Special Helios Prototype Edition News May 8, 2002

Volume 44 Issue 2 Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California May 8, 2002

ED01 0230-3 NASA Photo by Carla Thomas The Helios Prototype Aircraft begins a northerly climb over Ni’ihau Island, Hawaii. Conquer the Night ■ Fresh off a record flight last summer, the project seeks to post another record in 2003 Helios Prototype commercialization near By Jay Levine That’s some of the promise of the Helios Prototype. The By Jay Levine X-Press Editor aircraft is intended to be a long-duration, high-altitude bird X-Press Editor As NASA looks at ways to develop technology for transfer that can loiter in the upper atmosphere above 50,000 feet The Helios Prototype set an altitude to the commercial sector, the Helios Prototype could prove to – well above normal air traffic and most importantly above record at 96,863 feet and made a run as be a model. NASA has sought to eliminate some of the risks to most of the weather, Del Frate said. a candidate for one of aviation’s greatest assist in the development of technology that could have nearly It’s clear a mature and validated Helios could have a prizes, the Collier Trophy. unlimited potential, said John Del Frate, solar powered aircraft number of benefits for “any mission requiring an eye in the So what does a project team do for an project manager. sky,” he said. encore? That’s what the Helios Prototype In addition to its uses for science, the Helios Prototype Helios could be an asset for crop management; keep tabs Team began to answer even before the also is seen as a potential way to watch enemies and assist in on environmental changes; monitor fisheries, coral reefs, and record flight – to again demonstrate new fire fighting, emergency services and disaster analysis. And forests; collect air samples; and conduct meteorology research abilities by initiating activities toward the aircraft could lead to a communications revolution (See and assist with mapping missions and disaster analysis. a duration flight that will exceed a day related story). The solar wing could also fly over a hurricane with sensor and night cycle above 50,000 feet during “To a certain degree, it’s like the Wright brothers. Like arrays to determine its direction and save money and re- Summer 2003. them, I don’t think we really understand how this technology sources in limiting evacuations, monitoring intensity and “Technically it’s a very challenging can be applied when it’s fully matured. I can easily imagine giving real-time information. Helios could be key to learning mission. We will probably set up well thousands of these aircraft circling the skies. I think a lot of to accurately predict the location of a hurricane landfall. before the summer. We fully expect to that will depend on the mission’s value versus the aircraft’s “You can imagine Helios could be heavily used at the lower see some problems that require us to go cost,” he said. latitudes, especially around the equator,” Del Frate said. back to the shop and test facilities and fix them and come back and fly. For that reason, it would be good to be close to The Helios Prototype spent about seven hours above 50,000 feet with different multiple shifts and therefore a much larger test stands and suppliers to maximize our hours above 50,000 feet on its record systems and procedures. team. This mission also has more hazards opportunities to meet our mission goals,” breaking high-altitude flight Aug. 13, “This is a whole new ballgame for associated with it. We will be looking said John Del Frate, solar-powered air- 2001. However, the mission in 2003 is us because we are trying to conquer the at issues we have not had to deal with craft project manager. expected to see the aircraft for at least 14 night. The longer mission will require See Night, page 9 Inside

Conquer the Night ...... page 2 SkyTower says Helios will revolutionize Cover communications ...... page 5 Helios Commercialization ...... page 2 Nick Galante took this stun- AeroVironment offers creativity, talent ERAST marks milestones ...... page 3 ning image during a functional and know how ...... page checkout flight of the Helios Pro- 5 Proteus validates technology during totype as the team prepared for New Mexico mission ...... page 3 a record altitude flight of 96,863 Photographic tribute looks at Helios Prototype record flight ...... pages feet. See pages 6-7 for a tribute 6-7 Development of human-and-solar- pow- to the record-breaking mission ered flight required thinking outside the box ...... page 4 and the men and women who Research flights do not take off with- helped make it possible. out the weathermen ...... page 8 Ray Morgan recalls beginning of solar planes ...... page 4 NASA mission inspires students, EC01 245-2 teachers ...... page 12

