X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-43-66 Scheduled Date: June 15, 1965

Pilot: Capt. Joe Engle

Purpose: To obtain data for the following programs:
 

1. NSL Radiometer - (Joe Lapierre)

2. Boundary layer noise - (Tom Lewis)


Instrumentation Engineer: Febo Bartoli

Launch: Delamar Lake #1 on a magnetic heading of 215°, MH-96 Adaptive, R.C. "AUTO," BCS "ON," heading vernier to "Standby," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 37° 18' N, 114° 36' W.
 
 
 No. Time  Alt  V   a q            Event
             
1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate at a = at 11° (» 2g) until q = 38°.
             
2. 28 52 1800 11 540 q = 38°. Maintain q = 38°.
             
3. 79 135 5000 8 87 Shutdown. Check b = 0, switch heading vernier to "·Y." Maintain a » 0°.
             
4. 161 240 4200 0 3 Peak altitude. Maintain q = 0 until a = 23°. Extend speed brakes to 20°. Heading vernier to "STANDBY."
             
5. 225 175 4650 23 17 a = 23°. Maintain a = 23° until H dot » -800 fps. (Max reentry g » 4.5). Extend speed brakes to 35°.
             
6. 260 96 4600 4 410 H dot » -800 fps, reduce a to maintain H dot » -400 fps. Maintain q constant » 700 psf.
             
7. 300 63 3000 4 900 Cuddeback - Vector to High Key, speed brakes as required.
             
8.           High Key - check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in. Data calibrate, experiment #1 "OFF."
             
            Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data "Off."

 

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 38°, a cross-pointer null at 23°.

2. Emergency lakes: Hidden Hills and Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 11 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 58,750lb thrust - Engine (#107).

Total burn time at 100% = 83 sec.

Launch Wt. = 33,200lb 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. Ball Nose, Inertial Platform or APU Gear Box malfunction.
 

 Alternate Situations After Launch:
  Failure   Action
       
1. Radio or Radar   Proceed as planned.
       
2. Total damper any axis,

failure to fixed gain any axis

(For roll failure turn yaw off)

 (a) 0 - 35 sec.

Alternate Flight Plan.

Proceed normally until t = 35 sec. At 35 sec. pushover to 2° a and extend speed brakes to 35°. Shutdown at 5200 fps and retract speed brakes after shutdown. Vector to high key (q » 400 psf). Peak altitude » 140,000 ft.
       
(b) Attitude (b) Use 6° a at 28 sec instead of 38° q, then proceed with alternate flight plan.
       
(c) Ball Nose (c) Same as alternate, except use » 0.1 g instead of 2° a. Heading vernier to "·Y."
       
3. Total damper any axis,

failure to fixed gain any axis

(For roll failure turn yaw off)

 (a) 35 sec - S.D.

Pushover to 2° a and extend speed brakes when failure occurs. Shutdown at 5200 fps. Reenter at 20° a and 20° speed brakes.
       
(b) Attitude (b) Same as 3 (a).
       
(c) Ball Nose (c) Same as 3 (a) except use » 0.1 g instead of 2° a. Use q = 0 for reentry.
       
4. Total damper any axis,

failure to fixed gain any axis

(For roll failure turn yaw off)

 (a) After Shutdown

Proceed as planned, reenter at 20° a.
       
(b) Attitude (b) Proceed as planned.
       
(c) Ball Nose (c) Use q = 0° for reentry.
       
5. Delayed engine light   Proceed - shut down at 5200 fps.

 

6. Inadvertent engine shutdown:

0 - 42 sec Delamar

42 - 44 sec

44 - 68 sec Hidden Hills (2555 fps)

68 - 72 sec Cuddeback (3900 fps)

72 - Up sec Edwards (4200 fps)