X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-59-88 Scheduled Date: May 8, 1967

Pilot: William Dana

Purpose: 1. PCM System Checkout - B. Borek

2. Coldwall Heat Transfer - J. Watts

3. Step Panel Heat Transfer - J. Watts

4. Boost Guidance Checkout - M. Burke

5. Energy Management Checkout - M. Burke

6. Tip Pod Accelerometer - E. Kordes

7. Sonic Boom Study - N. McLeod

8. Horizontal Tail Loads - R. Meneely

Launch: Silver Lake #2 on a magnetic heading of 238°

MH-96 "Adaptive," Reaction Controls "OFF," BCS "OFF," BG engaged, acommand = 10°, PAI switch to "Heading," Ventral OFF.

Launch point coordinates: 35° 35' N, 115° 57' W.

Instrumentation Engineer: Bob Borek
 
 
 No. Time  Alt  V   a q            Event
             
1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine at 100%T. Rotate at a = 10° to q = 20°.
             
2. 19 46 1650 10 600 q = 20°. Maintain q = 20° until h = 55K. (H dot » 670 fps).
             
3. 37 55 2450 4 900 h = 55K. Pushover to "0" g. Maintain "0" g until H dot » 100 fps.
             
4. 65 67 4100 0 1350 At q » 1350 psf, reduce to Tmin (» 50%T). Increase a to maintain H dot » 50-100 fps. (a » 3°).
             
5. 68 68 4350 3 1450 Open speed brakes to maintain small (» 0.2g) positive acceleration. Push panel ejection button. (q and M » stable).
             
6. 103 71 4650 2 1500 Burnout. Reduce speed brakes to » 20° and maintain H dot = -100 to -150 fps. Switch to a/b and roll rate. Begin gradual turn towards Edwards.
             
7. 141 70 3250 3 740 Cuddeback. Push over until H dot = -600 fps and perform 10° pullup for tail loads. Vector to Hi-Key. Speed brakes as required.
             
8.           High Key. Check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in. Arm stick kicker and third skid. Engine Master "OFF." Window shade down.

NOTES:

1. q vernier will be set at 20°, a cross-pointer null at 2°.

2. Emergency lake: Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 9 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 59,000lb thrust at 100%. Engine #103.

Flight plan based on 33,500lb thrust at 49.5%.

Total burn time at 100% T. (59,000#) = 86.2 seconds.

Launch wt = 33,664lb Burnout wt = 14,973lb

c.g = 22.3 c.g. = 22.4

5. Ground jettison check (Accounted for in wts. and burn time).

6. Precision attitudes preset: Pitch = 20° (110.0)

Roll = 0° (90.0)

Heading = 238°
 

 GROUND RULES FOR NO LAUNCH:
  1. Radio, radar or TM malfunction.

2. FCS malfunction as indicated on analyzer check list.

3. Malfunction of inertial platform.

4. Malfunction of ball nose.
 

 ALTERNATE SITUATIONS AFTER LAUNCH:
  Failure   Action
       
1. Radio or radar   Proceed as planned.
       
2. Total Pitch Damper   Pushover to a = 2° at 40 secs. Shutdown at 4000 fps. Eject blow-off panel. Vector to Hi-Key.
       
3. Total Roll Damper   Same as 2. (Turn Yaw Damper OFF).
       
4. Total Yaw Damper   Same as 2.
       
5. Failure to Fixed Gain   Proceed as planned.
       
6. Ball Nose Failure   Switch to comp. a. Rotate at 2g. Pushover to An » 0.4g at 40 sec. Shutdown at 4000 fps. Eject blow-off panel. Vector to Hi-Key.
       
7. Attitude Failure   Use a = 5° in place of q = 20° at 19 sec. Same as 2. (If only q vernier, switch to PAI and proceed as planned.)
       
8. Inertial Failure   Without radio contact:

Same as 2. (Shutdown at 64 sec.)

With radio contact:

Proceed as planned.
       
9. Delayed Light   Rotate at 2g. Pushover at h = 50K. Proceed as planned.

INADVERTENT ENGINE SHUTDOWN:

0 - 44 sec Silver

44 - 47 sec Cuddeback (2800 fps)

47 - Up sec Edwards (3000 fps)
 
 
 

Approved (J. G. Armstrong, for)

E. J. Adkins, Head X-15 Project Office