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Ames Research Center

ARC Planetary Aeolian Laboratory (PAL)

  • 141,000 ft3 chamber
    • ~100 feet high
    • ~23 feet diameter
  • Normal operating ambient pressure is 0.08 psia (Mars atmosphere)
  • Vacuum operated by a 5-stage steam ejector system supplied for Arc-Jet Testing
  • Can pump down to normal operating pressure within 45 minutes
  • PAL houses the Mars Wind Tunnel (MARSWIT) and Titan Wind Tunnel (TWT)
    • MARSWIT – maximum wind speeds of 120 m/s and 33 m/s depending on the method used at Mars back pressure
  • Has studied Mars dust lifting effects and Mars dust devils and used to understand the performance of the Mars Helicopter
  • Able to conduct soil tests within this chamber
    • KSC developing soil bin for PSI Project
  • 175 psi GAir line
  • Test Director POC: Dr. David Williams (Arizona State University)
  • Test Lead POC: James Ken Smith (ASU/ARC)
ARC Planetary Aeolian Laboratory
ARC Planetary Aeolian Laboratory

ARC SSERVI Regolith Test Bin

  • 4m x 4m x 0.5m test bed
  • Filled with 8 tons of JSC-1A regolith simulant
  • Ambient
  • POC: Joe Minafra
ARC SSERVI Regolith Test Bin
ARC SSERVI Regolith Test Bin