LAUNCH ALERT
Brian Webb
Ventura County, California
E-mail:
Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info
2004 March 24 (Thursday) 20:47 PST
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NASA'S X-43A VEHICLE READY FOR FLIGHT
NASA News Release
NASA has set Saturday, March 27, for the flight of its experimental
X-43A research vehicle. The unpiloted 12-foot-long vehicle, part
aircraft and part spacecraft, will be dropped from the wing of a B-52
aircraft, boosted to nearly 100,000 feet by a booster rocket and
released over the Pacific Ocean to briefly fly under its own power at
seven times the speed of sound, almost 5,000 mph.
The flight is part of the Hyper-X program, a research effort designed
to demonstrate alternate propulsion technologies for access to space
and high-speed flight within the atmosphere. It will provide unique
"first time" free flight data on hypersonic air-breathing engine
technologies that have large potential pay-offs.
Hyper-X is inherently a high-risk program. No vehicle has ever flown
at hypersonic speeds powered by an air-breathing scramjet engine. In
addition, the rocket boost and subsequent separation from the rocket
to get to the scramjet test condition have complex elements that must
work properly for the mission to be successful.
The $250 million program began with conceptual design and scramjet
engine wind tunnel work in 1996. In a scramjet (supersonic-combustion
ramjet), the flow of air through the engine remains supersonic, or
greater than the speed of sound, for optimum engine efficiency and
vehicle speed. There are few or no moving parts, but achieving proper
ignition and combustion in a matter of milliseconds proved to be an
engineering challenge of the highest order. After a series of
successful wind tunnel tests, however, NASA is ready to prove that
air-breathing scramjets work in flight.
This will mark the first time a non-rocket, air-breathing scramjet
engine has powered a vehicle in flight at hypersonic speeds, defined
as speeds above Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound.
Researchers believe these technologies may someday offer more
airplane-like operations and other benefits compared to traditional
rocket systems. Rockets provide limited throttle control and must
carry heavy tanks filled with liquid oxygen, necessary for combustion
of fuel. An air-breathing engine, like that on the X-43A, scoops
oxygen from the air as it flies. The weight savings could be used to
increase payload capacity, increase range or reduce vehicle size for
the same payload.
The X-43A will fly in the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division
Sea Range over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California.
After booster burnout, the 2,800-pound, wedge-shaped research vehicle
will separate and fly on its own to perform a preprogrammed set of
tasks. After an approximate ten second test firing of the engine, the
X-43A will glide through the atmosphere conducting a series of
aerodynamic maneuvers for up to six minutes on its way to splashdown.
This will be the second flight in the X-43A project. On June 2, 2001,
the first X-43A vehicle was lost moments after release from the wing
of the B-52. Following booster ignition, the combined booster and
X-43A vehicle deviated from its flight path and was deliberately
destroyed. Investigation into the mishap showed that there was no
single contributing factor, but the root cause of the problem was
identified as the control system of the booster.
For this flight, the B-52 will carry the booster with the attached
X-43A to at least 40,000 feet before its release, versus the 24,000
feet of the first attempt. The booster will carry the X-43A research
vehicle to approximately the same test conditions -- altitude and
speed -- as planned for the first flight.
NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., and Dryden Flight
Research Center, Edwards, Calif., jointly conduct the Hyper-X program.
A video clip, images and additional information about the project are
available on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/research/x43-main.html
NASA Television will carry the flight and the post-flight news
briefing live. NASA TV is available on AMC 9, TRANSPONDER 9C,
85 degrees west longitude, vertical polarization with a
frequency of 3880 MHz and audio of 6.8 MHz.
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OBSERVING THE X-43A FLIGHT
Weather permitting, well-placed observers should have an opportunity
to view Saturday's X-43A flight test. Two F/A-18 chase planes and the
B-52 bomber carrying the X-43A are scheduled to take off from Edwards
AFB around noon, fly west, cross the coast near Santa Barbara, and
fly to the launch point west of Los Angeles. After launch, the planes
will likely return to Edwards along the same route.
Observers may catch a glimpse of the three aircraft as they head to
and from the launch point. With some luck, the smoke trail from the
X-43A's solid rocket motor will also be visible.
For the best view of the test, you'll want to find a location along
the coast that's above any low clouds and fog. Two good locations
are the mountains north of Santa Barbara and the top of the Palos
Verdes peninsula.
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