FLIGHT NO: 1-75-133 DATE OF REPORT: 4/9/68
PILOT: William H. Dana DATE OF FLIGHT: 4/4/68
CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Delamar
ENGINE SERIAL: 109 APU #1 17 APU #2 14
PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. Aircraft Systems Checkout
2. WTR Experiment Functional Checkout (20)3. Saturn Insulation (41)
4. Yaw ASAS Checkout
I. Discussion of Previous Operations
B. The Saturn insulation was installed on the upper speed brakes.
C. The N2 heaters were moved from number 1 alternator to number 2 alternator to equalize the electrical load.
D. A time delay relay was installed to actuate the WTR emergency retract circuit if the doors are still open after the preset time.
E. A signal to show when the doors start open and experiment starts up was added to T.M.
F. The load resistors for the SAS gyro were changed from 8K to 3K. Associated changes were made in the gain changing box.
G. The yaw ASAS was activated for the flight.
H. A T/C reference oven was installed in the right hand side of the engine compartment for the Saturn insulation T/C's.
I. The bolts in the Lox pump discharge flange were changed one at a time. New bolts furnished by RMD were installed. (Ref, item II, I of report 1-74-130).
J. The right hand horizontal actuator was changed due to hydraulic damming.
K. The roll bungee was changed due to bearing wear.
L. The inertial system, CEU, platform, and computer, were changed. An intermittent was found in the computer during lab tests.
M. The monitor plug for the SAS gyro was changed. In removing the potting from the old plug, a broken wire was found in the yaw monitor circuit. (See item III, C).
N. The SAS gyro was replaced on 1 April and the system was realigned in a mated condition (See item III, F).
B. The aircraft was mated to B-52 008 on 25 March.
C. Flight was canceled on 26 March just prior to pilot entry due to failure of yaw SAS to trip in monitor test. The aircraft was demated to facilitate trouble shooting. (See item II, M)
D. The inertial system was changed. The system removed had an intermittent in the loop to the GSE used for initial alignment.
E. The aircraft was mated to B-52 008 on 28 March. Servicing on 28 March was satisfactory. Flight l-A-131 was aborted for communications after an airborne hold for C-130 support. The aircraft radio was checked and found OK. Film was replaced in all recorders and cameras except for the three-axis in the upper CG bay.
F. Flight was canceled just prior to pilot entry on 1 April due to failure of yaw SAS to trip in monitor test. Trouble shooting revealed an intermittent condition in the SAS gyro.
G. Flight l-A-132 on 3 April was aborted for launch lake weather. There were no aircraft problems. The tip pod camera film, airspeed and engine recorder film, and GSAP camera film were replaced.
B. No problems occurred
up to launch, except for a 30 minute airborne hold to allow the Delamar
helicopter to return after completing a rescue mission.
C. During flight
the WTR experiment failed to retract on the normal system. A successful
retraction was made using the emergency system. This is under investigation.
There were no other problems.
Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso
X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer