BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Follow the third and final launch of NASA's X-43A hypersonic program using a Pegasus first stage booster. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S LAUNCH OF THE X-43A VEHICLE TO MACH 10 QT
VIDEO: LAUNCH RESULTS PRESENTED IN POST-FLIGHT BRIEFING QT
VIDEO: FOOTAGE OF PRE-LAUNCH ACTIVITIES QT
VIDEO: THE B-52 TAKES OFF FROM EDWARDS AFB TODAY QT

VIDEO: PRE-FLIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE FOR THIS LAUNCH QT
VIDEO: CHASE PLANE VIDEO SHOWS JUNE 2001 MALFUNCTION QT
VIDEO: SECOND X-43A IS SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED IN MARCH QT
VIDEO: EXTENDED CLIP OF SECOND LAUNCH AS SEEN LIVE QT
VIDEO: SUCCESS DECLARED AT POST-LAUNCH PRESS BRIEFING QT
VIDEO: PREVIEW ANIMATION SHOWING X-43A LAUNCH QT
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2004

Here is a release from NASA on today's launch:

NASA's X-43A research vehicle screamed into the record books again Tuesday, demonstrating an air-breathing engine can fly at nearly 10 times the speed of sound. Preliminary data from the scramjet-powered research vehicle show its revolutionary engine worked successfully at nearly Mach 9.8, or 7,000 mph, as it flew at about 110,000 feet.

The high-risk, high-payoff flight, originally scheduled for Nov. 15, took place in restricted airspace over the Pacific Ocean northwest of Los Angeles. The flight was the last and fastest of three unpiloted flight tests in NASA's Hyper-X Program. The program's purpose is to explore an alternative to rocket power for space access vehicles.

"This flight is a key milestone and a major step toward the future possibilities for producing boosters for sending large and critical payloads into space in a reliable, safe, inexpensive manner," said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe. "These developments will also help us advance the Vision for Space Exploration, while helping to advance commercial aviation technology," Administrator O'Keefe said.

Supersonic combustion ramjets (scramjets) promise more airplane-like operations for increased affordability, flexibility and safety in ultra high-speed flights within the atmosphere and for the first stage to Earth orbit. The scramjet advantage is once it is accelerated to about Mach 4 by a conventional jet engine or booster rocket, it can fly at hypersonic speeds, possibly as fast as Mach 15, without carrying heavy oxygen tanks, as rockets must.

The design of the engine, which has no moving parts, compresses the air passing through it, so combustion can occur. Another advantage is scramjets can be throttled back and flown more like an airplane, unlike rockets, which tend to produce full thrust all the time.

"The work of the Langley-Dryden team and our Vehicle Systems Program has been exceptional," said NASA's Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Research J. Victor Lebacqz. "This shows how much we can accomplish when we manage the risk and work together toward a common goal. NASA has made a tremendous contribution to the body of knowledge in aeronautics with the Hyper-X program, as well as making history."

The flight was postponed by one day when repair of an instrumentation problem with the X-43A caused a delay. When the preflight checklist was resumed, not enough time remained to meet the FAA launch deadline of 7 p.m. EST.

Today, the X-43A, attached to its modified Pegasus rocket booster, took off from Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., tucked under the wing of the B-52B launch aircraft. The booster and X-43A were released from the B-52B at 40,000 feet and the booster's engine ignited, taking the X-43A to its intended altitude and speed. The X-43A then separated from the booster and accelerated on scramjet power to a brief flight at nearly Mach 10.

NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., and Dryden jointly conduct the Hyper-X Program. NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Washington, manages it. ATK-GASL (formerly Microcraft, Inc.) at Tullahoma, Tenn., and Ronkonkoma, N.Y., built the X-43A aircraft and the scramjet engine, and Boeing Phantom Works, Huntington Beach, Calif., designed the thermal protection and onboard systems. The booster is a modified first stage of a Pegasus rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corp, Chandler, Ariz.

0025 GMT (7:25 p.m. EST Tues.)

About 20 seconds of data was gathered with the engine inlet open. Of that, the engine operated with the fuel system on for 10 seconds.

0020 GMT (7:20 p.m. EST Tues.)

Officials say they have only quickly examined the engine experiment. It will take some time to review all of the information.

0017 GMT (7:17 p.m. EST Tues.)

"Everything looked really nominal to me," the chief engineer reports of the brief scramjet engine operation at Mach 10.

