NASA and SpaceX have concluded a series of wind tunnel tests at the Ames Research Center in California to evaluate the aerodynamic performance of the Super Heavy Version 3 rocket booster. These evaluations are critical for the upcoming Artemis III mission, which aims to utilize a Starship Human Landing System (HLS) to transport astronauts to the lunar surface.
The testing, which took place in late 2025, utilized a 1.2% scale model of the booster within both transonic and supersonic wind tunnels. By simulating flight conditions ranging from Mach 0.2 to Mach 2.5, engineers gathered data on both steady and unsteady aerodynamic forces. This information is essential for understanding how the rocket behaves during atmospheric re-entry, particularly regarding air "buffeting" and vibrations that could impact flight control software and structural loads.
The Version 3 booster features several design updates compared to its predecessors, including the integration of Raptor 3 engines, a new hot stage, and a modified gridfin configuration. NASA leveraged its historical expertise from the Space Shuttle, Space Launch System (SLS), and Orion programs to assist SpaceX in setting up the tests and interpreting the results.
"We used the agency’s broad experience base... to efficiently set up and analyze the wind tunnel testing for the Super Heavy Version 3," said Manish Mehta, discipline lead engineer for the HLS Plume and Aero Environments team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The data collected will help ensure the rocket can be safely recovered and refurbished for future use, supporting NASA's broader goals for lunar exploration and eventual crewed missions to Mars.
Source: NASA
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