NASA Wind tunnel project in Butte intact

While NASA has announced it will be cutting some of its wind tunnel pro grams due to cost, the move will not affect plans for a hypersonic wind
tunnel in Butte.

By Gerard O’Brien of the Montana Standard

That’s because the Butte project is funded by the Department of Defense and not NASA.
Don Peoples, president of MSE Inc., said Monday that news reports in The Montana Standard over the weekend about NASA’s budget-cutting raised
eyebrows throughout the Mining City. He was questioned about it every where he went.

“ I almost had to give a speech when I was having lunch in Matt’s (hamburger and soda fountain) this week end,” Peoples laughed. “ People were
questioning whether we were building another Model A Ford.”
Vince Tonc, president of MSE Technologies Applications (an arm of MSE), said that it’s a matter of history versus the future.

“ The hypersonic wind tun nel is new science and new technology. We’re talking about ultra high speeds (Mach 5 to Mach 15) and ultra high
pressure (up to 300,000 psi) that we don’t have the scientific num bers on. The science is just not well under stood. Computer-generated models
won’t do it,” Tonc said. “ NASA is using the old technology, it’s redundant, and so they’re looking for ways to cut costs.”

The defense department is funding the Butte project because it will test rockets that may be used for satellite protection, for example.
“ The cruise missile travels about 500 mph now. The defense department would like it to travel faster and longer dis tances. The defense
department is con cerned for satellite protection, especially those global positioning satellites.”

Tonc said that the investment is about $200 million spread over several research labs across the country, including Butte.
Last year Congress appropriated $12 million for a five-year program. Prior to that, $3.5 million was appropriated. Butte will work with engineering
centers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University and Boeing on this project.

“ Our long-term vision is to have it to advance science,” Tonc said. “ We want to be able to apply new designs and fabrica tion for the defense
department needs. And we want to do that work here in Montana.”

In Butte, there are about 12 engineers on the project. The entire research project may last up to 15 years. Butte is working with the Air Force at
present, but hopes to draw in the Army and Navy as sponsors for further research.

http://www.mtstandard.com/newslocal/lnews1.html