NASA Glenn RC Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Lab

Unique in testing capabilities and size, the AAPL dome is sixty-five feet high and 130 feet in diameter, providing an anechoic testing environment for engine component research and development. To provide a reflection free acoustic environment, custom-designed 2-foot thick fiberglass wedges were mounted on the dome's interior walls and floor areas adjacent to the test rigs. The acoustically treated dome walls were also designed specifically to attenuate sound. Together, these elements provide an echo-free testing environment that exceeds the acoustic research testing objectives set forth by NASA and industry.