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Home : News Room : X-Press Home Page : Safari 2000 Special Edition : Front Page |  |
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Dryden assisted in successful SAFARI 2000 By Beth Hagenauer and Jay LevineAerospace Projects Writer and X-Press Editor Dryden's Airborne Science Directorate assisted NASA, United States and international scientists in August and September with a study of African smog and its role in global change. Dryden's role also included tracking the movement of air pollution in the southern part of the continent. The southern African atmosphere is vulnerable to air pollution due to a persistent high-pressure system. African smog is a mixture of smoke from industry, mining, agricultural burning and other sources. Continued ER-2: Special aircraft, special missionBy Beth HagenauerAerospace Projects Writer Operating at 70,000 feet, Dryden's Airborne Science ER-2 high-altitude aircraft acquires data above 95 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. At this altitude, the aircraft provides a stable platform for electronic sensor development. The ER-2 flies so high that its sensors mimic or validate sensors onboard orbiting satellites, including some on NASA's Terra satellite. Continued Pilots say mission was a worthy challengeBy Beth HagenauerAerospace Projects Writer NASA ER-2 pilots Jim Barrilleaux and Dave Wright agree that flying the aircraft for the SAFARI 2000 mission was a challenge. A typical flight plan had the aircraft crossing several Southern African countries' borders. Continued |
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