1 nasa airborne science technology roadmap development manned aircraft technology working group...

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NASA Airborne Science Technology Roadmap

Development

Manned Aircraft

Technology Working Group

November 2007

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Outline

• Roadmapping Background

• Group Membership

• Core Aircraft

• Process Overview

• Capabilities Definitions

• Current Aircraft Capabilities

• Improving Aircraft Capabilities

• Aircraft Roadmaps

• New Aircraft

• Johnson Model

• Summary

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Technology Roadmapping Activity Background

• The Airborne Science Program is sponsoring the activity.

• WFF has the lead for the manned aircraft component.

• A set of capabilities, required to support a given set of science missions, was provided as the basis from which to work for Manned Aircraft Technology Working Group (MATWG).

• MATWG was asked to assess current capabilities and identify technologies that advance the required capabilities.

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MATWG Membership

– Brenda Mulac, WFF (DC-8)

– Anthony Guillary, WFF (P-3)

– Jacques Vachon, DFRC (ER-2, G-3, DC-8)

– Shelly Baccus, JSC (WB-57)

– Bruce Coffland, ARC

– Dick Friesen, NCAR

– Randy Tebeest, NOAA

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Current Core Aircraft

WB-57

GIII

ER-2

DC-8P-3

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MATWG Process

• Capabilities based on earth science requirements for suborbital observations (derived from NASA study) were provided.

• Those relevant to the manned aircraft were identified and defined.

• For each core aircraft, identified current capabilities based on current configurations and maintenance

• Determined where the “holes” were in the capabilities, as well as which could be improved upon

• Identified technologies that would improve those capabilities

• Developed a “roadmap” for each aircraft based on findings

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Capabilities Definitions

• Long Endurance – can the aircraft fly greater than 12 hours?

• Long Range – can the aircraft fly farther than 5000 nautical miles?

• Remote Base of Operations – can the aircraft base out of remote locations in order to access even remoter locations for science?

• High Altitude – can the aircraft fly between 50k and 75k feet in altitude?

• Medium Altitude – can the aircraft fly between 10k and 50k feet in altitude?

• Low Altitude – can the aircraft fly between 100 and 10k feet in altitude?

• Vertical Profiling – can the aircraft sample the same air mass at different altitudes? (i.e. porpoise or spiral up or down about a fixed point)

• Heavy Lift – can the aircraft carry more than 4000 pounds of payload?

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Capabilities Definitions

• All Weather Conditions

– Take-Off and Landing: can the aircraft handle “extreme” weather during take off and landing? (i.e., heavy crosswinds, rain, fog, etc)

– In Flight: can the aircraft fly in and around severe weather?

• Monitoring/Control Multi-Ship – can the aircraft be used to control or monitor other aircraft like a UAV?

• Terrain Avoidance – does the aircraft have terrain avoidance systems for low level flights, and take off and landing?

• Formation Flight – can the aircraft fly in formation with other aircraft?

• Precision Trajectories – can the aircraft fly an exact path at different times to allow determination of temporal variations?

• Payload Directed Flight – is the aircraft capable of being directed by the output of its payload?

• Quick Deployment – can the aircraft deploy for an even driven mission within 24 hours?

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Current Capabilities of Core Aircraft

P-3 WB-57 ER-2 DC-8 G-3

Long Endurance (>12 hrs) Yes, 14 hours No, 6+ hours Yes, >14 hours No, 12 hours No, 7 hours

Long Range (>5000nmi)No, 3630 nmi

(11hrs@330kts) No, 2200 nmi Yes, >6000 nmi Yes, 5500 nmi No, 4000 nmi

Remote Base of Ops Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Very High Altitude (>50kft) No Yes, 60 kft+ Yes, >65k feet No No

Medium Altitude (10-50kft) Yes, 27kft max Yes Yes Yes, 41kft max Yes, 45kft max

Very Low Altitude (100ft -10kft) Yes Yes No Yes Yes

Vertical Profiling Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Heavy Lift (4000lb) Yes, 17,000lb Yes, ~6,000lb No, 2,900 lb Yes, 30,000lb Yes, ~4,000lb

All Weather Conditions: TO and LD Yes No No Yes Yes

All Weather Condititions: In Flight Yes No No Yes Yes

Monitoring/Control Multi-ship No No Yes No No

Terrain Avoidance Yes No No Yes Yes

Formation Flight Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Precision Trajectorieswithin 100ft 100% of time, 50ft 70%, 30ft

