Home > Glenn Historic Facilities > Altitude Wind Tunnel

Altitude Wind Tunnel Timelines

Centaur rig inside large chamber. — NASA Lewis researchers go over the Atlas/Centaur test setup with General Dynamics technicians inside SPC No. 2 (8/26/1963).

This page contains several timelines that trace events that impacted the AWT and SPC, tests conducted at the facility, and the development of wind tunnels and vacuum chambers.

Events Timeline (1936 to 2009)

1936

NACA Committee on Aeronautical Facilities formed
George Lewis begins visit of Germany aeronautical facilities
Initiation of NACA Committee on Relation of NACA to National Defense
First supersonic wind tunnel built at Peenemunde, Germany

1938

NACA authorizes study on the need for additional research labs
Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel begins operation at M.I.T.
Future Research Facilities Special Committee studies a new NACA lab

1939

Congress appropriates $10 million for a new NACA lab
German Heinkel He 178 becomes first jet aircraft successfully flown
NACA selects Moffett Field, California as site for new laboratory
Charles Lindbergh recommends an NACA engine research plant
NACA approves establishment of an engine research lab
Formation of Committee on New Engine Research Facilities
Construction of Ames Aeronautical Laboratory begins at Moffett Field

1940

NACA approves the scope and cost estimates for the engine lab
President Roosevelt calls for annual fabrication of 50,000 U.S. aircraft
Congress appropriates $8.4 million for NACA engine research lab
Italians fly thermal jet Campini-Caproni CC–2 aricraft
NACA board visits Cleveland, Ohio to assess the property for new engine lab
Edward Sharp named chief of Construction Division at Langley Field
NACA announces selection of Cleveland, Ohio, for new lab

1941

Groundbreaking for Aircraft Engine Research Lab (AERL) in Cleveland, Ohio
Formation of NACA Special Committee on Jet Propulsion
First flight of British Gloucester E28/39 with Whittle jet engine
Edward Sharp arrives to oversee construction of the AERL
General Electric (GE) contracted to build Whittle engine in United States
United States enters World War II

1942

Hangar becomes the first building completed at the AERL
Carrier Corporation wins AWT refrigeration system contract
Formal initiation of research at the AERL
General Arnold requests Class 1 priority for AERL construction
Construction of the AWT begins
Messerschmitt ME 262 becomes first operational jet aircraft
First flight of German V–2 rocket at Peenemunde
First atomic chain reaction at University of Chicago
Raymond Sharp appointed manager of the AERL

1943

Elliptical corner rings erected for the AWT
Westinghouse 19A becomes the first U.S.-designed jet engine
Installation of AWT drive motor and flash cooler
GE I–16 turbojet engine secretly tested in Jet Propulsion Static Lab
Abe Silverstein transfers from Langley to Cleveland

1944

AWT becomes operational
AWT tests first U.S. jet aircraft and the B–29’s R–3350 engine
General Henry H. Arnold visits the AERL
Icing Research Tunnel begins operation

NACA VIPs pose in front of building — NACA leaders pose in front of Langley’s administrative building in 1939.

Aerial view of future AERL site — The future site of the NACA’s AERL at the Cleveland Municpal Airport contained grandstands and a parking lot for the National Air Races (1939).

AERL construction site with hangar in background — Construction of the AERL in May 1942. The hangar was the first completed building.

Straight on view of the Bell YP-59A in the AWT test section — The first test in the new AWT involved a Bell YP-59A Airacomet. with its two GE I-16 engines (5/2/1944).

1945

Japanese surrender ends World War II
Major reorganization of AERL to focus on jet engines
AWT is modified to muffle low-frequency vibrations
George Lewis suffers two heart attacks
Construction of 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel begun

1946

First successful U.S. operation of afterburner in AWT

1947

AERL renamed Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory
First supersonic flight by Chuck Yeager in X–1
NACA conducts AWT Fan and Tunnel Survey
Lab renamed the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory

1948

8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel begins operation

1949

Abe Silverstein becomes director of research
Research divisions reorganized for supersonic flight

1951

AWT undergoes major upgrade and modernization

1952

Propulsion Systems Laboratory begins operation
Korean War begins

1953

AWT operation reduced due to modernization project
Air Force’s Propulsion Wind Tunnel begins operation

1955

10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel completed
Hydrogen engine tested in AWT for Project Bee
Walter Olsen issues paper on future rocket propulsion research

1957

Soviet Union launches Sputnik I and II
Lewis hosts NACA Inspection and Flight Propulsion Conference
B–57 flies on liquid hydrogen for Project Bee

1958

NACA Lewis incorporated into the new NASA space agency
AWT shut down for tunnel leak test; end of use as a wind tunnel

1959

Big Joe Mercury capsule mock-up tests in AWT
Launch of the Big Joe boilerplate capsule
Lewis tasked with five Project Mercury tasks
Interior of west end of AWT gutted for Mercury tests

1960

Mercury astronauts train in MASTIF rig inside the AWT
Mercury escape tower tests in the AWT
Failure of the Mercury-Redstone 1 launch

Exhaust gas cooler added under the AWT — Installation of a new exhaust gas cooler pit to cool and remove contaminants from the test engine’s exhaust (May 1951).

