By Jay Levine

X-Press Editor

It's a year before the X-33 Technology Demonstrator lifts off from a site near Haystack Butte at Edwards Air Force Base, but a team approach for how to track and retrieve the experimental launch vehicle is solving the problems of tomorrow today.

The X-33 is a half-scale prototype expected to demonstrate the technologies required for a full-sized single-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle, or spaceplane, that is capable of getting to space without shedding external pieces, such as fuel tanks. It is developed by an industry team led by the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in a $1.2 billion partnership with NASA.

Dryden, Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards and other NASA and industry partners for the Extended Range Alliance, or EXTRA, are planning how to keep track of the X-33 and collect information from the prototype along its flight route.

Shortly after the partnership began in July 1996, Dryden was given the task of developing a flight range. That range extends from Edwards to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana and requires telemetry and data downlink systems along the flight path.

Some of the disciplines tapped for setting up the test range include specialists in global positioning systems, or satellite guided navigation, radar, telemetry, data transfer, communications, flight termination and test and range operations.

Team Leader Dale Mackall enlisted the help of the Air Force Flight Test Center in developing the range. Air Force officials saw an advantage to further the alliance forged in 1995 between Dryden and the Flight Test Center at Edwards by joining in the extended range effort because it offered both organizations opportunities.

Robert Sakahara, deputy program manager, said the Air Force Flight Test Center is providing engineering support and assisted with telemetry and communications on several projects. Air Force officials foresee utilizing the extended range alliance for future projects.

"It has been a great alliance between the Flight Test Center and Dryden," Sakahara said.

Extended range alliance members are putting together a plan for setting up mobile range equipment needed for the remote locations for the 15 flight tests of the X-33 expected to begin in July 1999. Officials from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia provided a chief engineer and equipment to begin setting up such a system.

Wallop's Steven Kremer came to Dryden for a year to assist in the efforts. And Wallops parent NASA Center, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., helped with analysis and communication network problems as the extended range team continued to grow, Mackall said.

U.S. Army officials also were asked to participate in the range efforts. Army involvement is required because the first X-33 flights are expected to land at Michael Army Air Field at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, which is about 450 miles away from Edwards.

Critical design review of the extended range - which includes the work to prepare the sites such as leveling hills, creating sturdy pads for equipment and making power available for the equipment in the remote locations - is complete and went nearly without a hitch, Mackall said.

All the equipment required for the remote locations along the extended test range will arrive at Dryden in February for integration and test, sent out to the sites for additional tests and readied for the X-33 launch.

"This is not like anything we have done before. This is not an experimental rocket over the ocean," he said.

The X-33 differs from other launches in that it is intended that the overland route for the aircraft gives researchers the ability to retrieve the aircraft if a flight must be aborted. Redundant tracking capabilities also allow mission managers to know instantly if the X-33 varied from its course.

Mackall said the extended range will be ready to go when the X-33 arrives at Edwards next summer.

 

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