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NASA LANGLEY FORECAST
Returning Space Shuttle to flight, New ideas for managing air
traffic, In the movies, "Flying wing" to be tested, Raising
aircraft IQ
LANGLEY WORKING TO RETURN SHUTTLE TO FLIGHT.
Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center are directly involved
with making sure the next Shuttle mission, STS-114, makes it safely
into space and back. One group is evaluating ways that will remove
insulating foam from critical areas of the external tank so it
cannot shed and cause damage. Another group is looking at on-orbit
repair to the leading edge of the Shuttle’s wings. (The
leading edge of Columbia’s left wing sustained significant
damage when struck by foam from the external tank after liftoff.)
One repair scenario includes preformed sections of a special carbon
silicone carbide material that will fit over any damaged wing
areas. The challenge is to determine what affect the “wing
wrap” repair will have on the aerodynamics of the wing. Wind
tunnel tests are underway. Shuttle tires and landing gear
assemblies are also being tested at the 200 mile-per-hour Aircraft
Landing Dynamics Facility.
For more information, call Bill Uher at 757-864-3189 or email w.c.uher@larc.nasa.gov
A NEW WAY TO HANDLE FUTURE AIR TRAFFIC? Airline
pilots will link up with air traffic controllers by computer in
NASA laboratories on opposite sides of the country this summer to
evaluate new air traffic management technology. Researchers at
NASA's Langley Research Center and Ames Research Center at Moffett
Field, Calif., are studying ways to improve efficiency and reduce
air travel delays. One promising approach is to use technology on
board aircraft to supplement overburdened air traffic control
systems. Real-life pilots and air traffic controllers will put the
"autonomous flight management" concept to the test in a joint
simultaneous simulation at Ames' Airspace Operations Laboratory and
Langley's Air Traffic Operations Lab.
For info, call Kathy Barnstorff at 757-864-9886 or email Kathy.Barnstorff@nasa.gov
NASA IS 'BREAKING NEWS' ON THE BIG SCREEN. This
summer, as movie-goers wait in line to purchase tickets at Regal
Cinemas movie theaters across the country, they will get a lesson
in science, technology, math and engineering as a NASA feature
becomes part of the movie preview line-up. Regal Cinemas is adding
NASA to their preview venue through a partnership with NASA
Langley's Center for Distance Learning. A series of one-minute
newsbreaks, called NASA's Kids Science News Network (KSNN), will be
shown in the lobbies of Regal Cinemas theaters nationwide, starting
mid-June.
For information, call Kimberly Land at 757/864-9885 or email k.w.land@larc.nasa.gov
"FLYING WING" CONCEPT TO BE TESTED. In a joint
effort between NASA and Boeing, a "flying wing" aircraft design
will begin preliminary testing in a high-pressure, super-cold wind
tunnel at NASA Langley. Called Blended Wing Body (BWB), the
aircraft design can be traced back to the 1930s when John Northrop
built the first “flying wing." The advantage of the unusual
shape is in the wing’s ability to provide great lift. The
military is potentially interested in the capabilities of such an
aircraft, especially for materiel transport and aerial tanker
operations. The tunnel -- the National Transonic Facility --
accurately tests scale models at speeds and conditions simulating
actual flight.
For more information, call Bill Uher at 757-864-3189 or email w.c.uher@larc.nasa.gov
WATCH OUT, ROUGH AIR AHEAD! A technology that
can automatically alert pilots of turbulence ahead will soon make
its first evaluation flights on board a commercial airliner.
Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center developed the
Turbulence Prediction and Warning System or TPAWS to detect
turbulence associated with thunderstorms as part of the NASA
Aviation Safety and Security Program. NASA has teamed with Delta
Air Lines, AeroTech Research and Rockwell Collins for an in-service
evaluation of a production-prototype airborne radar unit with
turbulence hazard prediction capabilities.
For info, call Kathy Barnstorff at 757-864-9886 or email Kathy.Barnstorff@nasa.gov
RAISING AIRCRAFT IQ TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.
Imagine aircraft that can change their shape in flight to make the
ride smoother, quieter, more efficient and safer. Imagine aircraft
structures made of new, super-strong, ultra lightweight materials
that weigh half as much as conventional aluminum structures.
Imagine an aircraft with a built-in “central nervous
system” that will allow it to determine if anything is wrong
and then fix the problem without pilot intervention. The Integrated
Tailored Aero Structures project at NASA Langley Research Center is
leading innovative research programs that will make today’s
state-of-the art aircraft appear primitive by comparison. These new
technologies and new collaborative research methods will help the
U.S. aviation industry remain competitive in the global
marketplace.
For more information, call Bill Uher at 757-864-3189 or email w.c.uher@larc.nasa.gov
Speaker series:
Reporters are invited to preview talks at afternoon presentations
to employees at NASA Langley. The public is invited to evening
talks at the Virginia Air & Space Center, Hampton.
For information, call Kimberly W. Land at 757/864-9885 or email k.w.land@larc.nasa.gov
July 13 -- Electronic Textiles
August -- TBD
September 14 -- Advanced Materials Research
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