X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-63-93 Scheduled Date: September 19, 1967

Pilot: William H. Dana

Purpose: 1. U.V. Exhaust Plume (3c) - Bryant

2. Solar Spectrum Measurement (29) - Bryant
3. Micrometeorite Collector (13) - Bryant
4. Air Density (12) - Bryant
5. X-Ray Air Density (28) - Bryant
6. Ames Boost Guidance (14) - Burke
7. Tip Pod Camera (42a) - Bryant

Launch: Smith Ranch #1 on a magnetic heading of 168°

MH-96 "Adaptive," Reaction Controls "Auto," BCS "ON," BG/b engaged, acom = 11°, PAI switch to "Heading," Ventral OFF.

Launch point coordinates: 39° 29.5' N, 117° 11.5' W.

Instrumentation Engineer: R. Borek

No. Time Alt V a q Event

1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine at 100%T. Rotate at a = 11° until q = 34°. Fly BG null until burnout. (q = 34° will be flown if BG appears in error.)

2. 25 52 1750 11 505 q = 34°. Maintain q = 34° until burnout.

3. 84.3 146 5680 8 68 Burnout. (If burnout has not occurred, shutdown at 5800 fps.) Switch to PAI. Pushover to, and maintain a = 0°. Roll A/C ±10° at less than 5°/sec. Engine Master OFF.

4. 95 170 5500 0 26 Micrometeorite switch to EXTEND. JPL experiment switch to ON.

5. 130 230 5200 0 3 Switch to Comp. a. Obtain F = 0° and b = 0° and engage roll hold mode.

6. 171 250 5000 0 1 Peak altitude. At q = 0°, engage pitch hold mode. Maintain q, F, & Y ±2° until a = 20°.

7. 210 230 5200 13 3 Switch to Ball Nose a.

8. 231 198 5400 20 10 a = 20°. Maintain a = 20° until An = 5g. Switch to a/b. (Qmax » 825 psf). Hold modes "OFF."

9. 241 180 5500 20 18 Micrometeorite switch to RETRACT. JPL experiment switch to OFF. Pod camera "ON."

10. 282 90 5150 20 700 An = 5.0g. Maintain 5g until H dot = -400 fps.

11. 290 83 4600 16 795 H dot = -400 fps. Pushover to maintain H = 80K ft until 50 N. M.

12. 313 80 4100 5 730 50 N.M. Extend speed brakes to 35°. Start right turn to » 180°. Pushover to obtain H dot = -400 fps.

13. 360 70 2900 4 590 Cuddeback. Vector to Hi-Key. Speed brakes as required.

14. High Key - Check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in. Arm stick kicker and third skid. Engine Master "OFF." Window shade down. (2) Radiometer switches OFF. Check side stick trim zero.

NOTES:

1. q vernier will be set at 34°, a cross-pointer null at 20°.

2. Emergency lakes: Mud, Grapevine, Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 12 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 60,000lb thrust at 100%. Engine #103.

Total burn time at 100% T. (60,000lb) = 84.3 seconds.

Launch wt = 33,737lb Burnout wt = 15,378lb

c.g = c.g. =

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

6. Precision attitudes preset: Pitch = 0.0 (90.0)

Roll = 0.0 (90.0)

Heading = 168°

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.

5. Malfunction of either BCS.

6. Malfunction of precision heading.

ALTERNATE SITUATIONS AFTER LAUNCH:

	Failure		Action

1.	Radio or radar	1.	Proceed as planned.

2.	ANY damper failure or failure to fixed gain	2a.	0 - 35 seconds Switch to a/b. Pushover to a = 2° at 35 sec. Proceed to burnout. (Hmax = 160K, V = 5870.) Fly a » 15° to H dot = -200 fps. (H = 82, M = 4 at 50 N.M.)

		2b.	35 sec. - Burnout Switch to a/b. Pushover to a = 2° when failure occurs. Proceed to burnout. If reentry is required, use a = 15°.

		2c.	After Burnout Use a = 15° for reentry.

3.	Ball Nose Failure	3a.	0 - 35 seconds Switch to comp. a. Pushover to 0g at 35 seconds. Proceed to burnout. (Hmax = 120K, V=5930). Fly H dot = 0 fps to M = 5, then H dot = -300 fps to 50 N.M. (H = 81K, M = 3.6 at 50 N.M.)

		3b.	35 sec. - Burnout Switch to comp. a. Pushover to 0g when failure occurs. Proceed to burnout. If reentry is required, use q = 0°. (dHmax = -25°.)

		3c.	After Burnout Switch to comp. a. Use q = 0° for reentry. (dHmax = -25°.)

4.	Attitude Failure	4.	Use a = 5° in place of q = 34° at 25 sec. Switch to a/b. Proceed with 3a, b, or c as applicable. (Use a for reentry, if required.)

5.	Inertial Failure	5.	Proceed as planned.

6.	Delayed Light	6.	Rotate to 2.5g. Proceed as planned.

7.	Boost Guidance	7.	Fly q = 34° in place of BG null at 25 sec. Proceed as planned.

INADVERTENT ENGINE SHUTDOWN:

0 - 42 sec Smith Ranch

42 - 65.5 sec Mud Lake (2500 fps)

65.5 - 73 sec Grapevine (4000 fps)

73 - 75.5 sec Cuddeback (4600 fps)

75.5 - Up sec Edwards (4800 fps)

Approved

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


1.	0	45	790	2	145	Launch, light engine at 100%T. Rotate at a = 11° until q = 34°. Fly BG null until burnout. (q = 34° will be flown if BG appears in error.)

2.	25	52	1750	11	505	q = 34°. Maintain q = 34° until burnout.

3.	84.3	146	5680	8	68	Burnout. (If burnout has not occurred, shutdown at 5800 fps.) Switch to PAI. Pushover to, and maintain a = 0°. Roll A/C ±10° at less than 5°/sec. Engine Master OFF.

4.	95	170	5500	0	26	Micrometeorite switch to EXTEND. JPL experiment switch to ON.

5.	130	230	5200	0	3	Switch to Comp. a. Obtain F = 0° and b = 0° and engage roll hold mode.

6.	171	250	5000	0	1	Peak altitude. At q = 0°, engage pitch hold mode. Maintain q, F, & Y ±2° until a = 20°.

7.	210	230	5200	13	3	Switch to Ball Nose a.

8.	231	198	5400	20	10	a = 20°. Maintain a = 20° until An = 5g. Switch to a/b. (Qmax » 825 psf). Hold modes "OFF."

9.	241	180	5500	20	18	Micrometeorite switch to RETRACT. JPL experiment switch to OFF. Pod camera "ON."

10.	282	90	5150	20	700	An = 5.0g. Maintain 5g until H dot = -400 fps.

11.	290	83	4600	16	795	H dot = -400 fps. Pushover to maintain H = 80K ft until 50 N. M.

12.	313	80	4100	5	730	50 N.M. Extend speed brakes to 35°. Start right turn to » 180°. Pushover to obtain H dot = -400 fps.

13.	360	70	2900	4	590	Cuddeback. Vector to Hi-Key. Speed brakes as required.

14.						High Key - Check flap and "squat" circuit breakers in. Arm stick kicker and third skid. Engine Master "OFF." Window shade down. (2) Radiometer switches OFF. Check side stick trim zero.