NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mission Statement

"To collect scientific data while further increasing man's understanding of the natural and man-made influences on our environment"

Program Goals

NASA Dryden operates several unique aircraft on Earth Science missions around the globe in support of the sub-orbital flight requirements of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. A highly modified DC-8 jetliner flies a variety of missions including research of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, sensor development, and satellite sensor verification. NASA's two high-altitude ER-2 aircraft carry instruments that gather data about Earth resources, celestial observations, oceanic processes, and atmospheric chemistry. The aircraft are also used for electronic sensor research and development, satellite calibration, and satellite data validation. Scientific disciplines that employ these aircraft include earth resources, astronomy, atmospheric chemistry, climatology, oceanography, archeology, ecology, forestry, geography, geology, hydrology, meteorology, volcanology and biology.

Dryden's aircraft operate world-wide, collecting scientific data to help understand the natural and man-made influences on our environment. The scientific disciplines that employ these aircraft include earth resources, astronomy, atmospheric chemistry, climatology, oceanography, archeology, ecology, forestry, geography, geology, hydrology, meteorology, volcanology, and biology. This data helps our leaders make informed policy decisions affecting both our national and global interests. The DC-8 and ER-2 are also important tools to develop sensors that will fly aboard future earth observing satellites and validate and calibrate the satellite sensors that currently orbit our planet.

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Current Campaigns

DC-8 (tail number 817) - Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) 2008 will take place as two 1-month aircraft deployments in March-April and June-July 2008. It will involve the NASA DC-8 as its primary platform, and other possible platforms may include the P3, J-31, and B-200 aircraft as specialized secondary platforms. The spring deployment will target arctic haze, anthropogenic pollution in general, stratosphere-troposphere exchange, and sunrise photochemistry. The summer deployment will target boreal forest fires, stratosphere-troposphere exchange, and summertime photochemistry. ARCTAS will be part of the international IPY/POLARCAT arctic field program for atmospheric composition.

ER-2’s (tail numbers 806 and 809) - MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) flights will take place in June 2008. The MASTER flights are flown on the ER-2 in support of the NASA-AMES Research Center sensor calibration of MASTER and satellite validation. A series Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) flights will take place from June through mid-August with a deployment to Westover ARB, MA. AVIRIS flight consists of data gathering to support Carbon Cycling, Vegetation Nitrogen Status, and Surface Albedo to study foliar nutrient concentration and canopy reflectance in forests. These are important data for investigations involving forest growth, carbon cycling, and interactions between ecosystems and climate. In addition, AVIRIS flights will gather data to characterize forest functional types by canopy-based measurements for three functional traits; cell structure, shade tolerance, and recalcitrance. Data will also be collected to examine the relationship between hyperspectral indices, live fuel moisture, and soil moisture. Data collected, before and after “dry-down”, will be used to determine spatial variation of live fuel moisture across the landscape. A series of AVIRIS flights will also be utilized to establish the feasibility of mapping methane emissions in the lower boundary layer from natural and anthropogenic sources, and is to use quantitative estimates of column methane to estimate flux rates and, through repeat flights, establish spatial, and temporal variation in methane emissions.

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Point of Contact

Suborbital Science Program Coordinator
Ames Research Center
Mailstop 245-5
Moffett Field, CA 94035
Phone: (650) 604-4388
Fax: (650) 604-3625
Electronic Mail: imccubbin@mail.arc.nasa.gov

For more information go to Airborne Science platforms.