List of NASA aircraft

Last updated

This is a list of NASA aircraft. Throughout its history NASA has used several different types of aircraft on a permanent, semi-permanent, or short-term basis. These aircraft are usually surplus, but in a few cases are newly built, military aircraft.

Contents

Current aircraft

AircraftNumber in serviceIntroducedResearch Center
Aero Spacelines Super Guppy
1
 Johnson Space Center
Aeromot TG-14
1
 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Airbus H135
3
 Kennedy Space Center
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
3
 Armstrong Flight Research Center (1), Glenn Research Center (2)
Beechcraft B-200
3
 Armstrong Flight Research Center (1), Langley Research Center (2)
Cirrus SR22
1
 Langley Research Center
Columbia LC-40
1
 Langley Research Center
DHC-6 Twin Otter
1
 Glenn Research Center
Dassault Falcon HU-25 Guardian
1
 Langley Research Center
Gulfstream C-20A
1
2008
 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Gulfstream III
4
2012
 Armstrong Flight Research Center (2), Langley Research Center (1), Johnson Space Center (1)
Gulfstream V
1
2012
 Johnson Space Center
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
1
 Wallops Flight Facility
Lockheed P-3 Orion
1
1991
 Wallops Flight Facility
Lockheed ER-2
2
1981
 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Martin WB-57 Canberra
3
 Johnson Space Center
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
3
 Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
3
 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Northrop T-38 Talon
20
 Johnson Space Center

Aircraft

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">STOL</span> Class of airplanes that are designed to takeoff and land in a short distance

A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh conditions. STOL aircraft, including those used in scheduled passenger airline operations, have also been operated from STOLport airfields which feature short runways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell X-1</span> Experimental rocket-powered aircraft

The Bell X-1 is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics–U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived during 1944 and designed and built in 1945, it achieved a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour in 1948. A derivative of this same design, the Bell X-1A, having greater fuel capacity and hence longer rocket burning time, exceeded 1,600 miles per hour in 1954. The X-1 aircraft #46-062, nicknamed Glamorous Glennis and flown by Chuck Yeager, was the first piloted airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight and was the first of the X-planes, a series of American experimental rocket planes designed for testing new technologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American XB-70 Valkyrie</span> Prototype supersonic strategic bomber

The North American Aviation XB-70 Valkyrie is a retired prototype version of the planned B-70 nuclear-armed, deep-penetration supersonic strategic bomber for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command. Designed in the late 1950s by North American Aviation (NAA) to replace the B-52 Stratofortress and B-58 Hustler, the six-engined, delta-winged Valkyrie could cruise for thousands of miles at Mach 3+ while flying at 70,000 feet (21,000 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American X-15</span> Rocket-powered aircraft and spaceplane operated by the US Air Force and NASA

The North American X-15 is a hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the X-plane series of experimental aircraft. The X-15 set speed and altitude records in the 1960s, crossing the edge of outer space and returning with valuable data used in aircraft and spacecraft design. The X-15's highest speed, 4,520 miles per hour, was achieved on 3 October 1967, when William J. Knight flew at Mach 6.7 at an altitude of 102,100 feet (31,120 m), or 19.34 miles. This set the official world record for the highest speed ever recorded by a crewed, powered aircraft, which remains unbroken.

de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou De Havilland Canada transport aircraft

The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou is a Canadian specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. The Caribou was first flown in 1958 and although mainly retired from military operations, is still in use in small numbers as a rugged bush airplane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop YF-17</span> Prototype fighter aircraft for the US military

The Northrop YF-17 was a prototype lightweight fighter aircraft designed by Northrop aviation for the United States Air Force's Lightweight Fighter (LWF) technology evaluation program. The LWF was initiated because many in the fighter community believed that aircraft like the F-15 Eagle were too large and expensive for many combat roles. The YF-17 was the culmination of a long line of Northrop designs, beginning with the N-102 Fang in 1956, continuing through the F-5 family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. Gordon Fullerton</span> American astronaut (1936–2013)

Charles Gordon Fullerton was a United States Air Force colonel, a USAF and NASA astronaut, and a research pilot at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California. His assignments included a variety of flight research and support activities piloting NASA's B-52 launch aircraft, the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), and other multi-engine and high performance aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed YF-12</span> American prototype interceptor aircraft

