Can a rocket maneuver like an airplane? And can an airplane act as a surrogate for a maneuvering rocket?
Read: Advancing the Tech Readiness of SLS Adaptive Controls
NASA engineers demonstrated just that when they used a NASA F/A-18 aircraft recently to simulate a rocket in its early flight phase to test adaptive software for NASA’s new rocket the Space Launch System (SLS), the largest, most powerful launch vehicle for deep space missions.
NASA Armstrong’s F/A-18A Full Scale Advanced Systems Testbed aircraft pitches up during an LVAC Adaptive Augmenting Control validation flight.
NASA Armstrong research test pilot Jim Less climbs aboard the center’s F/A-18A Full Scale Advanced Systems Testbed for one of the Launch Vehicle Adaptive Control test flights.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense