EC02-0058-23
Scaled Composites’ Proteus aircraft and an F/A-18 Hornet from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center during a low-level flyby at Las Cruces Airport in New Mexico. The Proteus featured an unconventional tandem-wing, twin-boom configuration with two rear-mounted turbofan engines providing power. The aircraft featured modular construction that allowed payloads to be carried in a variety of locations. Removable tip sections could be added to or removed from the rear wing or the forward canards to tailor the Proteus’ aerodynamics for various external payloads or for maximum altitude. The main landing gear was set wide apart, allowing for large externally-mounted payloads to be carried under the fuselage.March 14, 2002NASA Photo / Tom Tschida› Proteus Project Description