X-15 OPERATIONS FLIGHT REPORT

FLIGHT NO: 3-20-31 DATE OF REPORT: June 28, 1963

PILOT: Maj. Rushworth DATE OF FLIGHT: June 27, 1963

CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Delamar

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: Altitude Buildup

Horizon Scanner

I.R. and U. V. Experiment

I. Discussion of Previous Operations

A. After shutdown on flight 3-19-30, a transient was experienced in sideslip. Engine alignment was adjusted approximately 3/16" and no transients were experienced during shutdown on this flight. II. Aircraft Configuration Changes A. Barnes spectrometer removed and a new Block spectrometer installed for an altitude checkout.

B. Support brackets in tail-cone experiment housing changed to allow for installation of a camera along with the Block spectrometer.

C. A special l6mm camera, built by Massachusetts Institute of Technology to observe both right hand and left hand horizons, was installed in the tail-cone experiment housing.

D. The aft cover was removed to allow a better field of view for both the Barnes spectrometer and the horizon scanner.

E. Brackets to hold programmer for the blood pressure instrumentation were installed. The programmer has been installed and checked out.

 III. Instrumentation Configuration Changes A. Installation and checkout of wiring to record data timer on the tape recorder.

B. Installation and checkout of assorted wiring and VCO's for blood pressure and heart pulse pickups.

C. Wiring change in tail-cone experiment housing to allow installation of M.I.T.'s horizon scanner camera.

 IV. Preflight Events A. During ground checkout of the BCS system, excess leakage through the reaction control valves was observed. Both the pitch-yaw valve and the roll valve were changed.

B. During BCS preflight functionals, the #1 BCS system ON-OFF valve failed. This valve was replaced and functionals were performed without further problems.

C. An attempted flight on 6/26/63 was canceled because of a contaminated hydraulic system. Samples taken prior to flight showed a high level of contamination with fibrous material. Origin of the material, or even chemical content, is unknown. Investigation by NAA into this is underway. Also, NASA is acquiring the capability of testing more frequently to further evaluate the cause of buildup of contamination.

D. During servicing for flight, a light blue discoloration, approximately 1/4" in diameter, was observed in the left hand inner windshield. It was thought to be in the laminate between the two inner panes and therefore was acceptable for flight.

E. Prior to pilot entry a short was experienced in the blood pressure and heart pulse instrumentation which necessitated deletion of these parameters for flight.

 V. Flight Events A. As on the previous flights, the main chamber pressure indicator on TM and pilot's panel and also engine timer froze during engine run.

B. Before launch, the precision inverters in the B-52, were oscillating approximately 1 to 2 cycles in frequency. Any larger oscillation would have been detrimental to stable platform operation.

C. The Block spectrometer did not operate during flight. Evaluation of the malfunction is currently in process.
 
 

 Approved By: Prepared by:

Perry V. Row John G. McTigue

X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer