Overview
- Researchers report the inductively coupled plasma tunnel is operational and already running material tests with an aerospace industry partner, with additional collaborations planned.
- The system generates plasma flows at hundreds to thousands of miles per hour and temperatures approaching 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit to expose heat shields, sensors, and designs to reentry-like stress.
- A high-capacity vacuum draws more than 20,000 cubic meters of gas per hour as alternating radio-frequency fields ignite argon, after which air or carbon dioxide can be injected to emulate Earth or Mars entry.
- The team plans near-term experiments to see whether ultra-strong magnets can nudge charged particles and shock layers to provide limited steering authority during hypersonic flight.
- Lead researcher Hisham Ali describes the chamber as unique worldwide, framing the work as a step toward improving crewed reentry safety and future space-tourism operations.