0016 GMT (7:16 p.m. EST Tues.)

"Everything went really well," the chief engineer says.

0014 GMT (7:14 p.m. EST Tues.)

Mission managers are holding the post-launch news briefing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center. Today's scramjet engine test was a success.

2250 GMT (5:50 p.m. EST)

A post-flight news conference is coming up in about an hour. Officials will review results from today's apparent successful scramjet test at Mach 10, which would establish a new speed record for an air-breathing vehicle.

2246 GMT (5:46 p.m. EST)

Vincent Rausch, the Hyper-X program manager, reports that the scramjet engine appeared to start. Data is being examined. The aerodynamic maneuvers during descent have followed.

2245 GMT (5:45 p.m. EST)

Meanwhile, the B-52 is heading back to Edwards Air Force Base where landing it expected shortly. This is the last planned NASA research flight using this historic aircraft after decades of service.

2243 GMT (5:43 p.m. EST)

To recap, the X-43A was successfully launched by the Pegasus booster today. After separating from the rocket at about Mach 10, the X-43A hypersonic research vehicle's scramjet engine inlet was opened, the fuel system activated and the brief 10-second test occurred. The X-43A is currently gliding to the Pacific where it will impact and sink.

2240 GMT (5:40 p.m. EST)

The X-43 is descending through 93,000 feet at Mach 6.1.

2239 GMT (5:39 p.m. EST)

It will take about 10 minutes for the X-43 to fall from its 110,000 altitude where 10-second scramjet engine test occurred until splashdown in the ocean. The vehicle is not recovered after its water impact.

2238 GMT (5:38 p.m. EST)

Mission control indicates that today's scramjet test has gone well. However, data analysis will be required to verify full mission success.

2237 GMT (5:37 p.m. EST)

The 12-foot-long, five-foot-wide X-43A vehicle is now descending to the Pacific Ocean. This powerless glide allows engineers to gather data on flying characteristics of the vehicle's shape at speeds just under Mach 10.

2236 GMT (5:36 p.m. EST)

The scramjet of X-43A has operated, burning its brief supply of hydrogen fuel.

2236 GMT (5:36 p.m. EST)

SEPARATION. The Pegasus rocket stage has burned out of the propellant. And the X-43 is flying on its own, having been deployed from the Pegasus booster!

2235 GMT (5:35 p.m. EST)

A good flight of the Pegasus booster is reported.

2235 GMT (5:35 p.m. EST)

T+50 seconds. The rocket is burning 300 pounds of solid propellant per second.

2235 GMT (5:35 p.m. EST)

The winged Pegasus is accelerating the X-43A vehicle into the sky, heading for an altitude of 110,000 feet where the hypersonic craft will separate to begin its brief free-flight to test the scramjet.

2235 GMT (5:35 p.m. EST)

Guidance is controlling.

2234 GMT (5:34 p.m. EST)

IGNITION! The solid-propellant motor of the Pegasus rocket has fire to life!

2234 GMT (5:34 p.m. EST)

DROP! The X-43A and Pegasus booster have been released from the B-52 carrier aircraft about 40,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean off the California northwest of L.A.

2234 GMT (5:34 p.m. EST)

T-minus 30 seconds. Pegasus booster is confirmed ready for launch.

2233 GMT (5:33 p.m. EST)

The flight control fins on the Pegasus booster are undergoing planned movements to provide a last-moment steering check before launch.

2233 GMT (5:33 p.m. EST)

The fin pins have been retracted.

2232:40 GMT (5:32:40 p.m. EST)

T-minus 2 minutes and counting.

2231 GMT (5:31 p.m. EST)

The Range is green with all assets in position.

2231 GMT (5:31 p.m. EST)

Polling of the launch team is underway. Everyone reports "go" status for the launch.

2230 GMT (5:30 p.m. EST)

Built-in testing of the X-43's aerosurface actuators is underway.

2230 GMT (5:30 p.m. EST)

Now five minutes from launch. The X-43A research vehicle is going to internal battery power.

2229 GMT (5:29 p.m. EST)

A good power transition is reported.

2228 GMT (5:28 p.m. EST)

The Pegasus booster is switching to internal power.

2227 GMT (5:27 p.m. EST)

Altitude is now 40,000 feet and speed is Mach 0.66.

2225 GMT (5:25 p.m. EST)

The launch time has been revised. Drop of Pegasus is now expected a few seconds before 2235 GMT.

