DEVOTED to High Flying Research

NASA Langley's UC-12 rolls toward a stop after a morning of flight research for evaluating the next-generation of satellite instruments that study aerosols – tiny chemicals and particles in the atmosphere.

The UC-12 flew high with two remote-sensing lidar (laser) instruments aboard, while Langley’s B-200 flew low taking in-situ, or in place, measurements with a suite of about 10 instruments.

"The remote-sensors on the aircraft are prototypes for future systems," said John Hair, principal investigator for DEVOTE (Development and Evaluation of satellite Validation Tools by Experimenters). "We want to evaluate the measurements with detailed in-situ measurements, ground station measurements, and satellite measurements."

The DEVOTE project is a training initiative lead by a team of early career scientists and engineers who are gaining mission experience and contributing to the latest Earth science research through a field campaign.

The project is sponsored by the Hands-On Project Experience, an initiative funded by the Office of Chief Engineer and the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters.

Credit: NASA/Mike Finneran