Two men with model of 10x10 wind tunnel — Lewis engineers discuss the lab’s new 10-by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel in December 1956.

New NASA Lewis sign — The new sign at the main gate reflecting the change from the NACA to NASA Lewis Research Center (10/2/1958).

Walter Shirra posing by MASTIF — In February and March 1960, Walter Schirra, and the other Mercury Program astronauts traveled to Cleveland to train on the Gimbal Rig in the AWT (3/2/1960).

1961

Yuri Gagarin becomes first human in space
Alan Sheppard becomes first American in space
Abe Silverstein returns to Lewis as center director
Conversion of AWT to the Space Power Chambers (SPC) begins

1962

First Centaur (F–1) launch fails
Surveyor program substitutes Centaur for Agena rocket
AWT is renamed the SPC
Transfer of the Centaur Program to NASA Lewis

1963

Transfer of the Agena Program to NASA Lewis
Installation of dome on SPC No. 1
Atlas/Centaur separation tests are first SPC tests
Atlas/Centaur-2 successfully launched

1964

Centaur rocket inserted into SPC No. 1
Cleveland Parade of Progress Exposition features NASA
Atlas/Centaur-4 launches Surveyor model
Atlas/Centaur-5 explodes on launch pad

1965

Atlas/Centaur-6 launches successfully
Atlas/Centaur-8 systems tests in SPC No. 1
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-1 satellite launches

1966

Atlas/Centaur-8 launches
Transfer of the RL–10 engine program to NASA Lewis

1967

Surveyor spacecraft makes first landing on Moon

1968

Creation of the Launch Vehicles Division
Launch of Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-2 satellite
9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel added to 8- by 6

1970

Failed Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-B launches

Bulkhead in new SPC — The new 31-foot diameter bulkhead near the SPC’s southeast corner separated the two test chambers (5/11/1962).

Atlas/Centaur separation test in Space Power Chamber No.2 — In early 1964, an Atlas vehicle was hung horizontally in the SPC No. 2, and NASA Lewis researchers tested the retrorockets and their igniters.

Centaur rocket in shop — Two researchers study the Centaur rocket’s RL-10 engines in the shop prior to tests in SPC No. 1 (8/3/1964).

Researcher examines small-scale version of shroud — Investigation of the AC-21/Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-B shroud in SPC No. 2 following a failed separation during the launch (4/23/1971).

1971

Shop area used to prep Research Propulsion Module and jet engines
Study into rehab of AWT for Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing testing

1972

Shop area used for electric automobile studies
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-C satellite launches

1973

Rehab of the Shop and Office Building
NASA Lewis closes Plum Brook Station [Today, the Neil Armstrong Test Facility]

1975

Centaur Equipment Module becomes SPC’s last test

1976

Concord flies first flight

1978

Icing Research Tunnel restored to operational status

1979

Propulsion Systems Laboratories 1 and 2 closes

1980

Formation of Project Office to study restoration of the AWT

1982

Conversion of AWT shop area into the Microwave Systems Lab

1984

Lewis hosts Wind Tunnel Modeling Seminar
Centaur removed from AWT as part of rehab preparations

1985

Congress cancels AWT rehab project

1989

Center cleans up Mercury contamination at AWT site

1990

Expansion of the Shop Area and High-Bay area begins

1995

Former control rooms converted into offices

2003

Center receives $4 million estimate to repaint AWT shell

2004

NASA releases AWT demolition requirements documents

2005

Center begins planning demolition of the AWT
AWT historical mitigation work begins

2006

Community Awareness Meeting held prior to demolition

2007

History Office documents history of the AWT

2008

Demolition of the AWT begins

2009

Demolition of the AWT completed

Gallery

Mechanics with TF-30 engine in shop — Technicians with a P&W TF-30 engine. The shop area was used to prepare test equipment for the AWT and other test facilities (1974).

Engineers study model AWT — Engineers study 0.1-scale AWT model to determine the feasibility of restoring the tunnel (3/1/1985).

Researchers in antenna lab — The Far Field Antenna Facility in the former SPC No. 1 control room was initially used to test high frequency space communications antennas (1983).

