The VKI supersonic/transonic wind tunnel S-1 is a continuous closed circuit facility of the Ackeret type, driven by a 615 kW axial flow compressor. Three 0.4 m x 0.36 m test sections are available: contoured nozzles with M = 2.0 and 2.25 and a slotted transonic section with variable Mach number, from 0.4 to 1.05. A solid half nozzle with M = 1.43 is also available for shock wave/boundary layer interaction studies. A typical unit Reynolds number is 4 x 106/m. The test section contains a three-degree-of-freedom traversing mechanism for model and/or probe support, as well as a variable incidence mechanism (up to ± 35 degrees).
The tunnel is equipped with shadow, schlieren and LDV systems, including a three-axis traversing table. Additional instrumentation includes scani-valves for pressure distribution measurements, multi-component strain gauge balances, and a free-to-tumble mounting system for investigations of dynamic stability of aerospace vehicles.
Following a major renovation, the S-1 facility has been recommissioned in 2004 with a new semi-automated control system.
