Science Projects
Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, operates ER-2, DC-8, and C-20A science aircraft in support of NASA’s Earth Science mission to bring together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation.
Branch Chief
Michael Thomson
C-20A Project Manager
Franzeska Becker
DC-8 Project Manager
Brian Hobbs and Kirsten Boogaard
ER-2 Project Manager
John McGrath
Earth Science Aircraft
Armstrong's fleet of highly specialized science aircraft support new space-based sensor development and satellite calibration and validation. The center's role is also to develop the next generation of Earth scientists and engineers.
Biography
Director of Armstrong's Science Mission Directorate
Michael P. Thomson
Michael P. Thomson is director of Armstrong’s Science Mission Directorate. Appointed to the position in September 2011, Thomson manages operations and missions on a suite of unique and highly modified aircraft (ER-2, DC-8, Gulfstream C-20A, and B200 King Air) in support of the agency’s Earth Science mission.
Full Biography about Director of Armstrong's Science Mission Directorate
Joe Piotrowski, Jr.: One Engineer’s (Flight) Path to Airborne Science
Based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., Joe Piotrowski is the lead operations engineer for the King…
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Utilizing NASA’s B200 King Air to Study Snowmelt Levels
More than 1 billion people rely on seasonal mountain snowmelt as a resource for their water supply and a team of NASA scientists and aircraft operators are measuring snow levels to better understand the contribution to our water resources.
In a series of two deployments in early February and March, pilots from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards Calif., flew the B200 King Air that was retrofitted with a specially designed radar developed by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena Calif., to study new methods in measuring the snow levels.
The Signals of Opportunity Synthetic Aperture Radar (SoOpSAR) collects detailed data on the snow that melts from the mountainous region by utilizing radio signals in the environment to communicate information about the snow to scientists and how it contributes to the water supply.
Science News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news from Armstrong as we break down barriers and accelerate change for the benefit of humanity.
NASA and international researchers are studying the air quality in Asia as part of a global effort to better understand…
The Webb telescope has opened a new window onto the universe, but it builds on missions going back 40 years,…
UPDATE: Deadline for proposals extended to April 15, 2024 Call for Papers Date: August 21–22, 2024Location: Washington, D.C. Jointly organized…
In September 2023, NASA aircraft began supporting an effort to find and map critical mineral deposits in Western regions of…
Contrails, the lines of clouds from high-flying aircraft that crisscross the skies, are familiar sights, but they may have an…
When the asteroid Psyche has its first close-up with a NASA spacecraft, scientists hypothesize they will find a metal-rich asteroid.…
Media
NASA’s Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum
NASA’s now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft will find a permanent home in the Pima Air & Space…
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