The Altair/Predator B: An Earth Science Aircraft for the 21st Century

Wednesday, August 01 2007

NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA, has partnered with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) of San Diego, CA, to demonstrate technologies that will expand the capabilities of remotely operated, uninhabited aircraft to perform high-altitude earth science missions. To accomplish the task, GA-ASI is developing an enlarged version of its Predator reconnaissance aircraft, the Predator B®, including an extended-wingspan Altair version for NASA, to meet these requirements.

 

The Project

GA-ASI’s task under NASA’s Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Joint Sponsored Research Agreement calls for GA-ASI to develop and demonstrate technical performance and operational capabilities that will meet the needs of the science community. As joint partners in the project, which covers flight validation as well as development of the aircraft, NASA’s Office of Aerospace Technology is investing approximately $10 million, while GA-ASI is contributing additional funds, with about $8 million earmarked for the Altair project.

NASA’s Office of Earth Science established a stringent set of requirements for the conventionally powered, remotely, or autonomously operated aircraft. Among these requirements were a mission endurance of 24 to 48 hours at a primary altitude range of 40,000 to 65,000 feet with a payload of at least 660 lb (300 kg). Another key requirement is to develop the capability and operational procedures to allow operations from conventional airports without conflict with piloted aircraft, including new control, communications, and collision-avoidance technologies that are critical to enabling UAVs to fly safely in national airspace.

In addition to triple-redundant avionics, Altair is configured with a fault-tolerant, dual-architecture flight control system, and is equipped with an automated collision-avoidance system as well as an airtraffic control voice relay that allows Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air-traffic controllers to talk to the groundbased Altair pilots through the aircraft. Command and control of the Altair, as well as research data gathered by Altair, will be transmitted through an “over the horizon” satellite link that allows scientists to receive research information as soon as the Altair obtains it. The aircraft also will have to meet all FAA airworthiness and maintenance standards.