NASA BEGINS AIRBORNE SCIENCE FLIGHTS AT DRYDEN February 25, 1998 Release: 98-05 Printer Friendly Version
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, has added operational airborne science flights to its mission. Dryden, NASA's Center of Excellence for Atmospheric Flight Operations, has three aircraft in its Airborne Science Program, two ER-2 high-altitude research aircraft and a highly modified DC-8 Airborne Laboratory.
"We're looking forward to a productive year of collecting science data for our partners, their scientists and investigators," said Gary Shelton, Dryden's deputy director for airborne science. "The initiation of operational science missions from Dryden marks a major milestone for the program."
In January one of the two ER-2s, flying an experiment for the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, collected high-altitude particulate matter--or "cosmic dust"--on two collector instruments mounted on pods under the wings. In mid-February the second ER-2 flew an experimental atmospheric thermal radiometer developed by the Anderson Group at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. The prototype instrument is designed to provide improved thermal radiation measurement over radiometers currently in use on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites, with a long-term goal of improving weather prediction capability.
The DC-8, a specially-instrumented version designed for medium-altitude science missions, resumed flight operations in mid-February after undergoing maintenance and satellite communications system upgrades. The aircraft is slated to begin its 1998 schedule of science research missions with a series of flights on behalf of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, in mid-March.
The three science platform aircraft will fly a multitude of experiments for researchers from NASA, other government agencies, the academic community and private industry investigators. While most missions will be flown from Dryden, many will involve deployments around the country. The ER-2's will fly from Eglin Air Force Base, FL.; Fort Wainwright, AK; Wallops Island, VA; and Patrick Air Force Base, FL. The DC-8 will fly a number of science data-gathering missions from Texas, Colorado and Florida.
The pair of ER-2s are uniquely designed to carry high-altitude experiments at their cruising altitudes in the 70,000-foot range. The aircraft can carry scientific payloads of up to 2,600 pounds in a central fuselage bay, the nose and two wing pods. Although most missions last about six hours, including five hours at high altitude, the aircraft are capable of flying missions as long as eight hours over a 3,000-nautical-mile range.
The ER-2s have been used on a wide variety of science missions, flying experiments related to Earth resources, celestial observations, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, oceanic processes, electronic sensor research and development, satellite calibration and data validation, among others. They have flown atmospheric research missions from such far-flung spots as Punta Arenas, Chile; Bangor, ME; Darwin, Australia; Stavanger, Norway; and the Fijian Islands.
The DC-8 airborne laboratory is used primarily for three types of missions: sensor development, satellite sensor verification and basic research about Earth's surface and atmosphere. It has been deployed to virtually all areas of the globe in pursuit of airborne science, flying missions on all seven continents and over both the north and south poles. In addition to upgraded aircraft instrumentation systems, NASA's DC-8 has specialized data acquisition and processing systems aboard to support its scientific research role.
Built by Douglas Aircraft Co. in 1966, the DC-8 flew for 20 years with two major airlines before being acquired by NASA and converted to its present role as an airborne laboratory. The four-engine former jetliner is capable of flying extended-duration missions as long as 12 hours over a range of 5,400 nautical miles at cruise altitudes up to 41,000 feet. It is capable of carrying a payload of multiple experiments weighing up to 30,000 pounds. On previous missions, up to 30 scientists have worked on 14 different experiments simultaneously.
--nasa-- Note to Editors: Still photos of the NASA ER-2 and DC-8 aircraft are available from the Dryden Public Affairs Office to support this release. For photo prints please call (805) 258-3449. Photos are also available on the Internet under NASA Dryden Research Aircraft Photo Archive, Dryden News and Feature Photos, URL:
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NASA Dryden news releases are also available on the Internet at:
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