2223 GMT (5:23 p.m. EST)

The aircraft is heading back to the west, flying away from the California coast, for launch of X-43 a few minutes from now.

2221 GMT (5:21 p.m. EST)

Mission control reports time to launch is now 9 minutes.

2216 GMT (5:16 p.m. EST)

The B-52 is preparing to make its U-turn to head back for the launch point. Drop of the Pegasus booster is about 15 minutes away.

2207 GMT (5:07 p.m. EST)

The carrier aircraft is currently flying through the launch point. The pilots report no clouds at launch altitude and smooth flying conditions with very light turbulence. Launch time is about 25 minutes away.

2205 GMT (5:05 p.m. EST)

The B-52 has completed its turn and is heading east now.

2202 GMT (5:02 p.m. EST)

Altitude is now 41,000 feet and speed is Mach 0.816.

2159 GMT (4:59 p.m. EST)

The carrier aircraft has reached its western-most point on the flight path and beginning a wide, sweeping left-hand turn to head toward the east to fly through the launch point to examine weather conditions. The B-52 will turn around again and drop the launch on a westward heading.

2157 GMT (4:57 p.m. EST)

Mission control reports launch is about 30 minutes away. The exact time is determined when the B-52 reaches the pre-set drop point to release the Pegasus rocket booster with X-43A.

2148 GMT (4:48 p.m. EST)

The B-52 has cleared the coastline. It has climbed above some thin, high cirrus clouds on a beautiful afternoon in Southern California.

2146 GMT (4:46 p.m. EST)

Altitude is now 36,000 feet and speed is Mach 0.544.

2145 GMT (4:45 p.m. EST)

The flight termination safety system on the Pegasus is being powered up as the ride to the launch point continues. Coming up shortly the team will perform a series of checks to verify the safety system is ready to destroy the rocket if it veers off course during launch.

2137 GMT (4:37 p.m. EST)

B-52 is ascending through 27,000 feet as it heads out over the Pacific Ocean allowing a pre-planned flight path toward the west. The aircraft will fly north of the launch area before looping around and heading toward the east and passing through the actual drop point to check winds and weather conditions. Then the B-52 will make another U-turn and head back to the launch spot for the drop.

2130 GMT (4:30 p.m. EST)

The B-52 mothership is airborne as it ferries the Pegasus launch vehicle and X-43A hypersonic craft to the drop point over the Pacific Ocean.

2105 GMT (4:05 p.m. EST)

The B-52 is making its way from the staging area to the runway for takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base. A chase aircraft took off a short time ago. Launch of the X-43A from beneath the right wing of the massive B-52 carrier jet is expected sometime after 2200 GMT (5 p.m. EST; 2 p.m. local).

1715 GMT (12:15 p.m. EST)

Crews are preparing for a second attempt to launch the X-43A research aircraft. Yesterday's launch opportunity was scrubbed after instrumentation problems with the vehicle consumed all of the margin in the countdown.

"The X-43A team spent the evening troubleshooting the problem, and confidence is high this morning that the issue has been resolved," NASA says.

Takeoff of the B-52B mothership that carries the X-43A and its Pegasus booster to launch altitude is scheduled for 2100 GMT (4 p.m. EST; 1 p.m. local) from Edwards Air Force Base, California. Today's two-hour launch window extends from 2200-0000 GMT (5-7 p.m. EST; 2-4 p.m. local).

The X-43A will be boosted to 110,000 feet by the Pegasus before separating. The scramjet engine will operate for about 10 seconds as the craft soars at Mach 10. A series of maneuvers are planned to characterize the X-43A flying qualities before splashing down in the Pacific.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2004
2315 GMT (6:15 p.m. EST)

NASA will try again Tuesday to launch its scramjet-powered X-43A hypersonic research craft to Mach 10 after today's attempt was foiled by glitches that kept the mission on the ground.

"It just gives you an appreciation for some of the issues and problems we have to deal with in flight testing. It is the nature of the game," said X-43A chief engineer Griffin Corpening.

The B-52 mothership never rolled to the runway for takeoff from California's Edwards Air Force Base with the Pegasus rocket booster and X-43A. Time ran out to conduct the launch because problems pushed back the day's timeline too much.

The carrier jet was supposed to be airborne around 2100 GMT (4 p.m. EST; 1 p.m. PST) for its hour-long flight to the launch position 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean northwest of Los Angeles where the rocket would be released. But troubleshooting problems with X-43A avionics delayed the day's pre-flight activities.

