NASA FRC
 August 9, 1965

MEMORANDUM for Chief, Research Division

X-15 Project Office

FROM: X-15-3 Research Project Engineer

SUBJECT: Flight Research Report on flight 3-44-67

Flown on June 29, 1965, Pilot Capt. Joe Engle

I. PURPOSE OF FLIGHT

To obtain data for the following programs:

A. LRC Scanner

B. NSL Radiometer (exp. 3B)

C. Boundary Layer Noise

D. Reentry Maneuver Techniques

 II. FLIGHT PLAN
 
The flight plan was based on the peak altitude of 283,000 feet as a step in the pilot altitude buildup.

Final data indicates that a peak altitude of 280,600 feet was reached which indicates good altitude control by the pilot.

Due to use of long established reentry techniques, the pilot was able to reenter with greater smoothness and efficiency compared to the last flight (to 240,000 feet). The stabilizers did not bottom out at all and no pitch oscillation occurred.

Conditions for the BLN experiment were not met due to the energy management considerations.


III. RESULTS

1. Although it did not so appear at first, NSL has said that their radiometer did gather data.

2. Five microphones were installed for this flight. Indications were that the upper vertical microphone did not operate satisfactorily. It has been removed for laboratory checks.

 IV. RECOMMENDED INSTRUMENTATION
 
The changes recommended for the last flight were not made for this flight either.


V. SCHEDULES
 

Immediately after flight 3-43, this flight was scheduled for June 25, 1965. For at least two months prior to this the delivery date for the Langley scanner had held firm for June 25, 1965. In my opinion there was no justification for the quick turnabout for 3-44. This accelerated schedule necessitated that the Aerocommander be sent to Lockheed at Ames where the scanner was being calibrated to deliver the scanner here two days before the flight. This allowed only the one day prior to the flight for set-up of the scanner optically and to calibrate. It was known since flight 3-42 that either the gains were set too high in the scanner amplifiers or more energy existed in the spectral band involved than had been expected. The symptom which existed on 3-42 was over driven VCO's on the tape recorder. However, due to the lack of time this could not be checked out properly. These symptoms appeared on 3-44 and indicated that some of the data would be unusable. However, the Langley engineer indicates that the data can be made usable.

I have found it difficult to examine the data myself from the tape system. It has always been necessary to be accompanied by the instrumentation engineer when reviewing the tape in the T.M. van. In addition, it appears that a clear enough understanding of these experiments (electronically) in conjunction with the tape system does not exist. All this has added to the difficulty of properly assessing the results of the flight.

Joseph A. LaPierre

Aerospace Engineer