Interior view of long leg of AWT — Interior of the AWT’s southern leg during a photographic survey of the facility prior to its demolition (4/5/2007).

Testing Timeline (1944 to 1975)

1944

Bell YP–59A Airacomet (J–31/GE I–16)
Boeing B–29 Superfortress (Wright R–3350)
Westinghouse 19B and 19XB (J–30)

1945

Douglas XTB2D–1 Skypirate (Pratt & Whitney 4360)
GE TG–180 (J–35) and afterburner
Lockheed YP–80A Shooting Star (J–33/GE I–40)
NACA 20-inch-diameter ramjet
Lockheed TP80S F–80 (J–33/GE I–40)
Republic YP–47M Thunderbolt propeller tests
Lockheed XR–60 Constitution (Pratt & Whitney 4360)

1946

NACA 20-inch-diameter ramjet
GE TG–180 (J–35) and afterburner
GE TG–100A turboprop

1947

Westinghouse X24C–4B (J–34)
GE TG–180 (J–35) and afterburner

1948

Johns Hopkins 18-inch-diameter ramjet
GE TG–180 (J–35) and afterburner
GE TG–190G

1949

NACA 16-inch ramjet
GE TG–190G (J–47) high-altitude-starting
Armstrong–Siddeley Python turboprop

1950

GETG–19D (J–47) B–7 and RX engines
Westinghouse 24C–7 and 24C–8 (J–46) afterburner and cooling

1951

Westinghouse J–40–WE6

1952

Allison J–71

1953

Westinghouse XJ34–WE–32 without electronic control

1954

Pratt & Whitney J–57 and J–57–P–1 airflow

1955

Wright J–65–B–3 hydrogen transfer test
Allison J–71

1956

Rolls-Royce Avon engines (J–54)

1957

Pratt & Whitney J–57 noise suppression

1958

Ace piloted ramjet
NASA-designed solid rocket
Atlantic Research Arcite solid rocket

1959

NASA One Axis Table
NASA storable propellant
Big Joe capsule guidance system
Hydrogen peroxide thruster
Big Joe II capsule guidance system

1960

Redstone separation and retrograde rockets
Atlas reparation and retrograde rockets
Multi-Axis Spin Test Inertial Facility (MASTIF)
Escape tower rockets
Posigrade rocket separation
Retrorocket rocket braking

1961

Mercury Evaporating and Condensing Analysis (shop)

1962

S–65 satellite model (SPC No. 1)

1963

Atlas/Centaur retrorockets (SPC No. 2)

1964

Atlas/Centaur-4 Surveyor nose cone (SPC No. 1)

1965

Centaur electronic systems (SPC No. 1)
Centaur insulation panels (SPC No. 2)
Atlas/Centaur-6 Surveyor nose cone (SPC No. 1)
Centaur Vent Valve Test Rig (SPC No. 2)
Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO)—1 shroud (SPC No. 2)

1966

Hydrogen Vent Test Rig (SPC No. 2)
Weightless Analysis Sounding Probe (SPC No. 1)

1967

Atlas launcher shaft (high-bay)
Surveyor Atlas/Centaur Shroud leak test
Weightless Analysis Sounding Probe (SPC No. 1)
Helium bottle blowdown (SPC No. 2)
Hydrogen peroxide engine (SPC No. 2)

1968

Centaur/Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO)—2 (SPC No. 2)

1971

Centaur/OAO—B shroud (SPC No. 2)

1972

Centaur/OAO—C shroud (SPC No. 2)
Centaur D–1A shroud (SPC No. 2)

1975

Centaur/High Energy Astrophysical Observatories module (SPC No. 2)

B-29 at NACA runway — A B-29 visits the AERL to flight test R-3350 engines tested in the AWT (7/28/1944).

Lockheed YP-80 in Altitude Wind Tunnel — Lockheed’s YP-80A, the first jet aircraft completely manufactured in the US, was tested in the AWT from March to May 1945.

GE TG-190G engine installed in the Altitude Wind Tunnel — The General Electric TG-190 was first tested in the AWT from May 1948 to January 1949.

Mechanic working on turboprop engine — Armstrong-Siddeley Python turboprop engine with counter-rotating propellers in the AWT (1949).

Pratt & Whitney J-57 in Altitude Wind Tunnel — A Pratt & Whitney J57 engine in the AWT for a noise reduction study (1957).

Mercury capsule with escape tower in Altitude Wind Tunnel — A 10-foot long escape tower for the Mercury capsule is mounted in the AWT (1960).

Surveyor shroud after jettison test in SPC — Shroud jettison test for the Surveyor missions in SPC No. 1 (1965).

Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-C shroud in SPC No. 2 — Test of the shroud for the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-C mission in SPC No. 2 (4/13/1972).

