Appendix E X-24B LIFTING-BODY FLIGHTS, 1975 Lifting bodies are wingless vehicles that receive aerodynamic lift from their shape alone. NASA undertook in the early 1950s a program to develop concepts for a maneuverable manned vehicle that could reenter the atmosphere from space and to provide a technological basis for hypersonic cruise aircraft. Since 1963, NASA's Flight Research Center (called Dryden Flight Research Center after January 1976) has flight-tested the M2 configuration designed by Ames Research Center, the HL-10 designed by the Langley Research Center, and the X-24A and X-24B in a joint program with the Air Force. The X-24B program began with a captive flight in 1973 and ended with the 36th and final flight on 26 Nov. 1975. The X-24B was launched from a B-52 aircraft, usually at an altitude of 13 700 meters; in captive flight, the vehicle remained attached to the B-52. In unpowered free flight, the vehicle glided through maneuvers to landings on a dry lake bed; in powered flight, the rocket engine was ignited to take the vehicle to higher altitudes and achieve higher speeds. The following table lists all X-24B missions that left the ground in 1975, even those eventually aborted because of weather or mechanical problems. The flight number includes vehicle designation (B for X-24B vehicles-free-flight number-B-52 carry number. "B-19-30" was the 19th free flight of the X-24B and the 30th time it was carried by the B-52. C or A appearing instead of a free-flight number indicates a captive or an aborted flight. Information for the table appears in flight reports issued by the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology at NASA Headquarters and in the X-24B flight summaries issued by the Flight Research Center. Flight Date and Number 18 April 75 6 May 75 (B-22-34) 22 May 75 6 June 75 24 June 75 15 July 79 5 Aug. 75 (B-27-40) 20 Aug. 75 9 Sept. 75 (B-29-42) 23 Sept. 75 9 Oct. 75 Pilot, John A. Manke Mach 1.5 Remarks Primary objectives were to evaluate stability and control at speeds up to mach 1.60; operational checkout of Ay feedback system; to approach with upper flap at -24°; to survey fin, rudder, and flap pressure; to make TPS qualification test; and to check handling qualities with all dampers at zero gain. Three chambers of XLR-11 engine ignited, not the four planned for this flight. All objectives were achieved except for the stability and control evaluation, which was limited to data on speeds up to mach 1.17. Lt. Col. Michael V. Love Shutdown in #3 engine B-52 30 min. after takeoff attributed John A. Manke Primary objectives-to evaluate stability and control at speeds Lt. Col. Michael V. Love All objectives—to evaluate stability and control at speeds up All objectives—to evaluate power effects on directional stability; approach and land with upper flap at -28°; survey fin, rudder, and flap pressure; make TPS qualification test; and evaluate stability and control with aileron bias at 30°-were attained. Lt. Col. Michael V. Love All objectives-to evaluate stability and control at speeds up to 21 175 m Mach 1.585 John A. Manke mach 1.68; approach and land with upper flap at -28°; survey fin, rudder, and flap pressure; make TPS qualification test; and evaluate stability and control with aileron bias at 11°-were attained. First flight after realignment of engine in yaw axis. First landing of X-24B on prepared concrete runway; touchdown was within 1.5 meters of marker. Objectives-landing on concrete runway, survey of body pressure, study of left-hand fin tuft, study of TPS qualification, and evaluation of stability and control with aileron bias at 3°-were attained although only three of engine's four chambers ignited. Lt. Col. Michael V. Love Second successful landing on runway. Objectives landing on 21 945 m Flight Date and Number 21 Oct. 75 Capt. Francis R. Scobee Unpowered flight. Objectives-pilot checkout, evaluation of Mach 0.7 12 Nov. 75 (B-34-47) 19 Nov. 75 (B-35-48) 26 Nov. 75 (B-36-49) Einar Enevoldson Unpowered flight. Objectives-pilot checkout, evaluation of handling qualities, and TPS qualification test (HRSI)—were attained. Unpowered flight. Objectives-evaluation of handling qualities with zero damper, TPS qualification test (HRSI), approach with upper flap at 24°, and landing with upper flap at 22°—were attained. Capt. Francis R. Scobee Unpowered flight. Objectives evaluation of handling qualities 13 716 m Mach 0.7 Thomas C. McMurtry 13 716 m with zero damper gains, TPS qualification test (HRSI), approach with upper flap at 24°, landing with upper flap at 22°, and survey of left-hand fin pressure-were attained. Unpowered flight. Final flight of X-24B in NASA/Air Force lifting-body flight research program. Objectives evaluation of handling qualities with zero damping gains, TPS qualification test (HRSI), approach with upper flap at 24°, landing with upper flap at 22°, and survey of left-hand fin pressure-were attained. |