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ACCESS II: Preparing to Descend

CT-133 aircraft from NRCC and NASA HU-25C Guardian aircraft flying behind NASA’s DC-8 aircraft.

This photo, taken from the CT-133 aircraft of research partner National Research Council of Canada, shows the NASA HU-25C Guardian aircraft flying 250 meters behind NASA’s DC-8 aircraft before it descends into the DC-8’s exhaust plumes to sample ice particles and engine emissions.

The flights are part of the Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions or ACCESS II experiment, which is measuring and characterizing airborne emissions from the DC-8 as it burns both conventional jet fuel and blended alternative fuels, including a biofuel. NASA, with research partners from Germany and Canada, is investigating fuel effects on aircraft cruise emissions and contrail formation.

Within NASA, ACCESS II is a joint project involving Armstrong Flight Research Center, California; Langley Research Center, Virginia; and Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The research supports NASA aeronautics’ strategic vision, which has as a goal to enable transition of industry to low-carbon fuels and alternative propulsion systems.

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