Plasma wind tunnel testing

Plasma wind tunnel tests being performed in the L2K and L3K facilities of the German Aerospace Center DLR at its Cologne facility. The test conditions aim to mimic the conditions faced by spacecraft during uncontrolled atmospheric reentry at the end of their working lifetimes. The video shows the three metallic materials – aluminium alloy, titanium alloy and stainless steel – which are often used on satellite and launcher upper stages being submitted to the plasma flow.