NASA tests new pressure-sensitive paint for aircraft wings

NASA has completed its first wind tunnel test using unsteady pressure sensitive paint on a large-scale model aircraft wing at Langley Research Center. The paint glows under ultraviolet light and changes brightness with air pressure, letting high-speed cameras capture airflow details. This milestone will support more advanced computer models and future tests with flexible aircraft designs, improving simulations for next-generation aviation.

• Test used unsteady pressure sensitive paint on model wing
• Paint brightness shows air pressure on wing surfaces
• High-speed cameras recorded pressure changes during testing
• First use on large, freely moving model in low-oxygen tunnel
• Supports future research on flexible, adaptive aircraft