Overview
Characteristics
Capabilities
Recently redesignated to honor Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, NASA’s Dryden Aeronautical Test Range (DATR) supports aerospace flight research and technology integration, space exploration concepts, airborne remote sensing, and a wide variety of science missions.
Located at the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center, part of the Edwards Air Force Base complex, the mission of the DATR is to support flight research operations and low earth-orbiting missions. DATR supplies a comprehensive set of resources for the control and monitoring of flight activities, real-time acquisition and reduction of research data, and effective communication of information to flight and ground crews. Precision radar provides tracking and space positioning information on research vehicles and other targets, including satellites. Fixed and mobile telemetry antennas receive real-time data and video signals from the research vehicle and relay this data to telemetry processing areas. The processed data is displayed at the engineering stations in the mission control center and archived in a post-flight storage area.
Audio communication networks support research operations in the DATR, covering a broad frequency spectrum for transmitting and receiving voice communications and flight termination signals for unmanned aerial vehicles. Video monitoring provides real-time and recorded data for the control and safety of flight test missions.
Darryl Burkes
Range Engineering Branch Chief
(661) 276-2517
Bob Guere
Range Operations Branch Chief
(661) 276-2953
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Armstrong Flight Research Center
PO Box 273
Edwards, CA 93523-0273
(661) 276-3311
Dryden Aeronautical Test Range Fact Sheet
Dryden Aeronautical Test Range at AFRC
