At the FASTER Lab, our propulsion research centers on understanding high-speed reacting flows, shock-driven phenomena, and ignition processes that are fundamental to next-generation aerospace propulsion systems. We combine advanced shock-tube experimentation with high-fidelity numerical modeling to investigate the physics that govern combustion initiation, energy release, and flow–shock interactions relevant to high-performance engines.

We are actively developing new experimental facilities—such as diaphragmless and double-diaphragm shock tubes—to expand our ability to study internal aerodynamics, ignition behavior, and unsteady flow features under conditions representative of propulsion environments. These facilities are coupled with state-of-the-art diagnostics, including high-speed imaging and advanced optical measurement techniques, as well as CFD tools used to model and interpret the underlying flow physics.