Earlier this month, the University of Notre Dame marked the successful opening of a Large Mach 10 Quiet Wind Tunnel, the first and only facility of its kind in the world. The facility supplies a unique environment for exploring hypersonic flight dynamics, turbulence, flight control, and propulsion.

Designed for high-quality flow and cost-effective testing, the facility represents a major milestone in hypersonic research. In addition to advancing aerospace technology, it will play a crucial role in training and workforce development.

The tunnel was designed by Thomas Corke, Notre Dame’s Clark Equipment Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, along with doctoral students Joseph Heston and Jacob Caldwell. Five additional doctoral students in Corke’s research group—Nick Hawley, Alec Jobbins, Will Jordan, Tim Moren, and Alyssa Spencer—contributed to the tunnel design and assembly. Research associate professor Eric Matlis and David Cavalieri, mechanical and aerospace engineer in the Engineering and Design Core Facility, also contributed to the tunnel design.

The team overcame pandemic-related supply challenges to bring the project to life, working alongside local manufacturers across the Midwest.

The new facility will serve several immediate purposes. It will help address backlogs at Department of Defense testing facilities, enhancing the ability of aerospace companies to move swiftly from concept to prototype. The facility will provide a key resource to support a planned graduate program in hypersonic systems, and it will also create career opportunities for students interested in military service, aerospace engineering, and research careers at US national laboratories.

The tunnel was made possible by funding from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)).