Armstrong Flight Research Center

Jay Leno Stands Up to Help Build National Flight Test Museum and Honor "Gathering of Eagles" Flight Test Pioneers

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 23, 2023

EDWARDS, Calif., Oct. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 8, acclaimed late-night talk show host and comedian Jay Leno will headline a special stand-up comedy show to support the Flight Test Historical Foundation's (FTHF) mission to build the nation's only museum dedicated to flight test pilots and their legendary air and space test vehicles.

Key Points: 
  • Jay Leno stand-up show to be held Nov. 8, and "Gathering of Eagles" gala fundraiser on Nov. 11 in Lancaster, Calif.
  • The event will be held at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center, and all proceeds will benefit building the national museum.
  • "Jay has been a long-time supporter of the Edwards and NASA flight test families and this show demonstrates his commitment to our cause," said Art Thompson, chairman of the Flight Test Historical Foundation.
  • "We are honored that Jay is donating his time to help inspire current and future generations push the envelope in aerospace innovation."

Global Collaboration Leads to New Discoveries in Lightning Research

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and three NASA centers have just completed a month of flights to study lightning and the vast energy fields around thunderclouds in our atmosphere.

Key Points: 
  • Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and three NASA centers have just completed a month of flights to study lightning and the vast energy fields around thunderclouds in our atmosphere.
  • Their new observations will help scientists gain further insight into how lightning forms and help them better predict when storms could turn severe.
  • ALOFT is short for Airborne Lightning Observatory for Fly's Eye GLM Simulator and Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes.
  • The Marshall team also contributed to the commercially built Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) series.

U.S. Airlines to Support NASA-Boeing Sustainable Flight Demonstrator Project

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 25, 2023

OSHKOSH, Wis., July 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and NASA will collaborate with U.S. airlines to advise the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (SFD) project and development of the X-66A research aircraft .

Key Points: 
  • OSHKOSH, Wis., July 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and NASA will collaborate with U.S. airlines to advise the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (SFD) project and development of the X-66A research aircraft .
  • As part of a new sustainability coalition, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines will provide input on operational efficiencies, maintenance, handling characteristics and airport compatibility.
  • "Hearing directly from the operators during all phases of the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project will help us understand exact requirements and tradeoffs," said Todd Citron, Boeing chief technology officer.
  • The U.S. airlines will offer feedback throughout the project, including:
    Design: Airline participants will share feedback on sustainable operations and airport compatibility.

Next Generation Experimental Aircraft Becomes NASA's Newest X-Plane

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, June 13, 2023

The new X-plane seeks to inform a potential new generation of more sustainable single-aisle aircraft – the workhorse of passenger airlines around the world.

Key Points: 
  • The new X-plane seeks to inform a potential new generation of more sustainable single-aisle aircraft – the workhorse of passenger airlines around the world.
  • The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator builds on NASA's world-leading efforts in aeronautics as well climate," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
  • "With this experimental aircraft, we're aiming high to demonstrate the kinds of energy-saving, emissions-reducing technologies the aviation industry needs."
  • The Air Force confers X-plane status for development programs that set out to create revolutionary experimental aircraft configurations.

SOFIA Reveals Map of Moon's Water Near its South Pole Artemis Landing Sites

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 15, 2023

With clear, identifiable lunar features marked out by the water data, the study provides hints about how water may be moving across the Moon's surface, particularly near its South Pole — an important area for space exploration.

Key Points: 
  • With clear, identifiable lunar features marked out by the water data, the study provides hints about how water may be moving across the Moon's surface, particularly near its South Pole — an important area for space exploration.
  • The new map covers about one-quarter of the Earth-facing side of the lunar surface, below 60 degrees latitude and extends to the Moon's South Pole.
  • This finding, along with two previous SOFIA results about the amount and distribution of water on the Moon's sunlit surface, tracks a unique light signature of water.
  • And, as NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the Moon under Artemis, the agency has identified 13 candidate landing regions near the lunar South Pole.

NASA Observes Day of Remembrance Ahead of Columbia 20th Anniversary

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 20, 2023

This year's NASA Day of Remembrance precedes the 20th anniversary of the Columbia accident on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

Key Points: 
  • This year's NASA Day of Remembrance precedes the 20th anniversary of the Columbia accident on Wednesday, Feb. 1.
  • The town hall will stream live on NASA TV, the NASA app , and the agency's website .
  • "NASA's Day of Remembrance is about pausing, remembering, and uplifting the legacies of the NASA family who gave their lives to advance the cause of discovery.
  • Additional various agency centers also will hold observances for NASA Day of Remembrance.

Olea Announces Jet Aircraft Cockpit Pilot Monitoring System

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 5, 2023

RENO, Nev., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Olea Sensor Networks, a leader in intelligent sensors and analytic software for sensor network- based systems, is offering the OSN Pilot Health Monitoring Development Platform based on Olea's next-gen version of OleaSense™, a technology system for contactless and remote vital sign monitoring.

Key Points: 
  • RENO, Nev., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Olea Sensor Networks, a leader in intelligent sensors and analytic software for sensor network- based systems, is offering the OSN Pilot Health Monitoring Development Platform based on Olea's next-gen version of OleaSense™, a technology system for contactless and remote vital sign monitoring.
  • This platform enables new kinds of cockpit sensor systems that can monitor and alert pilots to problems with their abilities to function and behave normally during flight in high-performance aircraft.
  • The Olea monitoring device weighs about 1 ounce and is about the size of a business card.
  • A dedicated page which goes into greater detail can be found on the Olea website at https://www.oleasys.com/olea- licensing-models.

Aeyon Joint Venture Awarded $516.9 Million Financial Support IDIQ Contract from NASA

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 15, 2022

Aeyon today announced its joint venture, MM Technologies LLC (MMT) was awarded the NASA Financial Support Services (NFSS) contract.

Key Points: 
  • Aeyon today announced its joint venture, MM Technologies LLC (MMT) was awarded the NASA Financial Support Services (NFSS) contract.
  • This performance-based, single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee task orders has a maximum potential IDIQ value of $516.9 million.
  • Operating as an Aeyon subsidiary, MMT is an SBA-approved Mentor-Protg Joint Venture between MDW Associates (MDW) and Manufacturing Technical Solutions (an Aeyon company) focused on sound financial stewardship, financial management analysis, and data analytics and report automation.
  • Under the NFSS contract, Aeyon will provide financial management consulting services in support of NASAs missions, programs and projects.

NASA's Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 12, 2022

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft will find a permanent home in the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft will find a permanent home in the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
  • It will land in Tucson at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base before ultimately arriving at the Air & Space Museum.
  • "We are excited SOFIA will continue to engage a diverse new generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers."
  • The SOFIA aircraft is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a reflecting telescope.

No Phosphine on Venus-According to SOFIA Observations

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Its observations did not find phosphine in Venus's atmosphere which is a potential biomarker and could be an indicator of organic matter, or life.

Key Points: 
  • Its observations did not find phosphine in Venus's atmosphere which is a potential biomarker and could be an indicator of organic matter, or life.
  • Venus is considered Earth's twin in many ways, but, thanks to SOFIA, the one difference now seems clearer: Unlike Earth, Venus does not have any obvious phosphine.
  • Phosphine is a gas found in Earth's atmosphere, but the announcement of phosphine discovered above Venus's clouds made headlines in 2020.
  • Despite the fact the group did not find phosphine after the stressful observations, the study was a success.