2 NASA Dryden X-Press May 8, 2002 FocusHistory May 8, 2002 Projects validate uninhabited aircraft can fly high, for long durations, and ERAST: can detect and avoid other aircraft By Jay Levine X-Press Editor From science missions to revol- utionizing telecommunications, the Dryden-sponsored Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Program has The solar-powered had a hand in researching some of Gossamer Penguin the most innovative science aircraft flies on Rogers Dry to rule the skies without an onboard Lake Bed during pilot. this flight on July Since its inception in 1994, the 25, 1979. Ray Mor- program has seen the maturation of gan, a Dryden con- a family of solar-electric powered sultant and former aircraft, an assortment of uncon- Altus II vice president of ventional uninhabited aircraft and AeroVironment is a number of firsts in altitude and Proteus chasing the Pen- duration. Before the program guin by bicycle in wraps up in 2003, it is expected the center of the to see a first flight of the Predator image. B derivative Altair and a fuel-cell powered aircraft flight by the Helios Prototype Team. A proposed follow-on program would seek to prove systems and procedures for a series of recom- mendations that will assist the ECN 13413 Federal Aviation Administration NASA Photo by Bob Rhine in setting policies to ensure this new breed of aircraft flies safely, said ERAST Program Manager Compiled by the Public Affairs Office Center and Langley Research Center, Jeff Bauer. The recommend- Solar-powered aircraft might one day Hampton, Va. Some flights included use ations also will cover estab- Predator B, Altair Helios Prototype revolutionize the way people think about of a small electric motor for power. lishing criteria for uninhabited aviation, solar energy and industries that rely aircraft certification to fly in the on them. NASA’s Environmental Research Gossamer Penguin national airspace. Altair vehicle. Evolved from the Predator The success of the ERAST Program A second element is looking at missions Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) The scaled-down aircraft was Three elements define ERAST – solar- and Predator B, the development of the also extends to the Altus aircraft. The like the Las Cruces, New Mexico, mission Program, which is managed by Dryden, is designated the Gossamer Penguin. It had powered aircraft, consumable fuels vehicles aircraft is seen as a way to meet Earth Department of Energy has purchased the in March, where the Proteus Aircraft helping to lead that revolution. a 71-foot wingspan compared with the and subsystems development, Bauer said. Science requirements. A first flight for the aircraft and the Navy is using Altus air- served as a surrogate uninhabited aerial Dryden’s role started in support of the 96-foot span of the Gossamer Albatross. The solar-electric powered aircraft Altair is expected this summer. craft, Bauer said. vehicle (UAV) and used onboard systems human-and solar-powered aircraft being Weighing only 68 pounds without a effort has delivered a record altitude “It marks a significant improvement In addition, the Pathfinder-Plus and to identify potential collisions with other pioneered in the late 1970s by industry pilot, it had a low power requirement flight of 96,863 feet Aug, 13, 2001, for over the Predator B and the Predator. aircraft and allowed the remote operator partner AeroVironment Inc. of Monrovia, and thus was an excellent test bed for the Helios Prototype, in a flight that It will have redundancy (in avionics) the Altus have completed science experi- ments in the national airspace. to avoid the potential collision (see Calif. AeroVironment, founded in 1971 solar power. originated from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific where past systems did not,” Bauer accompanying story). by the ultra-light airplane innovator Paul AstroFlight Inc. of Venice, Calif., Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on the explained. “Predator B is developed ERAST’s final element is subsystems. One of the challenges that Bauer sees for MacCready, has achieved several altitude provided the power plant for the Hawaiian island of Kauai. and has increased its capability. It has “We are developing the types of sub- UAVs is the complications of access to the records with its Solar Challenger, Pathfinder, Gossamer Penguin, an Astro-40 electric A series of research flights in 2003 are proven its worth. Customers have stepped systems we believe will be required to national airspace and the lack of policies Pathfinder-Plus and the Helios Prototype. motor. Robert Boucher, designer of the expected to validate a fuel-cell system forward for that vehicle.” allow these aircraft to operate in the and procedures to regulate this growing Dryden played a key role in the maturing of Sunrise II, served as a key consultant for designed to permit the Helios Prototype The Altair will have an extended wing national airspace system. The develop- area of aeronautics. Standardizing policies the Pathfinder and follow-on solar-powered this aircraft and the Solar Challenger. to fly long-duration missions. The long that will span 84 feet for high-altitude ment of these advanced subsystems has a and making UAV operation and validation flying wings developed by AeroVironment The power source for the initial flights duration flight is expected to show that missions up to 52,000 feet. The aircraft number of elements. The first is looking more routine are some of the challenges under the ERAST banner. of the Gossamer Penguin consisted of the solar wing can eventually fly multi- also might be used to further research at potential policies and regulations and ahead for the FAA. MacCready, a former gliding champion 28 nickel-cadmium batteries, replaced week or multi-month operations. an Air Force collision avoidance system documenting how these vehicles might whose Gossamer Albatross crossed the Human-and solar-powered flight for the solar-powered flights by a panel Consumable fuel aircraft include the called the Autonomous Aircraft Collision operate with other piloted airplanes,” See ERAST, page 8 English Channel using human power in of 