A Florida State University faculty researcher at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering has secured a major $3.9 million grant from the Air Force Research Laboratory, a division of the Department of Defense, to lead research in hypervelocity technology, pushing the boundaries of speed beyond Mach 5.
Rajan Kumar, chair and professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the college and director of the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP), is spearheading the project.
“Hypersonic is the word in the air right now. Every major aerospace institution is playing a big role,” Kumar said. “For us, it is a natural extension because we were already doing a lot of work up to Mach 5. Now, the plan is to expand it beyond that, going up to higher Mach numbers and trying to understand how hypersonic flows are different.”
The grant, awarded primarily by the U.S. Air Force, will enable the team to acquire state-of-the-art hardware and advanced diagnostics equipment. These tools will help researchers better analyze and understand the physics behind hypervelocity flows. The project also aims to develop new computational tools for designing next-generation flight systems.
“This grant involves many researchers of our MAE department, “Kumar said. “We will be doing some experiments at FCAAP and we will be working with our computational faculty to develop new technologies that are needed for the design and development of next-generation high-speed flight vehicles. This research will be carried out in close collaboration with AFRL scientists and engineers.”
Why is it important?
High-speed wind tunnel testing remains a cornerstone for the development of hypersonic flight vehicles due to its cost-effectiveness compared to actual flight testing. The research will focus on replicating realistic flow conditions in wind tunnels, crucial for reliable data and innovation in the field. Hypersonic aerodynamics are highly complex, involving shock-boundary layer heating and intricate interactions that challenge even the most advanced aerospace engineers.
“We have been working with the Air Force Research Laboratory for nearly 15 to 20 years, supporting a range of high-speed projectile development programs,” Kumar noted. “This new grant is designed to enhance our capabilities in understanding hypervelocity flows with more advanced diagnostics and simulate realistic flow conditions in a wind tunnel, which is critical for reliability and data accuracy.”
Making an impact
The initiative promises immediate benefits for existing research projects and student education at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, while also laying the foundation for a dramatic shift in high-speed experimental aerodynamics research and training.
The new hypervelocity test facility is expected to become a unique, shared resource for universities, government labs, and industry partners alike — driving forward key advances in hypersonic vehicle development, experimental flow control technologies, and the training of a new, multicultural generation of engineers and scientists.
“FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is set to become a national leader in hypersonic research,” Kumar says. “This research will support the Department of Defense’s ongoing interests and help to fill crucial gaps in the understanding of high enthalpy flows at hypersonic speeds.”