Beginning this summer and over the next several years, NASA will be sending unmanned aircraft dubbed "severe storm sentinels" above stormy skies to help researchers and forecasters uncover information about hurricane formation and intensity changes.
Originally posted by Mkoll
reply to post by draco49
Well I'm glad that they found a domestic use for drones that doesn't revolve around spying on American citizens. I really wish that Obama hadn't changed NASA's mission from exploring space to proving global warming, though.
I feel that global warming is a fraud perpetrated to separate us from our money through guilt and that using such an agency as NASA to further that agenda is wrong.
Studying hurricanes though, that I am okay with. I wonder if they'll give drones to NOAA for similar purposes?
ER-2 High Altitude Airborne Science Aircraft12.16.09 NASA is operating two Lockheed ER-2 Earth resources aircraft as flying laboratories in the Sub-Orbital Science Program under the agency's Science Mission Directorate. The aircraft, based at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., collect information about our surroundings, including Earth resources, celestial observations, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, and oceanic processes. The aircraft also are used for electronic sensor research and development, satellite calibration and satellite data validation.
In 1981, NASA acquired its first ER-2 aircraft. The agency obtained a second ER-2 in 1989. They replaced two Lockheed U-2 aircraft, which NASA had used to collect science data since 1971. The U-2s, and later the ER-2s, were based at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., until 1997, when the ER-2 aircraft and their operations moved to NASA Dryden.
Since the airborne science program's inaugural flight on Aug. 31, 1971, NASA U-2s and ER-2s have flown more than 4,500 data missions and test flights in support of scientific research conducted by scientists from NASA, other federal agencies, states, universities and the private sector.
High Altitude Research Program
The NASA WB-57 Program provides unique, high-altitude airborne platforms to US Government agencies, academic institutions, and commercial customers in order to support scientific research and advanced technology development and testing at locations around the world. Mission examples include atmospheric and earth science, ground mapping, cosmic dust collection, rocket launch support, and test bed operations for future airborne or spaceborne systems.
The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas is the home of the NASA WB-57 High Altitude Research Program. Two fully operational WB-57 aircraft are based near JSC at Ellington Field. Both aircraft have been flying research missions since the early 1960's, and continue to be an asset to the scientific community with professional, reliable, customer-oriented service designed to meet all scientific objectives.