X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 2-42-74 Scheduled Date : August 31, 1965

Pilot: John B. McKay

Purpose : To obtain data for the following programs:

1. RAS System checkout

2. Star Tracker - (Lovic Thomas)

3. Advanced X-15 landing dynamics - (Jim McKay)

3. Pilot altitude buildup
 

 Instrumentation Engineer - Paul Harney

Launch: Delamar, SAS Hi-Lo-Hi (8-4-8). ASAS Armed, heading vernier "Standby," both BCS "ON," RAS "OFF," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 37° 18' N; 114° 36' W.

Launch heading 214° magnetic.

Star Tracker vernier to: Y = 214°

q = 89.8°

f = 99.0°
 
 No.   Time  Alt  V a  q   Event
             
1. 0 45 790 0 145 Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate at a » 11° a until q = 36°.
             
2. 31 47 1850 11 650 q = 36°. Maintain q = 36°.
             
3. 82 132 5000 7 100 Shutdown, hold a = 7°, RAS "ON."
             
4. 105 180 4600 7 10 Pushover to a = 0°.
             
5. 119 200 4400 0 - Extend speed brakes to 20°.
             
6. 138 220 4300 0 - Establish null attitudes using Star Tracker indicator attitudes.
             
7. 158 228 4250 - - Peak altitude.
             
8. 201 200 4450 - - Terminate Star Tracker experiment. Increase a to 19° (dh = -25°) for reentry.
             
9. 269 75 4000 18 850 H-dot = -400 fps, pushover to a » 3°. Extend speed brakes to 35°. Maintain H-dot » -300 fps.
             
10. 310 60 3000 3 900 Cuddeback, vector to high key. Speed brakes as required.
             
11.           High Key - check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in.
             
12.           Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data off. Star Tracker to "cage," then "STANDBY."

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 36°, a crosspointer will null at 19°.

2. Emergency Lakes: Hidden Hills and Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 10 min.

4. Flight plan based on 59,750# thrust - engine #104

Total burn time at 100% = 83 sec.

Launch weight = 34,650#, burnout weight = 16,450#

Ground Jettison Check

 Ground Rules for No Launch: 1. Radio, Radar, or TM Malfunction.

2. Malfunction of any SAS channel.

3. Malfunction of inertial platform.

4. Malfunction of ball nose.

5. Malfunction of BCS.

 Alternate Situations After Launch:

Failure Action
 
       
1. Radio or Radar   Proceed as planned.
       
  0 - 43 sec.    
       
2. (a) Total damper any axis or drop to ASAS (a) Maintain a = 11° to 32 sec., pushover to a = 5° at 32 sec., pushover to a = 2° at 43 sec., extend speed brakes to 35°. Shutdown at 5150 fps and retract speed brakes to 20° after shutdown.
       
(b) Attitude (b) Same as 2a.
       
(c) Ball Nose (c) Maintain q = 32° until 43 sec., use 0.1 g instead of 2° a for pushover.
       
  43 sec. to S.D.    
       
3. (a) Total damper any axis or drop to ASAS (a) Pushover to a = 2°, extend speed brakes to 35°, shutdown at 5150 fps, reenter at 20° a and 20° speed brakes.
       
(b) Attitude (b) Same as 3 (a).
       
(c) Ball Nose (c) Same as 3 (a), use 0.1 g to shutdown and q = 0° for reentry.
       
  After S.D.    
       
4. (a)   (a) For any failure after shutdown proceed as planned. Use q = 0° for reentry in the event of a ball nose failure.
       
5. Delayed engine light   Proceed as planned.

8. Inadvertent engine shutdown

0 - 47 sec Delamar

47 - 66 sec Hidden Hills (2700 fps)

66 - 70 sec Cuddeback (3900 fps)

70 - Up sec Edwards (4200 fps)