3,920 solar cells capable of producing development of the General Atomics Avoidance System. Bauer said. 1979, saw solar power as a way to “help looked to discover new frontiers 541 watts of power. business and government recognize and meet when the remotely controlled Sunrise Gossamer Albatross II and scaled it down The battery-powered flights took place their environmental and energy objectives.” II, designed by Robert J. Boucher of to three-quarters of its previous size at Shafter Airport near Bakersfield, Calif. MacCready remains the Chairman of the AstroFlight Inc. flew after a launch from for solar-powered flight with a human MacCready’s son Marshall, who was Flight research validates UAV technologies Board at Aero-Vironment. a catapult. pilot controlling it. It made sense to use 13 years old, served as the initial pilot Following this event, AeroVironment the design because in early 1980 the for these flights to determine the power By Frederick A. Johnsen Sensor Technology (ERAST) Program In the beginning… took on a more ambitious project to design Gossamer Albatross had participated in required to fly the airplane, optimize the News chief Manager Jeff Bauer. The first flight of a solar-powered a human-piloted, solar-powered aircraft. a flight research program at Dryden in a airframe/propulsion system, and train the An aircraft with a science fiction The Proteus aircraft was used as a aircraft took place on November 4, 1974, The firm initially took the human-powered program conducted jointly by the NASA pilot. He made the first flights on April look but an Antelope Valley birthplace surrogate UAV as several other test 7, 1980, and made a brief solar-powered flew over New Mexico March 13 in a airplanes, including a high-speed NASA flight on May 18. flight that made strides toward showing F/A-18 jet, approached from different The official project pilot was Janice uninhabited aircraft can safely share the angles to give sensors on Proteus the Morgan recalls solar plane’s beginning Brown, a Bakersfield school teacher and a By Jay Levine development of solar aircraft with a solid vision. He retired skies with other aircraft in the national opportunity to detect the presence of charter pilot with commercial, instrument X-Press Editor from the Simi Valley division in 2000 (now referred to as the airspace. aircraft on collision courses. and glider ratings. She checked out in the Ray Morgan took a short sabbatical from his job as a Design Development Center to reflect the variety of projects Proteus, an aircraft built at Scaled Proteus relayed information to the plane at Shafter and made about 40 flights Lockheed Skunk Works engineer in 1980 to lead a one-shot completed there), on the division’s 20th anniversary and Composites in Mojave, Calif., detected ground controller at the Las Cruces, under battery and solar power. solar aircraft project expected to last just eight months. currently is a consultant to Dryden’s John Del Frate on the other approaching aircraft as an N.M., airport, who had sufficient data The project moved to Dryden in late But Morgan never returned to Lockheed. Instead, Morgan Helios Prototype Project and Center Director Kevin Petersen uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) stand- displayed on a computer screen to July, although conditions there also were was encouraged to begin the Solar Applications Division in for management systems. in. The detection enabled the aircraft’s enable him to pick a safe new course not ideal. Brown finished the testing, Simi Valley for Paul MacCready’s AeroVironment. MacCready His vision for the solar aircraft was clear from the start: ground controller to successfully for Proteus. and on Aug. 7, 1980, she flew a public is a pioneer in human-and solar-powered aircraft and founder “I believe ultimately they can be operated on a daily basis maneuver the remote aircraft away The other aircraft included a Dryden demonstration of the aircraft at Dryden and chairman for AeroVironment (see related story). doing useful missions, particularly in the stratosphere. At from a collision course. T-34C and Scaled Composites’ Beech in which it went roughly 1.95 miles in 14 It was intended that Morgan would make two aircraft for the time I left we had proven that the approach was viable “We believe this is the first time a Duchess business aircraft. minutes and 21 seconds. DuPont, which ultimately resulted in the Solar Challenger from the standpoint of the flight vehicle design and the flight remotely piloted airplane has been The flight demonstrated Dryden- It marked the first sustained flight of Aircraft that set an altitude record of 14,300 feet. And on July control system design. And what was yet to be done was the maneuvered away from a collision sponsored ERAST Program goals an aircraft relying solely on direct solar 7, 1981, it achieved its goal when the solar powered aircraft energy storage development that would allow continuous course based on onboard sensors EC02 0057-53 NASA photo by Tom Tschida including an effort to validate UAVs power. It provided the designers with flew 163 miles from Paris across North France and the English operation.” detecting a collision potential,” said practical experience for developing a Environmental Research Aircraft and Proteus flies over the mountains near Las Cruces, N.M. See Proteus, page 9 Channel to Kent, England (see related story above). Morgan became one of the major influences on the See Morgan, page 9 See Box, page 10