20%Within .1mi. (160

meters) Within 1 meter ??Yes, + - 5M

repeatable track

Payload-directed flight Yes, crew onboard Yes, backseater No Yes, crew on board Yes, crew on board

Quick deployment Depends No No Yes Yes

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Potential Improvements for Capabilities

P-3 WB-57 ER-2 DC-8 G-3

Long Endurance (>12 hrs) n/a

Gross wt increase, engine upgrade, fuel

heaters n/a Engine upgrade Engine upgrade

Long Range (>5000nmi)Engine upgrade

Gross wt increase, engine upgrade, fuel

heaters n/a Engine upgrade Engine upgrade

Remote Base of Ops n/a n/aFuel heaters, wing

wheels n/a n/a

Very High Altitude (>50kft) n/a Engine upgrade n/a n/a n/a

Medium Altitude (10-50kft) Engine upgrade n/a n/a Engine upgrade n/a

Very Low Altitude (100ft -10kft) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Vertical Profiling n/a n/aFlight mgmt system

upgrade n/a n/a

Heavy Lift (4000lb) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

All Weather Conditions: TO and LD Avionics upgrades, ILS n/a ILS upgrade Avionics upgrades, ILS Avionics upgrades, ILS

All Weather Conditions: In FlightImproved Radar, Storm

Scope n/a n/aImproved Radar, Storm

Scope n/a

Monitoring/Control Multi-shipRack and antennas for

UAV control n/a n/aRack and antenna for

UAV controlRack and antenna for

UAV control

Terrain AvoidanceImprove as technology

improves n/a n/aImprove as technology

improves n/a

Formation Flight n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

Precision Trajectories Autopilot upgrade Autopilot Autopilot upgrade Autopilot upgrade n/a

Payload-directed flightARTS capability in

conjunction with PPA and formation flight.

ARTS capability in conjunction with PPA and formation flight.




Quick deployment Payload "kits" Payload "kits" Payload "kits" , fuel

heaters, wing wheels Payload "kits" Payload "kits"

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P-3

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Airborne Science ProgramManned Aircraft Technology Working GroupTechnology Roadmap

2007 2010 2014 2017 2020 2023 2027

Business as usual: Upgrades and modifications are implemented slowly due to sporadic funding.

Autopilot Upgrade

Allows for control of a UAV from the P-3 during multi-aircraft missions.

Improved Radar and Storm Scope

Rack and antenna for UAV control

Terrain Avoidance Upgrade

Engine/Propeller Upgrade

Increases the pilot awareness of severe weather and lightning for all-weather missions, thereby improving capability of satisfying requirements.

Improves the precision with which the P-3 can fly flight trajectories.

As technology improves with time, a better terrain avoidance system can be installed to assist with terrain avoidance capabilities.

Newer, more efficient engines would help improve endurance and range as well as supportability. composite propellers would increase margin of safety, decrease noise and vibration (of electronics).

Installation of a more sophisticated avionics compatible with an ILS system would improve the all weather capabilities during take off and landing.

Instrument Landing System (ILS)/Avionics Upgrade

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WB

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Engine Upgrade

Autopilot Upgrade

Gross Weight Increase

Superpods Retrofit

ARTS

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2007 2011 2015 2018 2022 2027

Business as usual: Upgrades and modifications implemented slowly due to

sporadic funding levels.

Landing Gear Upgrade

The landing gear upgrade makes the gross weight increase possible and increases tire and brake availability.

Upgrading the autopilot may allow the WB-57 to fly precision trajectories.

Installing fuel heaters is necessary for increased range and endurance to ensure that the fuel doesn’t gel up.

The Superpods retrofit increases heavy lift capability.

Increasing the gross weight will allow the WB-57 to fly more payload and/or more fuel. This results in increased heavy lift capability and/or increased range and endurance.

Upgrading the TF-33 engines will allow for increased range, endurance, and altitude.

Otto pilot

ARTS provides an interface between the instrument on the aircraft and the aircraft flight control system, allowing for request from the instrument to change flight direction, altitude, and speed.

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DC

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2007 2010 2014 2017 2020 2023 2027


Autopilot Upgrade, ARTS

Allows for control of a UAV from the DC-8 during multi-aircraft missions.

Improved Radar and Storm Scope



Terrain Avoidance Upgrade

Engine Upgrade

Increases the pilot awareness of severe weather and lightening for all-weather missions, thereby improving capability of satisfying requirements.

