X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-22-36 Scheduled Date: August 7, 1963

Pilot: Joseph A. Walker

Subject of test: Expansion of ventral off reentry investigation, Altitude Predictor checkout, Photometer and Barnes Spectrometer experiments.
Launch: Smith Ranch on a magnetic heading of 170°, MH-96 Adaptive, Roll hold "ON," R.C. "AUTO," BCS "ON," heading vernier to "·y," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 39° 30' N, 117° 10' W.
 
 
 No. Time  Alt  V   a q            Event
             
1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate to 2g.
             
2. 11 45 1280 13 380 2g - Maintain 2g until q = 48°.
             
3. 29 56 1800 12 450 q = 48° - Maintain q = 48°.
             
4. 84.5 176 5380 9 19 Burnout. Shutdown at a predicted altitude of 360,000 ft. if burnout has not occurred and velocity is greater than 5200 fps.
             
5. 88 185 5350 10 15 Heading vernier to "STANDBY," check b = 0°, then return to "·y."
             
6. 160 330 4350 - - Pushover to q = 0°. Roll to 45° bank angle, maintain 45° to peak altitude.
             
7. 196 360 4150 - .16 Peak altitude. Roll wings level. Extend speed brakes to 20°. Maintain q = -20° until approximately 220,000 ft., then establish a = 26° for reentry.
             
8. 298 200 5250 26 6 Roll hold "OFF," heading vernier to "STANDBY."
             
9. 328 95 5200 26 550 5.2 g - maintain 5.2 g. Retract speed brakes when H-dot » -500 fps. (Max reentry q » 1200 psf).
             
10. 353 70 3700 12 990 H-dot = +300 fps (q » 18°) pushover to » 3° a. Max H-dot » +600 fps. Vector to High Key. Reaction control "OFF." Engine Master "OFF."
             
11. 420 80 2800 5 345 China Lake. Speed brakes as required.
             
12.           High Key. Check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in.
             
13.           Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, turn all data "Off."

 

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 48°, a cross-pointer null at 26°.

2. Emergency lakes: Mud, Grapevine, Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 12.5 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 59,200lb thrust engine (50% = 34,900lb).

Total burn time at 100% = 84.5 sec.

Launch Wt. = 33,000lb Burnout Wt. = 15,000lb
 

 Ground Rules For No Launch:  
1. FCS malfunctions as indicated on Analyzer check list.

2. Malfunction of inertial platform attitudes.

3. Malfunction of ball nose.

4. APU gear box pressurization malfunction.

5. Radio, Radar, or TM malfunction.


Alternate Situations After Launch:
 

 All failures requiring a modified profile will use one of the following alternate procedures:

A: 0 - 30 sec.

Pushover to .2g (» 2° a) at 30 sec., reduce to 50%T at 35 sec., continue to burnout. Hmax » 130,000 ft. B: 30 sec - Burnout Pushover to .2g (» 2° a), reduce to 50%T when failure occurs, continue to burnout. Use 20° speed brakes and 21° a for reentry. C: After Burnout Use 20° speed brakes and 21° a for reentry. (q = 1600 psf).
  Failure   Action
       
1. Radio or Radar   Proceed as planned.
       
2. Total Pitch/Roll Damper   Turn Yaw OFF, Reaction Control "ON," proceed with A, B, or C as applicable.
       
3. Total Yaw Damper

Fixed Gain in any axis

   Reaction Control "ON," proceed with A, B, or C as applicable.
       
4. Attitude   Proceed with A or B as applicable, except use a = 26° for B.
       
5. Ball Nose   Heading vernier to "·y," proceed with A or B as applicable. Use q = -15° for reentry.
       
6. Delayed engine light   Proceed as planned.

7. For inadvertent engine shutdown:

0 - 44 sec Smith Ranch

44 - 62 sec Mud Lake (2400 ft/sec)

62 - 78 sec Grapevine (3450 ft/sec)

78 - 81 sec Cuddeback (4700 ft/sec)

81 - Up sec Edwards (4900 ft/sec)

Note: Minimum a of » 18° is required for reentry from 360,000 ft to stay within a q limit of 2200 psf.