Altair (Nasdaq: ALTR), a global leader in computational intelligence, will collaborate with Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering on a $1.25 million AFWERX Phase II STTR contract. The two organizations will develop analytical models for cyclonic flows, build computational tools, and study the stability of various vortex engines to address challenges faced by public and private aerospace organizations.
Under the contract, Altair assumes the role previously held by Research in Flight, founded in 2013 and the recipient of multiple development contracts and grants over a decade. Altair acquired Research in Flight in April 2024; that technology is now integrated as Altair® FlightStream™, part of the Altair® HyperWorks® platform.
“This opportunity continues Altair’s legacy of innovation in the aerospace sector and demonstrates the strength of our technology when partnering with a respected institution like Auburn University,” said Pietro Cervellera, senior vice president of Aerospace and Defense at Altair. “FlightStream provides unique capabilities that bridge the gap between high-fidelity CFD simulations and engineering requirements, setting industry standards for efficiency, accuracy, and speed.”
For this project, the Auburn team led by Dr. Joe Majdalani, the Hugh and Loeda Francis Chair of Excellence in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, will use FlightStream to identify optimal operating conditions for vortex engines. FlightStream will enable the team to predict cyclonic flow performance and acoustic signatures in a fraction of the time required by previous methods. These models will allow engineers to quickly assess vortex engine stability earlier in the design cycle across a range of operating conditions.
“This contract enables us to develop next-generation solutions for vortex engines and to partner with Altair, whose decades of expertise now include Research in Flight’s tools,” said Majdalani. “Previously, each test aimed at evaluating a vortex engine’s capacity and stability limits took roughly two weeks. With FlightStream, the same predictions can be made in minutes. It will be exciting to see how these tools transform the industry.”
The contract was awarded by AFWERX, the U.S. Air Force’s innovation arm that leverages American ingenuity from small businesses and startups to address the service’s most pressing challenges. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed more than 6,200 new contracts worth over $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and accelerate the transition of technologies to operational capability.
To learn more, visit Altair at booth #16 at the American Aerospace & Defense Summit in Glendale, Arizona, December 4–5. For more information about FlightStream, visit https://altair.com/altair-flightstream. For details about AFRL and AFWERX, visit https://afresearchlab.com/ and https://afwerx.com/.