2009 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

Looking Ahead
to FY10 and
Beyond
The Airborne Science Program has benefitted
substantially from the support provided from our
NASA leadership, our partners and our science
community. Our focus for the future is to deliver on
our commitments to missions and field capabilities
that cost effectively enhance the science return
coming from airborne experiments.
In 2010 and beyond, the Airborne Science Program
plans to further implement its vision of maximum
sensor portability. NSERC will provide the P-3B
with a data distribution and communication system
like that on the DC-8 so that instruments integrated
on one will require minimum change to be integrated
on the other. Leveraging investments made possible
through the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA), the ASF will build and start fielding
common equipment interface panels between the
WB-57, ER-2, and Global Hawk.
The year 2010 will also see some substantial
platform sustainability activities undertaken. The
P-3B will complete its depot level maintenance
and special structural inspection and the DC-8
and ER-2 will initiate low utilization maintenance
programs appropriate for their operational tempo
and projected to produce significant life-cycle cost
savings. The WB-57 is scheduled to complete
its Gross Weight Increase project with flight
demonstration and certification. ARRA is enabling
the upgrade of the P-3B’s avionics and autopilot
systems as well as the design and fabrication of
replacement ailerons for the WB-57. The B-200
aircraft operated from DFRC will be modified to be
a remote sensing capable aircraft. Other examples
of Airborne Science funded ARRA efforts include:
- DAOF modifications and upgrades
- Construction of a third UAVSAR Pod for
use on Global Hawk and the G-III
- Operation Ice Bridge Science Team
funding
- Development of a Global Hawk Mobile
Operation Facility for Aircraft command
and control
Several ASP-related ARRA projects are a partnership
with the Earth Science Technology Office and the
Research and Analysis Program. These include:
- Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS) -2
- Enhanced MODIS Airborne Simulator
(eMAS)
- Portable Remote Imaging SpectroMeter
(PRISM)
- Global Ozone Lidar Demonstrator
(GOLD)
- Global Hawk wing pylons
Most ARRA projects awards are expected to be
completed in 2010, with a few planned to continue
into 2011.
Mission-wise, the Global Hawk (GH) will perform
its inaugural science mission: GLOPAC (Global
Hawk Pacific), which is a combination Aura
calibration-validation / IPY mission. Following
GLOPAC, Global Hawk will prepare for the
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