One-of-a-kind 'plasma tunnel' recreates extreme conditions spacecraft face upon reentry

Imagine a spaceship returning to Earth after a long journey. The vehicle hits the planet’s atmosphere at approximately 17,000 miles per hour. A shock wave erupts. Molecules in the air are torn apart, forming plasma, a gas composed of charged particles that can reach tens of thousands of degrees Fahrenheit, several times hotter than the surface of the sun.