Wind Tunnel test campaign

14th February 2018

The mock-up of the probe is assembled and ready for the Wind Tunnel campaign. The latter started on Monday, the 12th of February. Many settings of the probe and its appendages will be tested during this two-week period. 

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The first two days are dedicated to the calibration of the wind tunnel. For instance, to know the wind tunnel speed at the position of the probe, a Pitot probe is placed at the Huygens' probe position to determine the speed.

Picture of the Pitot probe in the wind tunnel used for the measure of the wind speed at the probe position

First of all, the mock-up has been assembled with and without winglets. Winglets enable the probe to keep the right spin during its decent on Titan. The first study of the mock-up without winglets should highlight if there is a spin induced by the primary configuration of the probe. Then, tests with winglets should show their impact on the spin.

Huygens mock-up in the wind tunnel with winglets and without appendages

Throughout the wind tunnel campaign, each device will be studied separately to determine their influence on the behaviour of the probe. The results collected so far are encouraging for the rest of the campaign.

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