evaluating the flow characteristics in the test section are shown. These tests were conducted using air as the working gas. It was found that the ejector is an effective means to induce high subsonic flow even under the condition of a low Reynolds number. The pressure ratio achievable with the ejector is inversely proportional to the total pressure. The MWT can simulate flow in the Reynolds number range from 103 to 105 and Mach number up to 0.74. It is confirmed that the MWT has a flow quality and operational characteristics that are suitable for aerodynamic testing of Mars airplanes.