The Lockheed YF-12 is an American Mach 3+ capable, high-altitude interceptor prototype, developed and manufactured by American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASA X-43</span> Unmanned US experimental hypersonic aircraft, 1991-2000

The NASA X-43 was an experimental unmanned hypersonic aircraft with multiple planned scale variations meant to test various aspects of hypersonic flight. It was part of the X-plane series and specifically of NASA's Hyper-X program developed in the late 1990s. It set several airspeed records for jet aircraft. The X-43 is the fastest jet-powered aircraft on record at approximately Mach 9.6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA</span> Conceptual aircraft design by Lockheed Martin

The Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA was an American conceptual aircraft design by Lockheed Martin that has been studied by NASA and the U.S. Air Force. It was intended to test the feasibility of full yaw, pitch and roll authority without tailplanes. Attitude control would rely purely on 3D thrust vectoring. The aircraft design was derived from the F-22 Raptor and featured a stretched delta wing without tail surfaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grumman X-29</span> 1984 experimental aircraft family by Grumman

The Grumman X-29 is an American experimental aircraft that tested a forward-swept wing, canard control surfaces, and other novel aircraft technologies. Funded by NASA, the United States Air Force and DARPA, the X-29 was developed by Grumman, and the two built were flown by NASA and the United States Air Force. The aerodynamic instability of the X-29's airframe required the use of computerized fly-by-wire control. Composite materials were used to control the aeroelastic divergent twisting experienced by forward-swept wings, and to reduce weight. The aircraft first flew in 1984, and two X-29s were flight tested through 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell Douglas X-36</span> Prototype jet

The McDonnell DouglasX-36Tailless Fighter Agility Research Aircraft is an American stealthy subscale prototype jet designed to fly without the traditional empennage found on most aircraft. This configuration was designed to reduce weight, drag and radar cross section, and increase range, maneuverability and survivability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockwell-MBB X-31</span> Experimental aircraft

The Rockwell-Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm X-31 is an experimental jet aircraft designed to test fighter thrust vectoring technology. It was designed and built by Rockwell and Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB), as part of a joint United States and German Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability program to provide additional control authority in pitch and yaw, for significantly more maneuverability than most conventional fighters. An advanced flight control system provided controlled flight at high angles of attack where conventional aircraft would stall or lose control. Two aircraft were built, of which one has survived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph A. Walker</span> American test pilot

Joseph Albert Walker was an American World War II pilot, experimental physicist, NASA test pilot, and astronaut who was the first person to fly an airplane to space. He was one of twelve pilots who flew the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing X-48</span> Airplane

The Boeing X-48 is an American experimental unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built to investigate the characteristics of blended wing body (BWB) aircraft. Boeing designed the X-48 and two examples were built by Cranfield Aerospace in the UK. Boeing began flight testing the X-48B version for NASA in 2007. The X-48B was later modified into the X-48C version, which was flight tested from August 2012 to April 2013. Boeing and NASA plan to develop a larger BWB demonstrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell X-14</span> Experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet aircraft

The Bell X-14 is an experimental VTOL aircraft flown in the United States in the 1950s. The main objective of the project was to demonstrate vectored thrust horizontal and vertical takeoff, hover, transition to forward flight, and vertical landing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osprey Osprey I</span>

The Osprey GP2 Osprey, also known as the Air Skimmer, Sea Skimmer, or Pereira GP2 Osprey, was a single-seat flying boat designed by Eut Tileston under contract to George Pereira, a private builder. After the release of Pereira's amphibious Osprey II some years later, this aircraft became known retrospectively as the Osprey I. The original plane was designed to be water launched only. Initial test flights were performed in the Sacramento Delta. A single example was evaluated by the United States Navy as the X-28. Pereira formed Osprey Aircraft to market the plans to homebuilders, including plans for a trailer that allows the pilot to launch and recover the aircraft single-handed. These plans are still marketed by Osprey Aircraft as of March 2017.

de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo Short takeoff and landing utility transport turboprop aircraft

The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility transport turboprop aircraft developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou. The aircraft has extraordinary STOL performance and is able to take off in distances much shorter than even most light aircraft can manage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD</span> USAF/NASA R&D aircraft

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD is a modified F-15 Eagle. Developed as a technology demonstrator, the F-15 STOL/MTD carried out research for studying the effects of thrust vectoring and enhanced maneuverability. The aircraft used for the project was pre-production TF-15A (F-15B) No. 1, the first two-seat F-15 Eagle built by McDonnell Douglas, the sixth F-15 off the assembly line, and was the oldest F-15 flying up to its retirement. It was also used as the avionics testbed for the F-15E Strike Eagle program. The plane was on loan to NASA from the United States Air Force.

