NASA Unveils First New Wind Tunnel in Over 40 Years in Virginia

WHO:

Fox News - Dr. Trina Dyal, NASA Langley center director

Fox News - Jared Isaacman, administrator of NASA

Fox News - Giovanny Guecha, technical lead for the NASA Dragonfly parachute decelerator system

Fox News - David Storch, facility manager for NASA's transonic dynamics tunnel

WHAT:

NY Post - NASA opened its first major new wind tunnel in more than 40 years.

Fox News - The new facility is called the Flight Dynamics Research Facility.

Fox News - The facility is 25,000 square feet and contains a vertical test section measuring 20 feet in diameter and 24 feet tall.

Fox News - The wind tunnel can generate wind speeds of up to 117 mph.

Fox News - Four 750-horsepower motors power the tunnel, each paired with a 14-foot-diameter, eight-bladed fan.

WHERE:

NY Post - The wind tunnel is located at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

WHY:

Fox News - The opening of the facility represents a significant advancement for NASA and the nation.

Fox News - The project is part of NASA’s broader effort to modernize its infrastructure and reduce the cost of maintaining aging facilities.

Fox News - The facility will be used to test technology for future exploration of Venus, Titan, Earth's moon, and Mars.

HOW:

Fox News - The lightweight carbon-fiber blades allow engineers to adjust airflow quickly during free-flight testing and simulate flight at higher altitudes.

Fox News - The facility will provide NASA and its partners with a critical resource for testing the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, space-exploration vehicles, X-planes, drones, and autonomous flight vehicles.

(UPDATED August 3, 2026 18:44 UTC)

NASA has officially opened its first major new wind tunnel in over 40 years, located at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and named the Flight Dynamics Research Facility. This impressive 25,000 square-foot facility features a vertical test section that is 20 feet in diameter and 24 feet tall, capable of generating wind speeds of up to 117 mph with the help of four powerful 750-horsepower motors. The new tunnel will play a crucial role in testing technologies for future exploration missions to Venus, Titan, Earth's moon, and Mars, as part of NASA's ongoing efforts to modernize its infrastructure and enhance the safety and performance of next-generation aircraft and spacecraft.