X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-39-62 Scheduled Date: January 12, 1965

Pilot: Milton O. Thompson

Purpose: To obtain data for the following programs:
 

1. Non-uniform, 3-dimensional Flow Field Measurements - (Bob Quinn & Murray Palitz)

2. Surface discontinuity heat transfer test - c. g. compartment - (Joe Watts)

3. Skin Friction - (Darwin Garringer)

4. Boundary layer noise - (Tom Lewis)

5. Landing Gear Door Modification Checkout - (Dick Rosecrans)


Instrumentation Engineer: Febo Bartoli

Launch: Hidden Hills on a magnetic heading of 235°, MH-96 Adaptive, R.C. "OFF," BCS "OFF," heading vernier to "Standby," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 35° 55' N, 115° 39' 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 = 25°.
             
2. 21 46 1550 10 530 q = 25° - Maintain q = 25°.
             
3. 41 62 2600 3 700 Pushover to 0 "g." (H dot » +950 fps).
             
4. 61 80 3900 0 660 Roll left to f = 90°, then increase a to 10°.
             
5. 70 86 4500 10 630 a = 10°. Maintain a = 10°.
             
6. 71 88.5 4650 10 600 Reduce to minimum thrust. Modulate speed brakes (» 10°-15°) to maintain slow longitudinal acceleration. Maintain q constant at »600 psf.
             
7. 80 91 4950 10 600 Increase a to 17°, retract speed brakes. Maintain a = 17°.
             
8. 90 92 5100 17 600 Burnout, pushover to » 5° a. Roll to » 60° right bank, set up rate of descent of » 200 fps to maintain q constant at » 600 psf.
             
9. 102 91 4900 10 600 Increase a to 10°, maintain a = 10°.
             
10. 128 85 4300 10 600 Increase a to 17°. Increase bank angle to » 90° to maintain constant q.
             
11. 138 81 3800 5 600 Pushover to » 5° a, roll to » 60° left bank, increase to 10° a and vector to high key (y » 225°).
             
12. 170 69 2800 3 600 Abeam Cuddeback, speed brakes as required. Engine Master "OFF."
             
13.           High Key - check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in. Exp. Switch "OFF."
             
14.           Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data "Off."

 

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 25°, a cross-pointer null at 4.5°.

2. Emergency lakes: Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 8 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 59,500lb thrust - Engine #103.

Minimum thrust = 31,500lb

Total burn time at 100% = 82 sec.

Launch Wt. = 33,750lb Burnout Wt. = 15,550lb
 

 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.
 

 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 25° q at 23 seconds. Perform roll maneuvers at pilot's discretion.
       
5. Ball Nose   Heading vernier to ·y, proceed, use 1.6 g for rotation. Perform roll maneuvers at pilot's discretion.
       
6. Delayed engine light   Pushover to 0 "g" at H = 59,000 ft.

 

7. Inadvertent engine shutdown:

0 - 45 sec Hidden Hills

45 - 51 sec Cuddeback (2800 fps)

51 - Up sec Edwards (3200 fps)