The NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. Its primary campus is located inside Edwards Air Force Base in California and is considered NASA's premier site for aeronautical research.[1] AFRC operates some of the most advanced aircraft in the world and is known for many aviation firsts, including critical support for the first crewed airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight (Bell X-1),[2] highest speed ever recorded by a crewed, powered aircraft (North American X-15),[3][4] the first pure digital fly-by-wire aircraft (F-8 DFBW),[5] and many others. AFRC also operates a second site in Palmdale, Ca. known as Building 703, once the former Rockwell International/North American Aviation production facility, next to Air Force Plant 42.[6] There, AFRC houses and operates several of NASA's Science Mission Directorate aircraft including SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy), a DC-8 Flying Laboratory, a Gulfstream C-20A UAVSAR and ER-2 High Altitude Platform.[1] David McBride is currently the center's director.[7]
Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center
Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center from the air.
The historical logo of then Dryden Flight Research Center (before March 2014).
On 1 March 2014, the facility was renamed in honor of Neil Armstrong, a former test pilot at the center and the first human being to walk on the surface of the Moon.[8][9] The center was previously known as the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) from 26 March 1976,[10] in honor of Hugh L. Dryden, a prominent aeronautical engineer who at the time of his death in 1965 was NASA's deputy administrator. It has also previously been known as the National Advisory Committee for AeronauticsMuroc Flight Test Unit (1946), the NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station (1949), the NACA High-Speed Flight Station (1954), the NASA High-Speed Flight Station (1958) and the NASA Flight Research Center (1959).
AFRC was also the home of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a modified Boeing 747 designed to carry a Space Shuttle orbiter back to Kennedy Space Center if one landed at Edwards.
Until 2004, Armstrong Flight Research Center operated the oldest B-52 Stratofortress bomber, a B-52B model (tail number 008) which had been converted to drop test aircraft, dubbed 'Balls 8.' It dropped many supersonic test vehicles, ranging from the X-15 to its last research program, the hypersonicX-43A, powered by a Pegasus rocket. The aircraft was retired and is currently on display near the North Gate of Edwards.[11]
Though Armstrong Flight Research Center has always been located on the shore of Rogers Dry Lake, its precise location has changed over the years. It currently resides on the northwestern edge of the lake bed, just south of Edwards Air Force Base's North Gate. Visitation to the center requires obtaining access to both Edwards AFB and NASA AFRC. The Rogers Dry Lake bed offers a unique landscape well suited for flight research—dry conditions, few rainy days per year, and large, flat, open spaces in which emergency landings can be performed. At times, the Rogers Dry Lake bed can host a runway length of over 40,000 feet, and is home to a 2000'-diameter compass rose, in which aircraft can land into the wind in any direction.
The NACA's Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket being dropped from a B-29 Superfortress.
NASA's predecessor, the NACA, operated the Douglas Skyrocket. A successor to the Air Force's Bell X-1, the D-558-II could operate under rocket or jet power. It conducted extensive tests into aircraft stability in the transsonic range, optimal supersonic wing configurations, rocket plume effects, and high-speed flight dynamics. On November 20, 1953, the Douglas Skyrocket became the first aircraft to fly at over twice the speed of sound when it attained a speed of Mach 2.005. Like the X-1, the D-558-II could be air-launched using a B-29 Superfortress. Unlike the X-1, the Skyrocket could also takeoff from a runway with the help of JATO units.
The Controlled Impact Demonstration was a joint project with the Federal Aviation Administration to research a new jet fuel that would decrease the damage due to fire in the crash of a large airliner. On 1 December 1984, a remotely piloted Boeing 720 aircraft was flown into specially built wing openers which tore the wings open, fuel spraying everywhere. Despite the new fuel additive, the resulting fireball was huge; the fire still took an hour to fully extinguish.
