X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 2-43-75 Scheduled Date : October 27, 1965

Pilot: Lt/Col. R. Rushworth

Purpose : To obtain data for the following programs:

1. Handling Qualities with external tanks (G. Robinson)

2. Tank Separation Characteristics (J. Adkins)

3. Tank Trajectory (J. Armstrong)
 

 Instrumentation Engineer - Paul Harney

Launch: Cuddeback Lake on magnetic heading 211°, SAS Hi-Hi-Hi (8-6-8). YAR on, ASAS Armed, BCS "OFF," RAS "OFF," ventral ON.

External tanks installed (empty)

Launch point coordinates: 35° 11' N; 117° 16' W.
 
 No.   Time  Alt  V a  q   Event
             
1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine, reduce to minimum thrust. Rotate at 12° a until q = 32°. Maximum g = 1.6, maximum q = 320 psf.
             
2. 34 49 1250 12 300 q = 32°. Maintain q = 32°.
             
3. 51 58 1450 7 260 Push over to zero g.
             
4. 70 67 1850 0 270 Pull up to 5° a (H-dot = +200).
             
5. 76 69 2100 5 300 Eject external tanks. (q indicated = 315 psf.) Maintain a = 0 after trim change.
             
6. 80 70 2200 0 340 Shutdown, roll to 60° right bank. Increase a to » 10° (dh = -25°). Perform » 2g turn while maintaining H-dot » -400 fps.
             
7. 148 50 1400 13 350 Jettison internal propellants if energy management permits.
             
8.           High Key - check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in. Check ventral armed. Engine master "OFF."
             
9.           Approach to landing - jettison ventral.

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 32°, a crosspointer will null at 5°.

2. Emergency Lakes: Cuddeback and Rosamond.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 7 min.

4. Flight plan based on 59,900# thrust - engine #104

Total burn time at 100% = 84 sec. Minimum thrust = 37,250#.

Launch weight = 36,400#, burnout weight = 16,450#

External tank weight = 1,800#.

260# allowed for jettison check (2 sec).

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

2. Malfunction of any SAS channel.

3. Malfunction of inertial platform attitudes.

4. Malfunction of ball nose.

5. Malfunction of tank ejection camera.

6. Launch altitude less than 40,000 ft.

7. Average wind velocity greater than 20 kts. below 7,000 ft in direction from predicted impact point toward Rocket Base.

 Alternate Situations After Launch:

Failure Action
 
       
1. Radio or Radar   Proceed as planned.
       
2. Total damper failure or failure to ASAS   Proceed as planned.
       
3. Attitude failure   Proceed - at 34 sec use 7° a instead of 32° q.
       
4. Ball Nose failure   Perform rotation by trimming stabilizer to achieve 1g (dh = -5°), then let g build up gradually to 1.6g at 17 sec. Use 0.7g for tank drop.
       
5. Emergency tank ejection at launch   Turn to heading » 240° pushover at 50K, extend speed brakes at 1500 fps. Shut down at 2,000 fps and vector to High Key.
       
6. Delayed engine light   Eject tanks and proceed with item 5.

7. Inadvertent engine shutdown

0 - 30 sec Cuddeback (1200 fps)

30 - Up sec Edwards