The Warzone Column of the US "TheDrive" website published an article on October 15: Feel the speed from the US Air Force rocket skid orbit photos. The U.S. Air Force is currently considering modernizing the high-speed test tracks at Holoman Air Force Base in New Mexico to support hypersonic development efforts.
[A "rain erosion" test on the Holloman High-Speed Test Track (HHSTT)]
The Air Force recently released images showing a variety of tests conducted using high-speed test tracks at Holoman Air Force Base in New Mexico over the past 70 years. This test track has become even more important in recent years as the U.S. military's interest in hypersonic weapons and other aircraft has increased. The Air Force is currently working on how to modernize the system to ensure it can continue to support these efforts.
【High-speed photography photo of the downsizing test of the drill warhead】
Test Squadron 846 is currently responsible for overseeing the operation and maintenance of Holloman's High-Speed Test Track (HHSTT). HHSTT is used to see how various objects under test operate at extremely high speeds or respond to stresses generated by moving at extremely high speeds. The latter type of test involves observing how rain affects payloads traveling at high speeds. At the top of this post you can see a picture of the "Rain Erosion" test. The objects tested included objects associated with weapon systems, such as bunker bombs, ejection seats, and various components of aircraft and other aerospace vehicles.
The test track dates back to 1949, when the U.S. military began work on the 3,400-foot-long original section of the road and began testing the system the following year.
Holloman High-Speed Test Track (HHSTT) 10 miles long track
A test performed on December 10, 1954, is by far the most famous. On that day, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Stapp was strapped to a metal chair on a rocket-powered sleigh called Sonic Wind 1, and the rocket was then sprayed along the orbit. The sleigh glides at 630 miles per hour, and Stapp endured a 40G pull during the glide, causing his ribs to break, his retina to fall out, and other injuries.
[A test conducted by U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel John Stapp on December 10, 1954]
The U.S. Air Force said at the time: "Staple survived and in the process demonstrated the incredible power that the human body can withstand, which gave us a better understanding of human tolerance for high-speed aircraft catapults." Stapp's work also helped to develop seat belts that could withstand greater forces. He also broke the land speed record at the time, earning the title of "Fastest Man on Earth."
【Aircraft seat ejection test】
Over the next few decades, the Air Force continued to use the orbit and expanded its capabilities. In 1982, another rocket sled carrying a 25-pounder carrying capacity set a new record for land speed for unmanned platforms.
【Cockpit test of F-35 fighter】
HHSTT's land speed record remained until 2003, the fifth and most recent runway expansion project was completed, when Air Force testers launched a rocket sled carrying an unknown 192-pound test object at a speed of 9,465 feet per second, or 6,500 miles per hour. At the altitude at which the test track is located, this is around Mach 8.5 – for reference, hypersonic speed is generally defined as any speed above Mach 5. That record was subsequently broken, with the U.S. military saying the new figure reached Mach 8.6.
Currently, the length of the HHSTT is 50,971 feet, about 10 miles. However, since only wide gauge tracks cover full length, its ability to perform certain tests is limited. A set of parallel narrow orbits covers only about four miles of total orbital length.
[Other tests on holoman high-speed test tracks (HHSTT)]
The 846th Squadron is currently working on three different courses of action, details of which have not been released by the U.S. Air Force. But the main goal of each scenario is to extend the narrow gauge track to 10 miles long.
When the modernization of the HHSTT system began, how much it might cost, and how much the Air Force would pay for the upgrade are uncertain. The Air Force's official news report explains: "Test Squadron 846 is currently seeking funding for military construction, but it is possible to obtain funding through other agencies, such as TRMC (The Pentagon's Test Resource Management Center)." With 35% of architectural and engineering designs yet unfinished, the preferred option has not yet been determined. ”
As mentioned earlier, the U.S. military is openly working on a large number of hypersonic aerospace projects, and there are almost certainly many more in secret, underscoring the importance of specialized high-speed test facilities such as HHSTT.
Author: Slightly fat
Copyright manuscripts, reproduction without permission is prohibited
The content of the article is the author's view and does not represent the position of this newspaper