A new autopilot improves the precision with which the DC-8 can fly flight trajectories. ARTS provides an interface between the instrument on the aircraft and the aircraft flight control system, allowing for request from the instrument to change flight direction, altitude, and speed.


As technology improves with time, a better terrain avoidance system can be installed to assist with terrain avoidance capabilities.

Newer, more efficient engines would help improve endurance and range as well as supportability.


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ER

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2007 2010 2014 2017 2020 2023 2027


Autopilot and Flight Management system Upgrade

Fuel heaters allow the use of Jet A or JP-8 fuel. Wing Wheels improve aircraft ability to deploy and land with minimal crew support Simplifies deployment requirements.

Install fuel heaters and wing wheels


Engine Upgrade

Improves aircraft ability to fly at lower altitudes. Brings aircraft into compliance with RVSM requirements.


ARTS

Migrate to Air Force glass cockpit suite.

The Air Force’s glass cockpit will enhance aircraft supportability.

Upgrades to the engine will improve engine supportability for the future and performance improvements.

ARTS provides an interface between the instrument on the aircraft and the aircraft flight control system, allowing for request from the instrument to change flight direction, altitude, and speed.


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G-3

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2007 2010 2014 2017 2020 2023 2027


Allows for control of a UAV from the G-3 during multi-aircraft missions.

Install racks, window panes and panels.



Engine Upgrade

Increases aircraft ability to have instruments installed.

As technology improves with time, an improved flight management system will improve automated flight capabilities.

Newer, more efficient engines would help improve endurance, range, and altitude ceiling.

ARTSARTS provides an interface between the instrument on the aircraft and the aircraft flight control system, allowing for request from the instrument to change flight direction, altitude, and speed.


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Capability Improvements: Quick Deployment

• Deployment within 24hr is doable if:

– Mission is in CONUS

– Payload is readily available, easily installed, and previously flown

– All required aircraft resources are available

• To assist in ease, develop “Payload Kits”

– Define a set of missions that would require “quick” deployment (ie: hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, etc)

– Define the payload that would be associated with each mission

– Have that payload already uploaded in a rack or pod, standing by

• Kit concept would require:

– Dedicated payload (ie extra instruments not available for use on other concurrent missions)

– Extra pods and racks

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Why No New Aircraft?

• No major gaps exist in capabilities matrix.

– Current aircraft overlap some and fill the capabilities requirements.

• DC-8, U-2, and P-3 aircraft will likely be phased out of commercial and military use over the next twenty years.

– Significant number of aircraft will be excessed

– Critical spares available as a result

• Each aircraft design life is typically predicated on higher usage than to what the NASA aircraft actually are used.

– DC-8 designed as an airliner, in excess of 2000hr/year

Flies <300hr/year

– LMAC imposed time limit on ER-2 heavy maintenance

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The “Johnson Model”

• Process by which WB-57 has been maintained by JSC

– Only 2 WB-57 left flying in the world

• Recommend following similar process with other aircraft:

– Maintain internal staffing/knowledge base/engineering support

– Keep track of critical spares

+ Identify resources for obtaining spares

– Consider different types of upgrades

– Look for creative solutions for what seem like insurmountable problems

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• At what point does it make more economical sense to buy something “new”?

– The old used car syndrome

• The assessment required to determine the answer requires an extensive analysis that is well beyond the scope and time limit of this exercise.

– Recommendation: Form external group to perform cost benefit analysis of new aircraft and what aircraft that would need to be

Biased opinion from within group because of passion for each aircraft very strong

After the “Johnson Model”?

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NASA Airborne Science Technology Roadmap

Development

Proposal for Technology Roadmap Follow-on Work

Manned Aircraft Technology Working Group

December 13, 2007

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Follow-on Work

Cost Benefit Analysis of a New Aircraft vs Continual Upgrade of Old Aircraft

• Task: Form an external group to perform a cost benefit analysis of a new aircraft compared to continuous upgrades to current aircraft.

• Schedule: 6 to 9 months starting February 1, 2008

• Personnel/Collaborations: An external consultant with the current team members

• Funds Required: $50-75k

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Follow-on Work

Development of Payload Kits for Specific Quick Response Missions

• Task: Define a set of missions that would require “quick” deployment (ie: hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, etc) and then define the payload that would be associated with each mission. Determine sensor and rack/mounting requirements. Purchase dedicated sensors and equipment

• Schedule: 9 to 12 months starting February 1, 2008

• Personnel/Collaborations: Core group of 3-4, with collaboration across centers with different aircraft

• Funds Required: $200k (??)

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