The 1.2 meter Trisonic wind tunnel at National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru has completed its 55 years of glorious service to the nation. Built between 1963 and 1967, the first blowdown test was conducted on May 29, 1967.
It has achieved an important milestone of 55,000 blowdowns. The highest speed of this tunnel is Mach 4.0 which is four times the speed of sound. The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO and Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) have tested their launch vehicles, missiles and aircraft here. ISRO has tested ASLV, PSLV, SLV, SSLV, GSLV, RLV and Gaganyaan satellite launch vehicles in the tunnel.
DRDO has tested Agni, Akaash, Prithvi, Pralay, SRSAM, LRSAM, ASTRA, NAG, Brahmos, Nirbhay missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the tunnel. The nation’s first Light Combat Aircraft Tejas was conceived at this facility. Mirage 2000, Sukhoi 30, Jaguar, MiG aircraft were successfully integrated with weapons and tested in the tunnel.
This trisonic tunnel is the only industrial wind tunnel in the country providing high-speed aerodynamic data for the national aerospace programmes. NAL is currently working towards setting up a continuous wind tunnel facility to meet the increased demand for high-speed experimental aerodynamic data.
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