Wind Tunnel Development Timeline

Wind tunnels have been used for studying the elements of flight since 1871. Initially, they were small-scale, open-loop devices such as the Wright Brothers’ tunnel with its 16-inch test section. Wind tunnels grew in size and complexity, particularly after the Ludwig Prandtl first closed-loop tunnel in 1909. Tunnels were built in a variety of sizes and shapes with varying speeds depending on the current technology and their intended areas of study. The AWT was the first wind tunnel built to study engine performance in altitude conditions. A list of important wind tunnels is below.

1871

Frank Wenham designs the first wind tunnel (Great Britain).
V.A. Pashkevich designs wind tunnel (Russia).

1897

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky creates first Russian wind tunnel.

1901

The Wright Brothers build their first wind tunnel (Dayton, OH).

1901

Albert Zahm designs first significant U.S. tunnel (Catholic University).

1909

Ludwig Prandtl designs the first closed-loop wind tunnel (Germany).

1912

Gustav Eiffel builds twin tunnels sharing common chamber (France).

1917

Ludwig Prandtl designs the first modern wind tunnel (Germany).

1922

National Physical Laboratory builds first supersonic tunnel (Great Britain).

1923

Max Munk designs the Variable Density Tunnel at NACA Langley.

1927

Propeller Research Tunnel begins operation at NACA Langley.

1931

Smith DeFrance’s Full Scale Tunnel is completed at NACA Langley.

1937

Supersonic wind tunnels built for V-2 research at Peenenemunde (Germany).

1938

Massachusetts Institute of Technology builds altitude tunnel (Boston, MA).

1939

16-Foot High Speed Tunnel begins operation at NACA Langley.
Kirsten High-Speed Tunnel conducts first test (Seattle, WA).

1942

First U.S. supersonic tunnel built at NACA Langley.

1944

Altitude Wind Tunnel begins operations at NACA Cleveland Lab.

1944

40- by 80-Foot Tunnel completed at NACA Ames.

1948

8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel completed at NACA Lewis.

1955

10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel completed at NACA Lewis.

1955

Propulsion Wind Tunnel at AEDC conducts first test run.

Wind tunnel on supports in room. — The Atmospheric Wind Tunnel was NACA’s Langley first wind tunnel (1921).

Men working on platform alongside large metal tank. — Langley’s Variable Density Tunnel in operation (1929).

Tunnel and pipes in basement hall. — The Duct Lab, which was located beneath the AWT, became NACA Lewis’ first supersonic wind tunnel in 1945.

Exterior view of the 10-by 10 complex. — The 10-by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel, which began operation in 1955, was Lewis’ contribution the nation’s Unitary Wind Tunnel Plan.

Vacuum Chamber Development Timeline

The first sustained vacuum was achieved in 1643, and the first vacuum pump followed in 1650. As humans began flying aircraft in the early 1900s, engineers began testing engines in vacuum chambers to simulate conditions at higher altitudes. As the nation began sending spacecraft into space decades later, there was a need for test chambers capable of producing higher levels of vacuum. The SPC was among the first of a wave of large vacuum chambers that emerged in the early 1960s. The Space Power Facility (SPF) at NASA’s Plum Brook Station, which began operation in 1969, is the largest vacuum chamber in the world. A list of vacuum chambers used to simulate altitude is below.

1917

Bureau of Standards’ first test in altitude chamber for the NACA.
High-altitude test bench at Zeppelin Aircraft Works (Germany).

1918

U.S. School of Aviation Medicine creates altitude tank.

1933

National Bureau of Standards tests appliances in a high-altitude chamber.

1938

MIT Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel simulates altitude.

1944

The NACA’s AWT begins operation at NACA Lewis.

1947

Four Burner altitude test stands built at NACA Lewis.

1952

The NACA Propulsion Systems Laboratory’s two altitude test cells begin operation.

1959

Interior of AWT gutted to create high-altitude chamber.

1960

McDonnell builds space environment chamber for Project Mercury.

1961

Electric Propulsion Laboratory vacuum tanks built at NASA Lewis.
Republic Aviation Space Simulation Facility.

1962

SPC No. 1 vacuum chamber built inside the AWT.
Goddard Space Environment Simulator begins operation.
Lockheed’s High Vacuum Orbital Simulator.
Bendix Corporation’s Space Simulation Chamber.
GE Space Environment Simulator.
25-Foot Space Environment Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

1963

Mark I Aerospace Simulator at the AEDC.

1965

Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at Johnson Space Center.

1969

Space Propulsion Research Facility at Plum Brook tests rocket engines in vacuum.
Space Power Facility at Plum Brook becomes the world’s largest vacuum chamber.