Light show
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn.— Katie Stephens aligns a projectile with a laser that is part of a non-intrusive imaging system upgrade at the Arnold Engineering Development Center’s large Hypervelocity Ballistic Range G facility. The Range G launcher is the largest routinely operated two-stage, light-gas gun system in the United States that provides unequalled “soft launch” (minimized acceleration loading) capability to launch extremely high-fidelity missile simulations at hypervelocity speeds. The system upgrade will incorporate industry system standard components, including a low power, frequency doubled neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, compact power supply, high-resolution digital camera and supporting hardware. The laser assesses the condition of a projectile during a specific stage of flight. Ms. Stephens is an optical diagnostics group engineer with Aerospace Testing Alliance’s technology and analysis branch. (Photo by Rick Goodfriend)