(aerospace engineering) A method of subjecting structures and devices to high accelerations or decelerations and aerodynamic flow phenomena under controlled conditions; the test object is mounted on a sled chassis running on precision steel rails and accelerated by rockets or decelerated by water scoops.

A method of subjecting structures and devices to high accelerations or decelerations and aerodynamic flow phenomena under controlled conditions. The test object is mounted on a sled chassis running on precision steel rails and accelerated by rockets and decelerated by water scoops. This captive track testing of full-scale aircraft and missile components makes possible the recovery of expensive test sections, facilitates the instrumentation of the test and the reception and recording of the data, and provides a degree of repeatability not normally achieved under conditions of free flight. The components tested may be the rocket engines themselves, sections of flight vehicles, or equipment intended to operate under conditions of high acceleration or other specific environments such as structural vibration, acoustic vibration, and related aerodynamic conditions.

The test vehicle takes many diversified forms, ranging from the highly faired, aerodynamically clean type used to explore the transonic and supersonic speed ranges to the relatively simple all-purpose utility type used for testing in the subsonic and low transonic ranges. All sleds are carried on shoes or slippers that grip the railhead in order to prevent derailing. They may be powered by either liquid- or solid-propellant rocket engines.

Tests conducted on the track provide initial design data, developmental evaluation, and performance measurements of completed components and equipments.