[jet engine] faaaawoooosh
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Experience...
Innovation...
Safety...
The Aeronautics Test Program at
Dryden Flight Research Center.
Flight Loads Laboratory
Research Aircraft Integration Facility
Western Aeronautical Test Range
Support Aircraft
The Aeronautics Test Program at Dryden Flight Research Center
NASA Dryden's Aeronautics Test Program
Flight Operations and Test Infrastructure Project
offers government agencies,
corporations, and institutions
an extensive range of state-of-the-art
support aircraft, communication and telemetry,
simulation, and structures research capabilities.
NASA's Aeronautics Test Program assets
located at Dryden Flight Research Center...
advancing technology and science through flight.
Flight Loads Laboratory
Given its vast physical resources and
highly experienced technical staff,
the Flight Loads Laboratory
is a unique, national resource constructed to support
flight research and tests of aircraft structures dating back
to the X-15 hypersonic research program.
At NASA Dryden's Flight Loads Laboratory, a comprehensive set
of structural test capabilities can be achieved including
thermal, mechanical, structural dynamic,
and mass properties testing of large-scale structures,
performed independently or simultaneously.
To support testing capabilities, the Flight Loads Laboratory
utilizes both conventional and
advanced instrumentation technology.
The Flight Loads Laboratory
utilizes a wide array of test systems,
including radiant heating,
hydraulic load control,
a soft support system,
and a variety of measurement systems
to support ground and flight research.
Tests conducted in the Flight Loads Laboratory
utilize the most advanced structural
instrumentation capabilities available,
including state-of-the-art sensors
and measurement systems,
advanced sensor integration techniques,
and systems for sensor characterization and validation.
With its expert staff, distinctive capabilities and
flight line access, the Flight Loads Laboratory provides unique
test solutions, all under one roof, that meet customer
requirements from subsonic through hypersonic flight.
Research Aircraft Integration Facility
Another one-of-a-kind resource
offered by Dryden Flight Research Center's
Aeronautics Test Program, is the flight simulation capability
located in the Research Aircraft Integration Facility, known as
the "RAIF".
Designed to house project and facility management, vehicle
maintenance, and engineering personnel, the RAIF can support
a wide variety of advanced, highly integrated research
aircraft through all phases of a research program
from concept to flight.
PILOT: "Okay, we'll drive all the way to hold and get some gas."
Mission Controller: "COPY"
Among its more rare capabilities,
the RAIF offers high fidelity
real-time and batch flight simulation,
closed-loop, hardware-in-the-loop,
pilot-in-the-loop, and vehicle-in-the-loop verification
and validation testing.
The RAIF offers eleven different simulation labs
with the ability to customize for
specific research aircraft and unmanned vehicles.
The co-location of project and facility management,
vehicle maintenance, and engineering personnel
allows the RAIF to support advanced
aeronautical and space based research
throughout all phases of the research program
within a single facility.
Western Aeronautical Test Range
Located at Dryden Flight Research Center
and part of the Edwards Air Force Base Complex,
the ATP's Western Aeronautical Test Range,
or "WATR",
supports flight research operations
and low earth-orbiting missions.
Supplying a comprehensive set of resources for the control
and monitoring of flight activities
and utilizing the most advanced
tracking and data acquisition technology available,
the WATR's ability to acquire and communicate information
to flight and ground crews in real-time is incomparable.
Fixed and mobile telemetry antennas receive real-time data
and video signals from research vehicles and relay the data to
engineers in the mission control.
The WATR even has mobile capabilities to allow for
rapid deployment and remote testing
for support outside of local
airspace boundaries...
like a rendezvous at the International Space Station,
in which the WATR plays a
critical role in emergency situations.
The WATR is also the primary communications support
when the Space Shuttle lands at Edwards Air Force Base.
Support Aircraft
Dryden Flight Research Center's fleet of support aircraft
play a number of vital roles in successful aeronautics research
flight and ground operations.
The aircraft provide safety chase support for research
flights, mission video and photography support, and can be
utilized as adaptable research platforms if needed during
modification and maintenance of research aircraft.
While performing safety chase support, pilots maintain
constant visual and radio contact with research
test vehicles.
Chase pilots monitor external, flight-critical safety items,
clear other aircraft operations, and can provide additional
real-time feedback to the test pilot
and control room personnel.
Another vital component in the ATP's Support Aircraft program
is the utilization of photography and video.
Live video is captured plane-to-plane and transmitted
to control rooms allowing project engineers to watch the
mission from the most optimal point of view in real time.
Each of these support aircraft has unique performance
capabilities allowing the fleet to meet support requirements
across the entire envelope of flight research operation
speed, duration, and altitude ranges.
This diversity also allows the aircraft to be utilized to meet
pilot proficiency requirements on multiple platforms, ensuring
Dryden maintains the most highly qualified, versatile,
and experienced research test pilots possible.
These pilots also support the unique flight operation
activities of various Earth Science research and deployment
campaigns stretching around the world.
The Aeronautics Test Program at Dryden Flight Research Center...
advancing aeronautics research through flight.
With NASA's Aeronautics Test Program Flight Operations
and Test Infrastructure Project,
you not only get access to Dryden's
world-class facilities and infrastructure,
you become part of NASA's tradition
of success and innovation.
Dryden Flight Research Center...
to fly what others only imagine.
♪♪
[jet engine] faaaawoooosh