KAMU, Texas A&M University’s public broadcasting station, interviewed the wind tunnel director, Dr. Edward White, and current graduate student Grace Mainka regarding LSWT history and current work with students and industry.
Formlabs Rigid 10k Material in the Wind Tunnel
IndyCar 101 – Rear Wing Beam Flaps
Jon Beekhuis, the ABC and NBCSN pit reporter and technical expert, gives the lowdown on the rear wing beam flaps added this year to help slow Verizon IndyCar Series cars when they spin backward on superspeedways like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
The Texas A&M University Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel was happy to participate in increasing safety for IndyCar drivers.
Upgrades Wind Tunnel for Mach = 0.4 Operation
Alex Herring, a graduate Aerospace Engineering student at the LSWT, designed and built a diffuser for the 7ft x 7ft test section insert for the wind tunnel. On November 20, 2014, the design was proven a success when a Mach number of 0.408 was recorded.
Ten inducted into Aerospace Alumni Academy
“The Aerospace Engineering Honorary Engineer Award is presented to non-Texas A&M University alumni who have made major contributions to the engineering profession and whose support of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M merits recognition. The two honorees given this distinction were Oran Nicks and John Slattery, Ph.D…” Continue Reading
Cobb Mobb – A Day at the A&M Wind Tunnel
So what exactly is a day in the wind tunnel like for a cyclist or triathlete? Well, it will vary greatly depending on the testing goals of the company, team or athlete booking the day. On this particular day, The Tri Shop wanted to focus mainly on the aero data numbers of various bikes, wheels, helmets and other accessories they sell at the shop, so I’ll focus here on what happens during that kind of day… Continue Reading
Sandia Research Reveals Erosion Reduces Wind Turbine Performance
“Research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories revealed that leading-edge erosion on wind turbine blades can have a detrimental effect on wind turbine aerodynamic performance within the second year of operation. Light erosion may lead to a 5% decrease in annual energy production, and heavy erosion may reduce energy production by as much as 25%….”
Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser at Texas A&M University
“Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems has successfully completed wind tunnel testing of a scale model of the Dream Chaser® orbital crew vehicle in the Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas…”
NASA shuttle commander thanks TEES/Texas A&M wind tunnel team
“Marine Col. Rick Sturckow, commander of the STS-117 mission aboard the space shuttle Atlantis in June 2007, visited the Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel team Jan. 31 to thank the team for supporting the repair design and validation for a torn thermal blanket on the space shuttle…” Continue Reading
Cycling victor Lance Armstrong tested bike in wind tunnel
“Tour de France victor Lance Armstrong tested bicycles earlier this year in a Department of Aerospace Engineering facility on campus. Armstrong, and the rest of the U.S. Postal Service cycling team, spent about a week in January testing in the Oran W. Nicks Low-speed Wind Tunnel…”
