X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-31-51 Scheduled Date: July 23, 1964

Pilot: Capt. Joe Engle

Purpose: Heat Transfer experiment with surface distortion panels, Local Flow experiment, and ablation tests.

Launch: Hidden Hills on a magnetic heading of 230°, MH-96 Adaptive, R.C. "OFF," BCS "OFF," heading vernier to "Standby," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 35° 55' N, 115° 09' W.

No. Time Alt V a q Event

1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate at 10° a until q = 20°.

2. 18 47 1500 10 450 q = 20° - Maintain q = 20°.

3. 42 59 2700 4 870 Pushover to 0 "g."

4. 71 76 4700 0 1150 Reduce to minimum thrust.

5. 73 77 4800 0 1170 Modulate speed brakes (»35°) to maintain slow longitudinal acceleration. Increase a to maintain H = 78,000 ft.

6. 90 78 5050 3 1200 Burnout. Maintain H = 78,000 ft.

7. 93 78 4800 3 1100 Roll to » 70° left bank, increase a to 10°, maintain H-dot » 0. (g » 3.0)

8. 113 78 3800 10 700 Pushover to a » 4°, roll to » 60° right bank, increase a to 10°. Turn to high key heading of » 225°.

9. 134 78 3200 10 500 Pushover to a » 4°, roll level, retract speed brakes, descend at » 400 fps.

10. 185 65 2600 4 610 Abeam Cuddeback, vector to high key, speed brakes as required, Engine master OFF.

11. High Key. Check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in.

12. Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data "Off."

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 20°, a cross-pointer null at 10°.

2. Emergency lakes: Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 9 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 59,900lb thrust engine.

(Minimum thrust = 31,800lb)

Total burn time at 100% = 82 sec.

Launch Wt. = 33,750lb Burnout Wt. = 15,500lb

Ground Rules For No Launch:
1. Radio, Radar, or TM malfunction.

2. FCS malfunctions as indicated on Analyzer check list.

3. Malfunction of Ball Nose.

4. Malfunction of inertial platform.

5. APU gear box malfunction.

Alternate Situations After Launch:

	Failure	Action

1.	Radio or Radar	Proceed as planned.

2.	Total Pitch/Roll Damper	Turn Yaw OFF, maintain a > 0. Shutdown at 4500 fps, vector to high key.

3.	Total Yaw Damper Fixed Gain in any axis	Proceed as planned.

4.	Attitude	Proceed as planned except use 4.5° a in place of 20° q at 18 seconds. Do not perform roll maneuvers.

5.	Ball Nose	Heading vernier to ^·y, proceed, use 1.6 g for rotation. After burnout, vector to high key.

6.	Delayed engine light	Pushover to 0 g at H = 57,000 ft.

7. Inadvertent engine shutdown:

0 - 47 sec Hidden Hills

47 - 52 sec Cuddeback (3000 fps)

52 - Up sec Edwards (3400 fps)


1.	0	45	790	2	145	Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate at 10° a until q = 20°.

2.	18	47	1500	10	450	q = 20° - Maintain q = 20°.

3.	42	59	2700	4	870	Pushover to 0 "g."

4.	71	76	4700	0	1150	Reduce to minimum thrust.

5.	73	77	4800	0	1170	Modulate speed brakes (»35°) to maintain slow longitudinal acceleration. Increase a to maintain H = 78,000 ft.

6.	90	78	5050	3	1200	Burnout. Maintain H = 78,000 ft.

7.	93	78	4800	3	1100	Roll to » 70° left bank, increase a to 10°, maintain H-dot » 0. (g » 3.0)

8.	113	78	3800	10	700	Pushover to a » 4°, roll to » 60° right bank, increase a to 10°. Turn to high key heading of » 225°.

9.	134	78	3200	10	500	Pushover to a » 4°, roll level, retract speed brakes, descend at » 400 fps.

10.	185	65	2600	4	610	Abeam Cuddeback, vector to high key, speed brakes as required, Engine master OFF.

11.						High Key. Check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in.

12.						Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data "Off."