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NASA 717 DC-8

AIRSAR
Information Courtesy of NASA Dryden Research Center
 

Aircraft Specifications

DESCRIPTION: Crew: Two Pilots, Flight Engineer, Navigator

Length: 157 feet

Wingspan: 148 feet

Engine: Four CFM56-2-C1 High Bypass Turbofan Jet

Base: Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

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PERFORMANCE: Altitude: 1,000 - 41,000 feet

Range: 5,400 Nautical miles

Duration: 12 hours

Speed: 425 - 490 knots True Air Speed(cruise)

Payload: 30,000 lb.

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ACCOMMODATIONS: Zenith, 8 and 62 Deg, and Nadir Viewports

External Antenna Attachment Mounts

Wing Pylons

Optical Windows

Gyro Stabilized Mirror System

Dropsonde Delivery Tube

Air and Aerosol Sampling Probes

Standard Equipment Racks 19-inch

Laser Chiller Unit

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SUPPORT: Dew/Frost Point Hygrometer

Radar Altimeter

Weather Radar

GPS and Inertial Navigational Systems

Time Code Generator

Closed Circuit Television

Data Acquisition

Metric Cameras

Both 400 Hz and 60 Hz Power

Ten to Twelve Stations Available for Investigators

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NASA DC-8 AIRBORNE LABORATORY PROGRAM

 The NASA DC-8 Airborne Laboratory Program at NASA/Ames Research Center operates a DC-8-72 aircraft to acquire data for airborne science research. The platform aircraft provides for a wide variety of experiments, collecting data in support of scientific projects, to serve the world scientific community. Included in this communtiy are NASA, federal, state, academic, and foreign investiagtors.

Data gathered at flight altitude and by remote sensing from the DC-8 have been used in many studies including: archeology, ecology, geology, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, volcanology, atmospheric chemistry, soil science, biology,other earth science disciplines.

The DC-8 is one of several aircraft based at NASA-Ames that support NASA's Airborne Science and Applications Program. These research aircraft include three ER-2 (Earth Resources) high altitude aircraft, the C-130B Earth Science Aircraft, and a C-141 airborne infrared observatory.

Scientific investigators use the aircraft for earth, atmospheric and celestial observations.

Research includes development of new sensors, and methodology for conducting such observations. Data from operational sensors as well as newly developed instruments are used in applications programs examining subjects such as ozone depletion, tropical rain forest destruction, tropical disease vectors, wildfire investigations and geologic remote sensing.

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DC-8 AIRCRAFT

 The DC-8 is a medium altitude, moderate to high speed aircraft flying up to 41,000 feet above sea level between 425 and 490 knots True Air Speed(TAS). The DC-8 is capable of precise flight line navigation by means of an integrated inertial and GPS navigation systems from which line guidance is provided to the pilots. The aircraft and its complement of on-board sensors provide a readily deployable remote sensing platform that supports scientific research throughout the conterminous United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Additionally, the aircraft has been deployed in support of research in Australia, Bermuda, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, South America, and Africa.

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EARTH SCIENCE RESEARCH

 The DC-8 collects data in support of a variety of earth science research projects. Projects are sponsored by NASA scientists, federal agencies, non-profit research institutions and private industry investigators. Among these have been the FIFE (First ISLSCP Field Experiment) multi-national project, geologic studies for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Geophysics Department at the University of Hawaii, the University of Massachusetts, Goddard Space Flight Center, and our own Ames Research Center.

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Precision Thermal Radiometer (PRT-5)

A Barnes Engineering Co. PRT-5 nadir viewing infrared radiometer system, featuring a thermistor bolometer detector in a reference temperature cavity, measures earth's surface (land or water) or cloud-top temperatues. The radiometer has a 2 degree field of view, and has auto-ranging capability over three temperatue ranges covering -80C to +55C.

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Dew/Frost Point Hygrometers

The General Eastern 1011A is a two-stage thermo-electically cooled mirror hygrometer system designed to obtain in-flight measurements of the prevailing ambient dew/frost point temperature over the range of -65C to +50C.

An EG&G Model 300 three-stage, cooled mirror hygrometer system is also operational on the DC-8 with the extended operating range of -80C to +75C.

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Camera Systems

For Missions which require photographic or video imaging, a wide variety of systems can be configured to accomplish the requirements of the Mission.

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Life and Times of the NASA DC-8

 A section describing the history of the DC-8 airframe will be added here.

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