Hypersonic Flight and Ground Testing Workshop
- Date:
- 20th July 2026 - 24th July 2026
- Location:
- Oxford
- Organisation:
- University of Oxford
- Host(s):
- Professor Matthew McGilvray
Aim:
The purpose of the workshop is to introduce attendees to hypersonic and high-enthalpy ground testing and flight-testing methodologies. This will include background information delivered through lectures, and discussions, as well as hands-on experience in operating facilities and experimental setups.
Attendees will gain knowledge in these areas over five days from world leading experts: the first day spent on lectures on flight testing and an overview of hypersonic ground test facilities. The following four days will then be focused on hypersonic experiments and techniques, conducted in different hypersonic test facilities including the NWTF High Density Tunnel and T6 multi-mode shock tunnel and the Oxford pilot plasma wind tunnel, OPG.
Participants will learn about the theory and application of optical diagnostics (focused schlieren, IR thermography), laser-based techniques and high bandwidth surface transducers. Additionally, they will undertake experiments focused on a range of topics from ablative material response, boundary layer transition and thermochemistry.
Target Audience:
- Postgraduate students
- Industrial /Government lab engineers
Agenda/Workshop Overview:
- Hypersonic Flight Experiments:
- Dr Terry Cain (Gas Dynamics Limited) – HyShot II combustion experiment
- Professor Rodney Bowersox (Texas A&M) – BOLT II Boundary Layer Transition Experiment
- TBD – Hypersonic sounding rocket experiments
- Overview of Hypersonic Ground Test Facilities (Professor Matthew McGilvray, University of Oxford)
- Experiment 1: Shock tube – Shock layer thermochemistry experiments (Professor Richard Morgan, University of Queensland)
- Experiment 2: Ludwieg Tunnel – Boundary Layer Transition Reversal (Dr Luke Hill, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
- Experiment 3: Plasma Wind Tunnel – Ablation (Professor Matthew McGilvray, University of Oxford)
- Experiment 4: Laser Diagnostics – Schlieren & Interferometry (Professor Ben Williams, University of Oxford)
Schedule:
|
TIME |
Monday 20/7 |
Tuesday
21/7 |
Wednesday
22/7 |
Thursday
23/7 |
Friday 24/7 |
|
9.00-10.30 |
Intro + Wind tunnel overview | Exp 1 | Exp 2 | Exp 3 |
Exp 4 |
|
COFFEE |
|||||
|
11.00-12.30 |
Flight test 1 | Exp 1 | Exp 2 | Exp 3 |
Exp 4 |
|
LUNCH |
|||||
|
13.30-15.00 |
Flight test 2 | Exp 1 | Exp 2 | Exp 3 |
Exp 4 |
|
COFFEE |
|||||
|
15.30-17.00 |
Flight test 3 | Exp 1 | Exp 2 | Exp 3 | Exp 4 |
Registration
A limited number of places are available, early registration is recommended.
- Free for academic researchers working at a UK University
- £2,000 for industry, government, and academics from non-UK Universities
- Lunch and refreshments provided
Attendees are responsible for all other expenses, including travel and accommodation.
To register your interest in attending please complete the event registration form. Registration does not guarantee a place, attendance will be confirmed following review of applications by the University of Oxford. Only those who receive confirmation of a place will be able to attend due to limited capacity.