NASA Dryden X-Press 3 4 NASA Dryden X-Press May 8, 2002 May 8, 2002 Focus

By Jay Levine “A network in a single region will be X-Press Editor supported by multiple aircraft to ensure hen the Helios Prototype 24 hour operation, 7 days a week. Once validates its long-dur- the system is proven in a single market, ation mission ability we will then ramp up worldwide,” Hindle A Change in the Weather in 2003, aircraft builder said. AeroVironment will be ramping up its “These aircraft give our partners instant By Jay Levine W X-Press Editor commercial venture to fill the skies with network abilities and the ability to easily solar-electric aircraft. upgrade and maintain their systems. Also hen it comes to flight research, SkyTower, a subsidiary of Helios is reusable. If a market becomes nothing flies without the AeroVironment developed to com- no longer economically viable, the Helios weatherman. mercialize the solar-electric wing, sees could be deployed somewhere else,” he Dryden has four Helios as an 11-mile-high communi- explained. Wmeteorologists who are assigned to the Center’s cations tower that will fill a niche in the AeroVironment’s partnership with projects to help the research teams determine when telecommunications market, said Stuart NASA has been invaluable, Conver and it is best to fly – and when the conditions just aren’t Hindle, SkyTower’s vice president of Hindle said. right to conquer a new aeronautical first. strategy and business development. “A key thing for us is the partnership On the record breaking Helios Prototype mission in Building off AeroVironment’s work for with NASA. Through NASA funding Hawaii, weather gurus Ed Teets, NASA, and Casey NASA, this fourth generation solar-electric support we have been able to buy Donohue, AS&M, monitored the skies to ensure the aircraft is about ready to rule the skies. Its down a lot of risk, especially on the Helios team had the best conditions to reach new promise – broadband services including aircraft side, by demonstrating that heights. high-speed internet access for a fraction of our platform is viable to operate in the Less than a month after Donohue married Gretchen the cost of currently available options and stratosphere. Now that we’ve flown Gorke, duty called in Kauai, Hawaii, without his the potential for other services like video to almost 97,000 feet – well above new bride. He was tasked to monitor the weather for phones and high definition television. the 60,000 feet to 70, 000 feet that we anticipated Helios Prototype flights. And Teets and “The net result is the lowest cost plan to operate at – it provides a very his wife Elisa were anxiously awaiting the birth of broadband access, period. The record strong statement that this isn’t some the couple’s first child, a son, Connor, who was born setting NASA research flights have paper concept. This hardware already Sept. 7, 2001. proven the technology to be reliable exists,” Hindle said. Meanwhile, the weather staff, which also includes and flexible and the huge gigabit/ AeroVironment’s collaborative process Chris Ashburn, AS&M, and Jack Ehernberger, NASA, second communications capacity with NASA is a model for others to follow, was stretched with three major projects, including the makes a compelling economic case to Conver said. X-40, the X-43A and an Airborne Sciences mission. use SkyTower for local access infra- “NASA collaboration moved the Flight research challenges required Donohue to structure,” said Tim Conver, SkyTower project along. People involved in this from make several more trips to Hawaii to assist the Helios chief executive officer. the beginning are pursuing the dream of Prototype Team and use the tools at his disposal to Fiber optics systems are cost effective eternal flight. The spinoff technology will NASA Photo Courtesy of Casey Donohue as pipelines of information between include lower costs for high efficiency cities. However, a bottleneck exists to solar cells, regenerative and fuel cell tell project planners what they could and from satellite pictures for the first moving the information from those data energy storage, high efficiency motors expect. pipelines to flow to the user at low cost, and DC-DC converters. It also is a weather briefing of the day when the flight “For looking at surface winds we used directors, pilots and crew chief gather at Hindle said. viable business opportunity, opening the portable wind towers, a wind profiler “We truly believe, as well as do telecom stratosphere for the first time for science, the hangar prior to aircraft rollout, which called a sonic detection and ranging occurs about 3 a.m. A final briefing is industry experts, that this is a revolutionary environment, telecom-munications and (SODAR), which is like radar, but it uses technology for bridging the last mile. The reconnaissance. The government has been given about two hours before takeoff,” sound. For forecasting upper level winds Donohue said. last mile is the term for the portion of the the force to pull through this breakthrough and clouds we used Internet resources telecom network system that has the least technology and now we are pushing into The weather team is in action for as such as the University of Hawaii and many as eight hours before a flight and amount of bandwidth and the highest cost Photo Courtesy of SkyTower the commercial market with production National Weather Service in addition to – connecting from an end switch to the engineering and business