From the Lab to the Field: Materials Testing for Hypersonic Environments
Dec 03, 2025
Dr. Stephen Parsons discusses materials testing for hypersonic environments this From the Lab to the Field video. In testing hypersonic materials for AFRL, we use lasers to excite different aspects of the plasma and observe readmitted light with intrusive probes and other methods.
"This IRAD focuses on the interactions of materials and plasmas with the emphasis on materials for hypersonic applications," Dr. Parsons explains. He goes on to describe how the Riverside Research Plasma Lab team measures plasma using lasers.