ED07-0139-05
NASA’s Ikhana unmanned science demonstration aircraft flew over the U.S. Borax mine, Boron, CA, near the Dryden/Edwards Air Force Base complex. Ikhana is a Native American Choctaw word meaning intelligent, conscious, or aware. The name is descriptive of the research goals NASA has established for the aircraft and its related systems. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Predator B was acquired by NASA in November 2006 to support Earth science missions and advanced aeronautical technology development. The aircraft also acts as a test bed to develop capabilities and technologies to improve the utility of unmanned aircraft systems.June 23, 2007
NASA Photo / Lori Losey
For more information on Ikhana, click on the Fact Sheet here.