A precise launch window was available on the U.S. Naval aerospace range from 2200-0000 GMT (5-7 p.m. EST; 2-4 p.m. PST). Unable to extend the window and the B-52 still not in the air, mission managers had to call a scrub at 2249 GMT despite resolving the technical concerns from earlier in the day.

"Ultimately we were 'go' for launch," Corpening said. "But we had used up so much of that launch window that by the time we taxi and takeoff we would not be out on the launch box and in position to launch by 4 p.m. (PST).

"So we had to call it off for today. All indications are now we should be 'go' for tomorrow. That is our backup date."

It was not immediately confirmed if the launch window would remain the same length on Tuesday.

"The weather looks to be about the same. Certainly all of the systems onboard are 'go' at this point," Corpening said. "We will probably continue to troubleshoot a few of these anomalies that we saw today so that we have a good chance for 2 o'clock (PST launch) tomorrow."

This will be the third and last launch of the X-43A in NASA's high-risk, $230 million Hyper-X program that seeks alternate propulsion technologies for access to space and high-speed flight within the atmosphere.

A scramjet operates by supersonic combustion of fuel in a stream of air compressed by the high forward speed of the aircraft itself, as opposed to a normal jet engine that uses fan blades to compress the air.

For this final flight, the X-43A will reach for Mach 10, much faster than its earlier record-setting speed of nearly Mach 7 achieved in March.

"This is flight research. So there is risk in this program," said Vince Rausch, the X-43A program manager. "We wouldn't be doing this is it was a slam dunk. There are still unknowns out there."

2249 GMT (5:49 p.m. EST)

SCRUB! The clock has expired on today's opportunity to launch NASA's X-43A hypersonic research craft off the California coast. Delays in readying the vehicle for takeoff prevented the B-52 mothership from getting airborne to support the air-launch by the close of the day's available window at 0000 GMT (7 p.m. EST; 4 p.m. PST local). The range could not extend the launch window.

NASA plans to try again tomorrow.

2245 GMT (5:45 p.m. EST)

One issue with extending the window -- if the launch is scrubbed just before drop for some reason, then the B-52 would be landing with the Pegasus and X-43A right around sunset.

2243 GMT (5:43 p.m. EST)

The mission team and range are working to see if the launch window could be extended beyond its two-hour duration.

2240 GMT (5:40 p.m. EST)

Takeoff to launch time will be about 64 minutes, the team says. But the B-52 has not yet made its way from the staging area to the runway for departure.

2237 GMT (5:37 p.m. EST)

The B-52 needs to be airborne within 20 minutes. It seems iffy whether the remaining activities can be accomplished in that short amount of time.

2235 GMT (5:35 p.m. EST)

Mission managers are assessing whether there is enough time left to finish putting the final touches on X-43A and taxi to the runway, then fly to the launch spot before today's window of opportunity runs out. There was a two-hour launch window available on the range today from 2200-0000 GMT (5-7 p.m. EST; 2-4 p.m. local time)

2230 GMT (5:30 p.m. EST)

A team of workers is disconnecting ground umbilicals running to the X-43A. Activities are continuing toward taxi of the B-52 to the runway shortly, followed by takeoff and the hour-long flight to the launch point off the California coast. NASA says launch is a "go" at this time.

2216 GMT (5:16 p.m. EST)

The B-52 has started its engines in preparation for takeoff, if final approval is given to launch around 0000 GMT (7 p.m. EST; 4 p.m. local time) today. Engineers are working to resolve electrical concerns experienced with the X-43A during launch preps.

"We are right up against our launch window," X-43A engineer Griffin Corpening says.

2208 GMT (5:08 p.m. EST)

Still no decision on today's launch. Engineers are dealing with a glitch involving a data relay transmitter on the X-43A vehicle. That has prevented the B-52 carrier aircraft from taking off for the air-launch of X-43A and its Pegasus rocket booster.

Because it takes the B-52 about an hour to reach the pre-set drop point off the California coast and today's available launch window closes at 0000 GMT (7 p.m. EST; 4 p.m. local time), mission managers must make the "go/no go" decision very shortly.

2132 GMT (4:32 p.m. EST)

"We've been fighting an apparent electrical problem in our avionics system, in particular with our S-band transmitter in one of our ESP modules, which collects pressure data. At this point, it is a little unclear what the course of action will be. We should have a definitive answer on if we're 'go' for launch in about 15 or 20 minutes. Until then, we just have to stand by and see how it plays out," said Griffin Corpening, X-43A chief engineer for the first two flights.

