NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Turns 75 — A Supersonic Journey
The Armstrong Flight Research Center is NASA's primary centre for conducting atmospheric flight research and test projects
New Delhi: As many as 13 members of the National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics (NACA) were sent to Muroc Army Airfield in the California Mojave Desert with a mission to achive supersonic flight (flight moving faster than the speed of sound), in 1946.
The first supersonic flight with the X-1 aircraft was achieved due to the efforts of NACA in less than two years. The research aircraft was powered by the Bell X-1-2 Rocket.
In present day, NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is NACA's outpost. The Research Center is planning to launch the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology Aircraft into space.
The key contributions of the centre include aeronautics research, aeronautical technologies and aviation safety. Work is also conducted in space transportation, by the centre, which has played a major role in severa Earth and space science missions.
This year, NASA Armstrong celebrates 75 years of innovation and conduction of high-risk, atmospheric flight research and test projects.
The Apollo program's Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, the X-15 rocket plane, was tested in Armstrong.
What Does NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Do?
The Armstrong Flight Research Center is NASA's primary centre for conducting atmospheric flight research and test projects. It conceives, designs, analyses, fabricates, integrates, maintains, and conducts interdisciplinary research, flight research, and flight test on unique research vehicles and systems, using world-class facilites and expertise.
Integration of complex developmental systems is the research centre's strength.
Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to step on the Moon, was a former research test flight, and the research centre in the western Mojave Desert has been named in his honour. The location was chosen in a way such that the for the entire year, the weather is suitable for flying. Also, there are 301,000 acres of remote area with varied topography, so that flights can be conducted to advance technology and science.
The design and capabilities of many state-of-the-art civil and military aircraft have advanced due to research at NASA Armstrong, over the last 75 years. The centre's aim is to revolutionise aviation, gather more knowledge of the universe, and make efforts to for the understanding and protection of Earth. In this way, Armstrong demonstrates America's leadership in aeronautics, Earth and space science, and aerospace technology.
NASA Armstrong plans to celebrate 75 years of innovation, milestones and discoveries using special anniversary materials such as playing cards, planners, stickers, patches and pins released throughout the year.
Recent Flight Projects Of NASA Armstrong
NASA's vision is to build a new global aviation system for the 21st Century, which is supported by NASA Armstrong. World-class NASA facilities are used by Armstrong's aeronautics researchers, engineers and pilots to keep US aviation at the number one position in safety, efficiency, and innovation, and the technologies used by the centre have been designed in a way such that aircraft noise and fuel use are reduced.
At present, the centre is collecting data that could make supersonic flight over land possible, in order to reduce travel time in the United States or anywhere in the world. Also, Armstrong is designing tools to test and validate electrified aircraft propulsion technologies, so that commerical aircraft energy and environmental impacts can be improved. Armstrong is also helping industry to safely develop an advanced air mobility system for transporting people and cargo between places.
The Research and Testbed Platforms in NASA Armstrong are F-15B #836 Aeronautics Research Testbed and Gulfstream III Aerodynamics Research Test Bed.
The fleet of highly specialised aircraft operated by the centre consists of C-20A, DC-8, ER-2 and B200. A wide variety of Earth science missions under the Airborne Science Mission are conducted by the centre.
Studying atmospheric effects of wildland and agricultural fires in the US, gathering data for geological studies, improving snowfall remote sensing interpretation, and developing models to advance predictive capabilities are some of the recent science missions of the centre.
The flight operations of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy or SOFIA program are managed by Armstrong. This program features a highly modified Boeing 747SP aircraft, aboard which a 106-inch primary mirror and a high-tech telescope are present.
SOFIA, DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory, ER-2 High-Altitude Platform, and Gulfstream C-20 A UAVSAR Science Aircraft are the science platforms of NASA Armstrong.
Armstrong also manages the Flight Opportunities program, supporting NASA's space technology development efforts. Rapid demonstration of technologies for space exploration and expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers is facilitated by the Flight Opportunities program. It is also investing in the growth of US commerical spaceflight industry.
NASA named its space shuttle prototype, Enterprise, inspired by Star Trek.
Adjacent to NASA Armstrong, the first mission of the shuttle program, the Space shuttle Columbia, was completed. NASA Armstrong Center supported 54 shuttle returns from space during the shuttle program.
Other Facilities And Capabilities Of NASA Armstrong
Flight simulation, ability to validate high temperature and flight loads, flight test instrumentation, processing flight research data and expertise in remotely operated aircraft flight research are some of the capabilities of Armstrong, apart from research and support aircraft.
The Dryden Aeronautical Test Range, one of the facilities of NASA Armstrong, has provided back-up communications to the International Space Station and the Russian Soyuz Spacecraft for decades. Its Researcher Aircraft Integration Facility, which is the only one of its type in NASA, can simultaneously check aircraft flight controls, avionics, electronics and other systems.
NASA Armstrong Plans For 2021 And Beyond
The X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) was recently completed, and is expected to begin flights in 2022.
Data that could lead the Federal Aviation Adminstration to end the prohibition on supersonic flight over land in the US, will be provided by the X-59, resulting in reduced travel times.
NASA's X-57 Maxwell will be the first all-electric X-plane which will be flown to validate and demonstrate benefits of distributed electric propulsion for the future of aviation.
This will be a piloted aircraft, and is a part of NASA's research in regional air transportation of people and cargo.
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