Even though the fuel additive did not prevent a fire, the research was not a complete failure. The additive still prevented the combustion of some fuel which flowed over the fuselage of the aircraft, and served to cool it, similar to how a conventional rocket engine cools its nozzle. Also, instrumented crash test dummies were in the airplane for the impact, and provided valuable research into other aspects of crash survivability for the occupants.
LASRE was a NASA experiment in cooperation with Lockheed Martin to study a reusable launch vehicle design based on a linear aerospikerocket engine. The experiment's goal was to provide in-flight data to help Lockheed Martin validate the computational predictive tools they developed to design the craft. LASRE was a small, half-span model of a lifting body with eight thrust cells of an aerospike engine. The experiment, mounted on the back of an SR-71 Blackbird aircraft, operated like a kind of "flying wind tunnel."
The experiment focused on determining how a reusable launch vehicle's engine plume would affect the aerodynamics of its lifting-body shape at specific altitudes and speeds reaching approximately 340 m/s (760 mph). The interaction of the aerodynamic flow with the engine plume could create drag; design refinements look to minimize that interaction.
The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle or LLRV was an Apollo Project era program to build a simulator for the Moon landing. The LLRVs, humorously referred to as "Flying Bedsteads", were used by the FRC, now known as the Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, California, to study and analyze piloting techniques needed to fly and land the Apollo Lunar Module in the moon's airless environment.
^ abConner, Monroe (February 19, 2015). "Building 703 Facilities Overview". NASA. from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^Gibbs, Yvonne (August 12, 2015). "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: First Generation X-1". NASA. from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^"Aerospaceweb.org | Aircraft Museum - X-15". www.aerospaceweb.org. from the original on February 10, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^Gibbs, Yvonne (August 13, 2015). "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: X-15 Hypersonic Research Program". NASA. from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^Gibbs, Yvonne (May 10, 2017). "F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire". NASA. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^Conner, Monroe (February 19, 2015). "Building 703 in Palmdale". NASA. from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
^"New Dryden Director: Administrator Bolden Selects David McBride". NASA. January 15, 2010. from the original on January 26, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
^"NASA Center Renamed in Honor of Neil A. Armstrong". NASA. April 9, 2015. from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
^"NASA Honors Astronaut Neil Armstrong with Center Renaming". NASA Press Release 14-061. February 28, 2014. from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
^"What's In a Name". NASA. February 27, 2014. from the original on March 8, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
armstrong, flight, research, center, nasa, neil, afrc, aeronautical, research, center, operated, nasa, primary, campus, located, inside, edwards, force, base, california, considered, nasa, premier, site, aeronautical, research, afrc, operates, some, most, adva. The NASA Neil A Armstrong Flight Research Center AFRC is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA Its primary campus is located inside Edwards Air Force Base in California and is considered NASA s premier site for aeronautical research 1 AFRC operates some of the most advanced aircraft in the world and is known for many aviation firsts including critical support for the first crewed airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight Bell X 1 2 highest speed ever recorded by a crewed powered aircraft North American X 15 3 4 the first pure digital fly by wire aircraft F 8 DFBW 5 and many others AFRC also operates a second site in Palmdale Ca known as Building 703 once the former Rockwell International North American Aviation production facility next to Air Force Plant 42 6 There AFRC houses and operates several of NASA s Science Mission Directorate aircraft including SOFIA Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy a DC 8 Flying Laboratory a Gulfstream C 20A UAVSAR and ER 2 High Altitude Platform 1 David McBride is currently the center s director 7 Neil A Armstrong