2130 GMT (4:30 p.m. EST)

The B-52 mothership has not departed. Engineers are troubleshooting a problem with the X-43A, which has delayed the scheduled takeoff time. It will be determined shortly when the launch can proceed.

1800 GMT (1 p.m. EST)

The air-launch of NASA's final X-43A hypersonic research vehicle by an Orbital Sciences Pegasus first stage booster remains scheduled for this afternoon off the California coast. Final testing was completed over the weekend, and technicians finished servicing and fueling the X-43A earlier today.

Takeoff of the B-52 carrier aircraft from Edwards Air Force Base is targeted for 2100 GMT (4 p.m. EST; 1 p.m. local time). Launch will occur about an hour later.

We will provides live updates about the flight on this page.

Below is a preview of the mission provided by NASA:

NASA's high-risk, high-payoff Hyper-X Program is ready to attempt its greatest challenge yet -- flying a "scramjet"-powered X-43A research vehicle at nearly 10 times the speed of sound.

Officials have set Monday for the flight, weather permitting, which will take place in restricted U.S. Naval airspace over the Pacific Ocean northwest of Los Angeles. This will be the last and, by far, the fastest of three unpiloted flight tests designed to explore an intriguing alternative to rocket power for space access vehicles.

Supersonic combustion ramjets -- or scramjets -- promise more airplane-like operations for increased affordability, flexibility and safety for ultra high-speed flights within the atmosphere and for the first stage to Earth orbit. The scramjet advantage is that, once they are accelerated to about Mach 4 (four times the speed of sound) by a conventional jet airplane engine, it is believed that they can be flown in the atmosphere up to about Mach 15 without having to carry heavy oxygen tanks as rockets must. Also, rockets tend to produce full thrust or nearly full thrust all the time; scramjets can be throttled back and flown more like an airplane.

The scramjet concept is simple: Accelerate the vehicle to about Mach 4 by a conventional jet engine, then start the scramjet engine (which has few or no moving parts) by introducing fuel and mixing it with oxygen obtained from the air and compressed for combustion. The air is naturally compressed by the forward speed of the vehicle and the shape of the inlet, similar to what turbines or pistons do in slower-moving airplanes and cars.

While the concept is simple, proving the concept has not been simple. At operational speeds, flow through the scramjet engine is supersonic -- or faster than the speed of sound. At that speed, ignition and combustion take place in a matter of milliseconds. This is one reason it has taken researchers decades to demonstrate scramjet technologies, first in wind tunnels and computer simulations, and only recently in experimental flight tests.

The upcoming flight will be the third of three flights in the eight-year, $230 million Hyper-X Program.

The first flight, in 2001, was ended prematurely when the booster rocket veered off course and had to be destroyed before the test could begin. The second flight, in March of this year, was a resounding success. The 12-foot-long X-43A research vehicle was delivered to the proper altitude and test speed, where its scramjet engine started and performed flawlessly for 11 seconds, as planned.

In the process of demonstrating a scramjet-powered airplane in flight for the first time, the March 2004 flight set a world speed record for an "air breathing" (jet-powered) vehicle. It flew at nearly Mach 7, or 5,000 mph. It easily surpassed the previous record set by the military's now-retired SR-71 Blackbird high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, which flew at about Mach 3.2.

For the third and final flight, there are several significant differences from the second flight. At Mach 10, the third X-43A vehicle will be zooming westward over the Pacific at approximately 7,000 mph or almost two miles per second. The vehicle will have additional thermal protection, since it will experience heating roughly twice that experienced by the Mach 7 vehicle. Reinforced carbon-carbon composite material is being added to the leading edges of the vehicle¹s vertical fins as well as the nose and wings to handle the higher temperatures.

Also for the Mach 10 flight, the booster rocket will launch the X-43A higher (110,000 ft v. 95,000 ft) before it separates and the X-43A starts its scramjet. The X-43A will travel further (about 850 v. 450 miles) before splashing into the ocean.

Ultimate applications of scramjet technology include future hypersonic missiles, hypersonic airplanes, and reusable single- or two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicles.

The final X-43A mission is expected to be the last research mission for NASA's venerable B-52B "mothership" heavy launch aircraft, which is due to be retired in the near future after almost 50 years of service.

The Hyper-X Program, managed by the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington, is conducted jointly by NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., and Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.