Integrated Technology Investment Plan for Aeropropulsion Testing at Arnold Engineering Development Center

Abstract

This paper presents the integrated investment plan that Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) has established for aeropropulsion testing technology. Near and far term technology drivers are addressed in the forecast for test and evaluation capability requirements. Recent technology advancements are described and related to current AEDC testing capabilities. Technology investment areas include intrusive and non-intrusive diagnostics, modeling and simulation, test protocols, and data acquisition and processing. Focus is given to the integration of these technologies with each other, with AEDC facility capabilities, and with forecasted workload requirements. Anticipated budget downsizing has motivated AEDC to prioritize current capabilities and consider partnerships with other federal entities, along with commercial industry and academic institutions. Detailed treatment of particular technology initiatives is presented here along with current collaborative efforts. This paper provides both strategic and tactical vision for continued development of aeropropulsion testing technology at AEDC.