2008 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

limited to 28,000 ft in the National
Airspace System (NAS), without prior FAA
coordination and approval. At maximum
takeoff gross weights, the aircraft can carry
a crew of three (pilot, co-pilot and research
system operator), a 1200-lb research payload,
and enough fuel for a 4-5 hour high-altitude
mission covering 800-1000 nautical miles.
Over the past year, these two aircraft have
successfully integrated and flown four
research payloads:
• High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL)
- NASA LaRC.
• Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP)
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space
Studies.
• In situ Atmospheric Sampling System
- NASA LaRC.
• Advance Carbon and Climate Laser
International Mission (ACCLAIM)
instrument – ITT.
Conceptual designs for integration of
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Laser
Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS) and NASA
Ames’ MODIS Airborne Simulator (MASTER)
onto either aircraft also were also completed.
FY08 mission accomplishments included over
260 research flight hours on the following
missions:
• Local CALIPSO validation flights with
HSRL and RSP.
• CALIPSO Caribbean deployment with
HSRL.
Figure 32
NASA B-200 on ramp in Yellowknife,
Northwest Territories, July 2008, during
ARCTAS summer deployment.
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