References

  1. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 14.
  2. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, pp. 5–7.
  3. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 11.
  4. ↑ "NASA's Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum". NASA. December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ Borchers, Paul F.; Franklin, James A.; Fletcher, Jay W. (1998). "Rotorcraft Research". SP–3300 Flight Research at Ames, 1940–1997. Moffett Field, California: NASA . Retrieved January 9, 2010.
  6. ↑ Curry, Marty, ed. (May 7, 2008). "NASA — NASA Dryden Fact Sheet — B-52B "Mothership" Launch Aircraft". Dryden Flight Research Center . NASA . Retrieved January 9, 2010.
  7. ↑ Creech, Gray (December 15, 2004). "NASA — End of an Era: NASA's Famous B-52B Retires". Dryden Flight Research Center . NASA . Retrieved January 9, 2010.
  8. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 47.
  9. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 50.
  10. ↑ NASA - X-48 Project Completes Flight Research for Cleaner, Quieter Aircraft, NASA, April 12, 2013, retrieved May 3, 2013
  11. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 58.
  12. ↑ Jordan, Holly (December 11, 2006). "Active Aeroelastic Wing flight research vehicle receives X-53 designation". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  13. ↑ Borchers, Paul F.; Franklin, James A.; Fletcher, Jay W. (1998). "Boundary Layer Control, STOL, V/STOL Aircraft Research". SP-3300 Flight Research at Ames, 1940-1997. Moffett Field, California: NASA . Retrieved January 9, 2010.
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  24. ↑ "Middle Tennessee State University Department of Aerospace on LinkedIn: Not only are we growing our flight training fleet, we are also growing our…". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  25. ↑ "NASA Dryden F5D-1 Photo Collection". Dryden Flight Research Center Photo Collection. NASA. September 27, 2007. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
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  27. ↑ "NF-16D VISTA becomes X-62A". Edwards Air Force Base. July 30, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  28. ↑ "NASA - Test Drive: Shuttle Training Aircraft Preps Astronauts for Landing". NASA . March 3, 2005. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
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  30. ↑ Cowing, Keith (March 22, 2004). "A Day in the Life of NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe". SpaceRef.com . SpaceRef Interactive.
  31. ↑ Creech, Gray (November 30, 1998). "Lear Jet gets new cameras". The Dryden X-Press. Vol. 40, no. 22. NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center. Archived from the original on March 8, 2003.
  32. ↑ "Lear Jet Flight Research Support Aircraft". NASA/Dryden Flight Flight Research Center. 1998. FS-1998-11-057.
  33. ↑ "JetStar". NASA .
  34. 1 2 3 "NASA/DFRC SR-71 Blackbird". Dryden Flight Research Center . NASA . Retrieved January 9, 2010.
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  39. ↑ "NASA's X-59 Quiet Supersonic Research Aircraft Cleared for Final Assembly". NASA. December 16, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  40. 1 2 Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, pp. 31–32.
  41. ↑ Aguirre, Elena. "NASA's DC-8 Completes Final Mission, Set to Retire". NASA. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  42. ↑ Gibbs, Yvonne (June 3, 2015). "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: F-15B Aeronautics Research Test Bed". NASA . Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  43. ↑ "F-15D Support Aircraft". NASA. June 3, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  44. ↑ "F/A=18 Support Aircraft". NASA. November 5, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
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  51. ↑ Wade, Mark (July 31, 2008). "FIRST Re-entry glider". Encyclopedia Astronautica . Archived from the original on January 16, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
  52. ↑ Curry, Marty (December 9, 2009). "NASA — XB–70A Valkyrie". Dryden Flight Research Center . NASA . Retrieved January 9, 2010.
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  54. ↑ Malik, Tariq (April 21, 2004). "Shushing Sonic Booms: Changing the Shape of Supersonic Planes". Space.com . Imaginova . Retrieved January 10, 2010.
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Bibliography

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