The POT is preparing what will be your next Laboratory in the air and the largest plane of its fleet. It is a Boeing 777 that has been transferred this month to Waco, Texasto be converted in a laboratory in the air in replacement of the Douglas DC-8which fulfilled this role until last May, when he withdrew from the service. The modifications in 777 are being carried out by L3harris Technologies.
NASA’s ‘new’ Airborne Science Laboratory was originally manufactured in 2003. Japan Airlines He operated this BOEING 777-200ER Throughout his commercial life, after which he was stored in the Logistics Airport of South California in Victorville In May 2020. Two years later, NASA acquired it for a little less than 30 million dollarsand in December 2022 he was enrolled again and sent to the Langley Air Basein Virginia, where he underwent a previous series of modifications in the LANGLEY Research Center NASA.
This 777 variant, which can transport More than 500 passengers and was introduced in 1997it has a greater fuel capacity and can take off more weight. Its reach is 14,300 km and has The record of distance traveled without landing.
🔴 NASA’S NEWLY ACQUQUEDE BOEING 777-200 (N577NA) HAS ARRIVED IN WACO TO REPLACE THE OLD RETATIED DC-8. The Aircraft Will Support Sensor Development, Satellite Calibration, and Research Focused on Earth’s Surface and Atmosphere.
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777 will carry out research missions similar to those of your predecessorthe DC-8 of 1969, an adapted commercial plane that entered the service of NASA in 1987. These missions are divided into Four main categories:
- Sensor developmentincluding the verification of prototypes of satellite instruments before launching them into space.
- Satellite sensor verificationcomparing your data with which you collect the laboratory.
- Recovery of telemetry and optical follow -up data for launches and re -entering of space vehicles.
- Studies on the surface and terrestrial atmosphere.
777 is a much larger plane than DC-8 and may accommodate between 50 and 100 operators on boarda significant increase over 45 researchers and crew that used to fly in the DC-8. In addition, it offers a payload capacity of 34 tonscompared to 13.6 tons of DC-8.
While Douglas’s plane could fly missions 6 to 10 hours (and up to 12 in exceptional cases), Boeing’s will have a 18 -hour mission durationdepending on the load and climatic conditions.
The Modifications Already made in Langley include the installation of observation ports, energy systems, data and communications, and space for instrument operators. Although the plane shows few changes, they are likely to become more evident in the new work phase in Waco.
The DC-8, with a more distinctive exterior appearance, was equipped with multiple instrument ports, modified windows for sensors, external antennas and aerial sampling probes. It could also deploy non -guided atmospheric probes, known as fall probes. It is expected that 777 receive similar capabilities and that the modifications are completed for September 30.