NASA tests new tools for aviation icing hazard

NASA is upgrading its test facilities to study a rare aviation hazard—ice forming on planes from unusually large, supercooled water droplets found in clouds. Researchers at the Glenn Research Center are trialing new probes that precisely measure these big droplets, which can freeze on parts of planes not covered by standard ice protection. They’ll share the data with the industry once analysis wraps up.

• Supercooled large droplets can be up to 2,000 microns wide
• Standard designs protect against much smaller droplets
• NASA developed advanced probes for in-tunnel cloud testing
• Live data helps engineers calibrate how planes handle rare icing