Flight Research CenterNeil A Armstrong Flight Research Center from the air Agency overviewPreceding agenciesDryden Flight Research CenterMuroc Flight Test UnitHigh Speed Flight Research StationJurisdictionU S federal governmentHeadquartersEdwards Air Force Base California United StatesAgency executiveDavid D McBride directorParent agencyNASAWebsiteOfficial websiteThe historical logo of then Dryden Flight Research Center before March 2014 On 1 March 2014 the facility was renamed in honor of Neil Armstrong a former test pilot at the center and the first human being to walk on the surface of the Moon 8 9 The center was previously known as the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center DFRC from 26 March 1976 10 in honor of Hugh L Dryden a prominent aeronautical engineer who at the time of his death in 1965 was NASA s deputy administrator It has also previously been known as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Muroc Flight Test Unit 1946 the NACA High Speed Flight Research Station 1949 the NACA High Speed Flight Station 1954 the NASA High Speed Flight Station 1958 and the NASA Flight Research Center 1959 AFRC was also the home of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft SCA a modified Boeing 747 designed to carry a Space Shuttle orbiter back to Kennedy Space Center if one landed at Edwards Until 2004 Armstrong Flight Research Center operated the oldest B 52 Stratofortress bomber a B 52B model tail number 008 which had been converted to drop test aircraft dubbed Balls 8 It dropped many supersonic test vehicles ranging from the X 15 to its last research program the hypersonic X 43A powered by a Pegasus rocket The aircraft was retired and is currently on display near the North Gate of Edwards 11 Contents 1 Location 2 List of current projects 3 Historic projects 3 1 Douglas Skyrocket 3 2 Controlled Impact Demonstration 3 3 Linear Aerospike SR 71 Experiment 3 4 Lunar Landing Research Vehicle 4 Aircraft on display 5 Gallery 6 Notable employees 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksLocation EditThough Armstrong Flight Research Center has always been located on the shore of Rogers Dry Lake its precise location has changed over the years It currently resides on the northwestern edge of the lake bed just south of Edwards Air Force Base s North Gate Visitation to the center requires obtaining access to both Edwards AFB and NASA AFRC The Rogers Dry Lake bed offers a unique landscape well suited for flight research dry conditions few rainy days per year and large flat open spaces in which emergency landings can be performed At times the Rogers Dry Lake bed can host a runway length of over 40 000 feet and is home to a 2000 diameter compass rose in which aircraft can land into the wind in any direction List of current projects EditX 56 X 57 X 59 QueSST Dream Chaser UAS in the NAS TGALSHistoric projects EditDouglas Skyrocket Edit Main article Douglas Skyrocket The NACA s Douglas D 558 II Skyrocket being dropped from a B 29 Superfortress NASA s predecessor the NACA operated the Douglas Skyrocket A successor to the Air Force s Bell X 1 the D 558 II could operate under rocket or jet power It conducted extensive tests into aircraft stability in the transsonic range optimal supersonic wing configurations rocket plume effects and high speed flight dynamics On November 20 1953 the Douglas Skyrocket became the first aircraft to fly at over twice the speed of sound when it attained a speed of Mach 2 005 Like the X 1 the D 558 II could be air launched using a B 29 Superfortress Unlike the X 1 the Skyrocket could also takeoff from a runway with the help of JATO units Controlled Impact Demonstration Edit Main article Controlled Impact Demonstration A remotely piloted Boeing 720 is destroyed in the Controlled Impact Demonstration The Controlled Impact Demonstration was a joint project with the Federal Aviation Administration to research a new jet fuel that would decrease the damage due to fire in the crash of a large airliner On 1 December 1984 a remotely piloted Boeing 720 aircraft was flown into specially built wing openers which tore the wings open fuel spraying everywhere Despite the new fuel additive the resulting fireball was huge the fire still took an hour to fully extinguish Even though the fuel additive did not prevent a fire the research was not a complete failure The additive still prevented the combustion of some fuel which flowed over the fuselage of the aircraft and served to cool it similar to how a conventional rocket engine cools its nozzle Also instrumented crash test dummies were in the airplane for the impact and provided valuable