NASA Opens First Major New Wind Tunnel in Over 40 Years at Langley

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NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, has inaugurated the Flight Dynamics Research Facility (FDRF), its first major new wind tunnel constructed in more than four decades. The facility takes over from two long-serving tunnels — the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel — which are being retired. Langley has operated wind tunnels for over a century, using them to advance aeronautical research and shape the development of flight. The FDRF represents a significant modernization of NASA's aerodynamic testing capabilities as the agency looks toward the future of aviation.

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