Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center Test Pressure Sensitive Paint on Benchmark Supercritical Wing Model
Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, conducted a first-of-its-kind test using unsteady pressure sensitive paint on a standard wind tunnel model. During the test in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel, ultraviolet lights made the Benchmark Supercritical Wing glow pink-purple.
Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, conducted a first-of-its-kind test using unsteady pressure sensitive paint on a standard wind tunnel model. During the test in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel, ultraviolet lights made the Benchmark Supercritical Wing glow pink-purple. High-speed cameras captured the changes in the paint's brightness, which varied based on air pressure.
This event marked the first time researchers used the technique on a large-scale, freely moving model in a low-oxygen environment. The test combined universal benchmark wings with specialized paint to gather data for computer models. Researchers at Langley and the Ames Research Center in California have worked for years to integrate the paint into wind tunnel tests.
This milestone prepares the way for upcoming tests on flexible aircraft models designed to bend and adapt during flight.
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Original publication: 2 October 2026 21:40
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