X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 2-44-76 (REVISED) Scheduled Date : April 5, 1966

Pilot: Lt/Col. R. Rushworth

Purpose : Ventral on stability and control (G. Robinson)

Launch: MUD Lake #1 on magnetic heading 172°

SAS Hi-Hi-Hi (8-6-8). Yar ON, ASAS Armed

BCS "OFF," RAS "OFF," ventral ON.

Launch point coordinates: 38° 06 N; 117° 18' W.

Instrumentation Engineer - Paul Harney

No. Time Alt V a q Event

1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine at 75% T., increase to 100% T. Rotate at a = 10° until q = 30°.

2. 31 49 1900 10 700 q = 30°. Maintain q = 30°.

3. 42 58 2400 5 680 Push over to zero g. (H-dot » 1000 fps) Maintain zero g.

4. 84 94 5375 0 630 Burnout (H-dot » 400 fps). Shutdown at 5500 fps if burnout has not occurred. Maintain a = 0 until H-dot = 200 fps, then increase a to 4°.

5. 95 98 5200 4 500 Disarm ASAS, disengage Yar and Yaw dampers. Perform rudder pulse.

6. 105 100 5100 4 460 Set roll damper to "Low." Evaluate controllability. Then disengage Roll damper and evaluate controllability during pull up to 8° a.

7. 136 94 4800 8 500 Engage Roll, Yaw and Yar dampers. Increase a to 10° to decrease rate of descent to » -100 fps.

8. 159 88 4500 10 600 Pushover to 4° a. Disengage Yar and Yaw dampers. Perform rudder pulse.

9. 180 84 4200 4 620 Set roll damper to "Low." Evaluate controllability. Then disengage Roll damper and evaluate controllability during pull up to 8° a.

10. 202 78 3900 8 710 Engage Roll, Yaw and Yar dampers. Maintain H-dot » -100 fps.

11. 221 75 3500 5 680 Extend speed brakes to 35° and maintain a = 5°.

12. 230 74 3300 5 610 Disengage Yar and Yaw dampers. Perform rudder pulse.

13. 238 72 3000 5 580 Set Roll damper to "Low," then disengage and evaluate controllability.

14. 253 70 2600 5 480 Engage Roll, Yaw and Yar dampers. Arm ASAS. Retract speed brakes and vector to High Key.

15. High Key - check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in. Check ventral armed. Engine master "OFF."

16. Approach to landing - jettison ventral.

17. Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data off.

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 30°, a crosspointer will null at 8°.

2. Emergency Lakes: Grapevine and Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 10 min.

4. Flight plan based on 59,300# thrust at 100%. Engine #106

Total burn time at 100% T. = 84 sec.

Launch wt = 34,790 Burnout wt = 16,990 Landing Wt. = 15,492

c.g. = 4.6 c.g. = 9.4 c.g. = 9.5

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.

Alternate Situations After Launch:

Failure Action

1. Radio or Radar Proceed as planned.

2. Total Pitch damper Proceed, shutdown at 5200 fps. Do not perform stability and control pulses.

3. Total Roll damper Same as No. 2.

4. Total Yaw damper or failure to ASAS Same as No. 2 except maintain a < 6°.

5. Attitude failure Use 6° a in place of 30° q at 31 seconds. Disengage dampers at pilot's discretion.

6. Ball Nose failure Proceed, rotate at 2g. Do not disengage dampers.

7. Delayed engine lite Proceed, rotate at 2g. Pushover to zero g at H = 52,000 ft. (H-dot » 1000 fps)

Inadvertent engine shutdown

0 - 40 sec Mud

40 - 69 sec. Grapevine (2300 fps)

69 - 74 sec. Cuddeback (4100 fps)

74 - Up sec Edwards (4500 fps)


1.	0	45	790	2	145	Launch, light engine at 75% T., increase to 100% T. Rotate at a = 10° until q = 30°.

2.	31	49	1900	10	700	q = 30°. Maintain q = 30°.

3.	42	58	2400	5	680	Push over to zero g. (H-dot » 1000 fps) Maintain zero g.

4.	84	94	5375	0	630	Burnout (H-dot » 400 fps). Shutdown at 5500 fps if burnout has not occurred. Maintain a = 0 until H-dot = 200 fps, then increase a to 4°.

5.	95	98	5200	4	500	Disarm ASAS, disengage Yar and Yaw dampers. Perform rudder pulse.

6.	105	100	5100	4	460	Set roll damper to "Low." Evaluate controllability. Then disengage Roll damper and evaluate controllability during pull up to 8° a.

7.	136	94	4800	8	500	Engage Roll, Yaw and Yar dampers. Increase a to 10° to decrease rate of descent to » -100 fps.

8.	159	88	4500	10	600	Pushover to 4° a. Disengage Yar and Yaw dampers. Perform rudder pulse.

9.	180	84	4200	4	620	Set roll damper to "Low." Evaluate controllability. Then disengage Roll damper and evaluate controllability during pull up to 8° a.

10.	202	78	3900	8	710	Engage Roll, Yaw and Yar dampers. Maintain H-dot » -100 fps.

11.	221	75	3500	5	680	Extend speed brakes to 35° and maintain a = 5°.

12.	230	74	3300	5	610	Disengage Yar and Yaw dampers. Perform rudder pulse.

13.	238	72	3000	5	580	Set Roll damper to "Low," then disengage and evaluate controllability.

14.	253	70	2600	5	480	Engage Roll, Yaw and Yar dampers. Arm ASAS. Retract speed brakes and vector to High Key.

15.						High Key - check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in. Check ventral armed. Engine master "OFF."

16.						Approach to landing - jettison ventral.

17.						Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data off.


1.	Radio or Radar	Proceed as planned.

2.	Total Pitch damper	Proceed, shutdown at 5200 fps. Do not perform stability and control pulses.

3.	Total Roll damper	Same as No. 2.

4.	Total Yaw damper or failure to ASAS	Same as No. 2 except maintain a < 6°.

5.	Attitude failure	Use 6° a in place of 30° q at 31 seconds. Disengage dampers at pilot's discretion.

6.	Ball Nose failure	Proceed, rotate at 2g. Do not disengage dampers.

7.	Delayed engine lite	Proceed, rotate at 2g. Pushover to zero g at H = 52,000 ft. (H-dot » 1000 fps)