research into other aspects of crash survivability for the occupants Linear Aerospike SR 71 Experiment Edit A modern Skunk Works project leverages an older LASRE atop an SR 71 Blackbird Main article Linear Aerospike SR 71 Experiment LASRE was a NASA experiment in cooperation with Lockheed Martin to study a reusable launch vehicle design based on a linear aerospike rocket engine The experiment s goal was to provide in flight data to help Lockheed Martin validate the computational predictive tools they developed to design the craft LASRE was a small half span model of a lifting body with eight thrust cells of an aerospike engine The experiment mounted on the back of an SR 71 Blackbird aircraft operated like a kind of flying wind tunnel The experiment focused on determining how a reusable launch vehicle s engine plume would affect the aerodynamics of its lifting body shape at specific altitudes and speeds reaching approximately 340 m s 760 mph The interaction of the aerodynamic flow with the engine plume could create drag design refinements look to minimize that interaction Lunar Landing Research Vehicle Edit Main article Lunar Landing Research Vehicle The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle or LLRV was an Apollo Project era program to build a simulator for the Moon landing The LLRVs humorously referred to as Flying Bedsteads were used by the FRC now known as the Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base California to study and analyze piloting techniques needed to fly and land the Apollo Lunar Module in the moon s airless environment Aircraft on display EditNB 52B Balls 8 NASA 008 Bell X 1E AF Ser No 46 063 F 104N NASA 826 F 8 Supercritical wing NASA 810 F 8 Digital Fly by wire NASA 802 F 15B ACTIVE NASA 837 Grumman X 29 NASA 849 Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird LASRE NASA 844 Northrop HL 10 Lifting Body NASA 804 Rockwell HiMATGallery Edit The Dryden Flight Research Center s fleet of aircraft in 1997 The satellite image of Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Edwards compass rose Notable employees EditNeil Armstrong Marta Bohn Meyer Bill Dana C Gordon Fullerton David Hedgley Bruce Peterson R Dale Reed David Scott Milt ThompsonSee also Edit Aviation portal Spaceflight portal California portalGromov Flight Research Institute the Russia counterpart of the Armstrong Flight Research Centre List of aerospace flight test centresReferences Edit a b Conner Monroe February 19 2015 Building 703 Facilities Overview NASA Archived from the original on May 1 2017 Retrieved September 26 2017 Gibbs Yvonne August 12 2015 NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet First Generation X 1 NASA Archived from the original on June 21 2017 Retrieved September 26 2017 Aerospaceweb org Aircraft Museum X 15 www aerospaceweb org Archived from the original on February 10 2020 Retrieved September 26 2017 Gibbs Yvonne August 13 2015 NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet X 15 Hypersonic Research Program NASA Archived from the original on June 21 2017 Retrieved September 26 2017 Gibbs Yvonne May 10 2017 F 8 Digital Fly By Wire NASA Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved September 26 2017 Conner Monroe February 19 2015 Building 703 in Palmdale NASA Archived from the original on May 4 2017 Retrieved September 26 2017 New Dryden Director Administrator Bolden Selects David McBride NASA January 15 2010 Archived from the original on January 26 2010 Retrieved February 15 2010 NASA Center Renamed in Honor of Neil A Armstrong NASA April 9 2015 Archived from the original on January 19 2014 Retrieved January 18 2014 NASA Honors Astronaut Neil Armstrong with Center Renaming NASA Press Release 14 061 February 28 2014 Archived from the original on March 4 2014 Retrieved February 28 2014 What s In a Name NASA February 27 2014 Archived from the original on March 8 2014 Retrieved December 11 2017 Google Earth imagery date 26 August 2012 at 34 59 34 N 117 53 00 W 34 99278 N 117 88333 W 34 99278 117 88333External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Armstrong Flight Research Center X Press official newsletter Photo Collection for NASA Dryden Flight Research Center The Spoken Word Recollections of Dryden History the Early Years edited by Curtis Peebles Flight Research Problems Encountered and What They Should Teach Us by Milton O Thompson The early days of the DFRC Coordinates 34 57 07 N 117 53 08 W 34 95194 N 117 88556 W 34 95194 117 88556 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Armstrong Flight Research Center amp oldid 1130216863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
