Designed by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs, known informally as the Skunk Works,[1] the aircraft was first revealed by Aviation Week,[2] and is intended to research active flutter suppression and gust-load alleviation technologies. The X-56A is based on Lockheed's earlier UAV work, showing influence from the Polecat, Sentinel and DarkStar UAVs. The program calls for the construction of two 7.5 feet (2.3 m)-long fuselages and a wingspan of 27.5 ft,[3] with four sets of wings being constructed for flight testing.[4]
The first X-56A unmanned aircraft was severely damaged in a crash shortly after takeoff from the dry lakebed at Edwards AFB, California, on 19 November 2015, on its first flexible-wing flight to test active flutter suppression. The aircraft had previously made 16 flights with stiff wings to prove its operating envelope.[7]
The second X-56A unmanned aircraft flew for the first time on 9 April 2015 while under operation by NASA.[8] The aircraft flew eight flights with the stiff wings to clear its operating envelope.[9] The vehicle then completed its first flight with the highly flexible wings on 31 August 2017.[10]
One instability mode, body freedom flutter, was shown to be actively suppressed by the digital flight control at 110 kn (200 km/h), within its normal flight envelope. Slender, flexible and lighter low-drag wings would be enabled by flutter suppression.[11]
NASA’s X-56B unmanned air vehicle was destroyed in a crash on 9 July 2021 after suffering an “anomaly in flight”.[12]
^"Introducing the X-56A MUTT: Who Let the Dog Out?". NASA. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
^Norris, Guy. . aviationweek. Archived from the original on 19 May 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
^"Lockheed Martin X-56A Multi-utility Aeroelastic Demonstrator". www.hitechweb.genezis.eu. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
^X-56A Testbed Arrives At NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center 17 April 2014.
^ abJordan, Holly (31 July 2013). . Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Air Force Research Laboratory. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
^Warwick, Graham (6 August 2013). "Skunk Works' X-56A - Taming Flutter". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
^"The Week in Technology, Nov. 23-27, 2015". Aviation Week. November 23, 2015.
^Conner, Monroe (2015-04-14). "Second MUTT takes to the sky". NASA. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
^Conner, Monroe (2015-04-02). "X-56A Multi-Use Technology Testbed". NASA. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
Lockheed Martin X-56 (2012): Active Flutter Suppression Aviation Week I& Space Technology
January 01, 1970
lockheed, martin, american, modular, unmanned, aerial, vehicle, that, being, designed, explore, high, altitude, long, endurance, hale, flight, technologies, future, military, unmanned, reconnaissance, aircraft, rendering, flight, role, experimental, aircraft, . The Lockheed Martin X 56 is an American modular unmanned aerial vehicle that is being designed to explore High Altitude Long Endurance HALE flight technologies for use in future military unmanned reconnaissance aircraft X 56 Rendering of the X 56A in flight Role Experimental aircraft National origin United States Manufacturer Lockheed Martin Skunk Works First flight 26 July 2013 Primary users NASAAir Force Research Laboratory Number built 2 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Specifications X 56A 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksDesign and development editDesigned by Lockheed Martin s Advanced Development Programs known informally as the Skunk Works 1 the aircraft was first revealed by Aviation Week 2 and is intended to research active flutter suppression and gust load alleviation technologies The X 56A is based on Lockheed s earlier UAV work showing influence from the Polecat Sentinel and DarkStar UAVs The program calls for the construction of two 7 5 feet 2 3 m long fuselages and a wingspan of 27 5 ft 3 with four sets of wings being constructed for flight testing 4 Operational history editThe X 56A first flew on 26 July 2013 5 flying from Edwards Air Force Base twenty flights were to be flown on behalf of the Air Force Research Laboratory before the aircraft would be handed over to NASA for further testing 6 The first X 56A unmanned aircraft was severely damaged in a crash shortly after takeoff from the dry lakebed at Edwards AFB California on 19 November 2015 on its first flexible wing flight to test active flutter suppression The aircraft had previously made 16 flights with stiff wings to prove its operating envelope 7 The second X 56A unmanned aircraft flew for the first time on 9 April 2015 while under operation by NASA 8 The aircraft flew eight flights with the stiff wings to clear its operating envelope 9 The vehicle then completed its first flight with the highly flexible wings on 31 August 2017 10 One instability mode body freedom flutter was shown to be actively suppressed by the digital flight control at 110 kn 200 km h within its normal flight envelope Slender flexible and lighter low drag wings would be enabled by flutter suppression 11 NASA s X 56B unmanned air vehicle was destroyed in a crash on 9 July 2021 after suffering an anomaly in flight 12 Specifications X 56A editData from 5 General characteristicsCrew 1 flown by remote control from ground based console Length 7 5 ft 2 3 m Wingspan 27 5 ft 8 4 m Powerplant 2 Jetcat P400 turbojets 88 7 lbf 0 395 kN thrust each Performance Maximum speed 138 1 mph 222 3 km h 120 0 kn See also editRelated lists List of experimental aircraft List of X planesReferences edit Introducing the X 56A MUTT Who Let the Dog Out NASA 6 March 2012 Retrieved 15 September 2012 Norris Guy USAF Reveals Skunk Works Designed X 56A As Latest X Plane aviationweek Archived from the original on 19 May 2013 Retrieved 15 September 2012 Lockheed Martin X 56A Multi utility Aeroelastic Demonstrator www hitechweb genezis eu Retrieved 15 September 2012 X 56A Testbed Arrives At NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center 17 April 2014 a b Jordan Holly 31 July 2013 X 56A technology demonstrator achieves first flight Wright Patterson Air Force Base Air Force Research Laboratory Archived from the original on 5 October 2013 Retrieved 9 October 2013 Warwick Graham 6 August 2013 Skunk Works X 56A Taming Flutter Aviation Week amp Space Technology Retrieved 9 October 2013 The Week in Technology Nov 23 27 2015 Aviation Week November 23 2015 Conner Monroe 2015 04 14 Second MUTT takes to the sky NASA Retrieved 2017 09 20 Conner Monroe 2015 04 02 X 56A Multi Use Technology Testbed NASA Retrieved 2017 09 20 Levine Jay October 20 2017 Highly Flexible Wings Tested NASA Retrieved 2018 03 26 Graham Warwick Nov 1 2018 NASA s X 56 Demos Flutter Suppression Flexible Wing Aviation Week amp Space Technology Garrett Reim Jul 9 2021 NASA s X 56B unmanned air vehicle was destroyed Flight Global External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lockheed Martin X 56 Lockheed Martin X 56 page Archived 2012 09 07 at the Wayback Machine Lockheed Martin X 56 2012 Active Flutter Suppression Aviation Week I amp Space Technology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lockheed Martin X 56 amp oldid 1185718464, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
