(U) Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U)  Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), Arnold Air Force Base, located at Arnold AFB, Tennessee is the world's largest complex of wind tunnels, jet and rocket engine test cells, space simulation chambers, and hyperballistic ranges.  AEDC supports the acquisition of new aerospace systems by conducting research, development, and evaluation testing for DoD, other government agencies, and commercial aerospace firms. 

(U)  Twenty-seven of the center's 53 test units have capabilities unmatched elsewhere.  Facilities can simulate flight conditions from sea level to altitudes more than 100,000 feet, and from subsonic velocities to those well over Mach 20.  

Description: (U)
(U)  Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee is the most advanced and largest complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world serving the Department of Defense, NASA, commercial and international customers.  It has 53 aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, space environmental chambers, arc heaters, ballistic ranges, and other specialized units. Twenty-seven of the center's test units have capabilities unmatched elsewhere.  Facilities can simulate flight conditions from sea level to altitudes more than 100,000 feet, and from subsonic velocities to those well over Mach 20.  

(U)  The Arnold Engineering Development Center's (AEDC) mission is to:

1.  (U)  Test and evaluate aircraft, missile and space systems and subsystems at the flight conditions they will experience during a mission to: help customers develop and qualify the systems for flight, improve system designs and establish performance before production; and to help users troubleshoot problems with operational systems; 
     
2.  (U)  Conduct a research and technology program to develop advanced testing techniques and instrumentation, and to support the design of new test facilities. The continual improvement helps satisfy testing needs and keeps pace with rapidly advancing aircraft, missile and space system requirements; and  
     
3.  (U)  Maintain and modernize the center's existing test facilities. 

(U)  AEDC, an Air Force Materiel Command facility and an important national resource, has contributed to the development of practically every one of the nation's top priority aerospace programs including the Atlas, Titan, Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs, Projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, the space shuttle, F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, F-111, F-117, C-5, C-17, C-141, X-29, B-1 and B-2 aircraft, NAVSTAR Global Positioning System satellites, the Inertial Upper Stage, the anti-satellite program, Trident submarine launched ballistic missile, Tomahawk, Air-Launched Cruise Missile and the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

(U)  AEDC is used by the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, domestic and foreign private industry, allied foreign governments, and educational institutions.

(U)  AEDC supports the development and qualification of missile and space launch vehicle systems by testing at conditions that simulate launch, separation and re-entry.  The center tests space systems in the environment they would encounter as they are launched, placed in orbit, and while performing their mission.  AEDC provides full spectrum test support that includes formulating and implementing test plans, acquiring, processing, and analyzing test data, and certifying and reporting the test results. 

(U)  AEDC's testing units are grouped into four major facilities:  Engine Test Facility, Aero-propulsion Systems Test Facility, Propulsion Wind Tunnel, and von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility. 

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) AF Develop Test Center (AFDTC), AF Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Atlas, GPS Block IIA, GPS Block IIF, GPS Block IIR, IUS, MM Propulsion Replacement Prog, Shuttle Operations, Titan II, Titan IVA, Titan IVB

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Test Programs and Facilities

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) GENERAL SUPPORT.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
21 November 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)