development,” two hours after it is complete. Because This is one of the promotional images SkyTower is using to present its product. grabbing the latest satellite information. end users, whether residential users or Conver said. Helios is a lightweight aircraft, the team Rawinsonde instruments are used to wants to be aware of changes in the winds. business users,” Hindle said. SkyTower was formed in October 2000 measure wind speeds, wind direction, SkyTower could open that bottleneck as a subsidiary of AeroVironment focused In fact, the Helios Prototype Team treats wind pressure, temperature and hum- a move to and from the hangar as if the by partnering with existing communi- on commercial telecom opportunities idity,” Donohue said. cation companies and startup companies based on solar aircraft technology. aircraft was in the sky in terms of weather Weather balloons also are valuable awareness. to establish that link between the fiber AeroVironment will also provide its tools in weather prediction. optic lines and the end users. A New Day solar-electric UAVs to the government “When you do your homework well “We launch daily while on deployment. EC02 066-1 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida enough, it usually takes care of itself. A fully operational Helios will operate at for broadband com-munication, long- We use them as we get closer to flight The weather team has an important role in flight research. The team includes, We pretty much know what to expect,” about 60,000 feet, above the weather and term, high-altitude reconnaissance and day to look for trends in the upper level from left, Chris Ashburn, AS&M, Ed Teets, NASA, Jack Ehernberger, NASA Teets said. traffic, and act like a stationary satellite, disaster monitoring and emergency winds and jetstreams for the potential Efforts underway to commercialize and Casey Donohue, AS&M. At top is an image of the Helios Prototype heading In fact, the team has supported flights of but without the time delay. Helios can communications. This technology can for turbulence and look for humidity to into the sun. the AeroVironment family of solar wings provide 50-to 300-mile diameter coverage Helios Aircraft and the stratosphere complement the mix of existing UAVs and seek out cloud heights. On flight day we areas – the footprint of a major city and satellites used so successfully by adding in Hawaii since 1997. launch at least six. We launch the first at airplane is solar powered. They need to more, Hindle said. increased duration and bandwidth,” “Casey had the first half of the flight and “We have some of our own data that we about 1 a.m. and it goes to peak altitude know where the sun is going to be and “When we use the words revolutionary Earth, has over 1,000 times the local SkyTower is in advanced discussions Conver said. I had the second half of the flight.” have collected in Kauai. We can forecast when the balloon bursts, usually above fly the aircraft in the right direction to and breakthrough, we are not using broadband capacity that a typical satellite with service providers in several For additional information on SkyTower, Winds shift and sometimes dramatic at what time in the morning when the 100,000 feet. Two to three balloons before maximize the aircraft’s solar power,” those terms loosely. A single SkyTower would have using the same frequency geographic areas and plans to launch its refer to the company’s Web site at www. changes in weather can happen. Enter wind speeds will exceed limits and nail it take off are reviewed for the presence of Donohue said. platform, because of its proximity to spectrum,” he said. first test network in 2004, or early 2005. skytowerglobal.com the weatherman. to the minute. This can be done because, turbulence and trends,” he said. Donohue was in Hawaii for three and “Several times with 30 to 45 minutes to in general, the wind patterns at PMRF are And the early morning work pays four weeks twice and several times for either takeoff or landing we have had to quite repeatable and consistent during the This creative environment for thinkers dividends. a week or two in between. Teets arrived alert the project to reposition on another summer,” Donohue added. “Mission planners look at the about three days before the anticipated runway,” Teets said. And the job is never done. Donohue AeroVironment: has developed innovative aero concepts information we provide them on wind flight days and he and Donohue traded The weatherman is an important is working to compare climatology of By Jay Levine direction and wind speeds and they plot off long shifts to keep an eye on the member of the team, and he has to get up potential sites for a Helios deployment X-Press Editor the mission. That information allows weather. before the birds (especially the research next summer for the solar wing’s To make an unconventional aircraft that looks like a flying chocolate bar and is powered them to make a footprint of where the “We were there to support the project ones) to assist mission planners to make anticipated extreme duration flight. by motors about as powerful as a hairdryer, it takes an unconventional team with a different aircraft could land and ensures that the for long hours. One person cannot some of the calls on flight day. Climatology comparisons include looking view of what an airplane should be. mission stays out of populated areas. realistically do it all. We were there about “My days start at 2 a.m. I will look at season averages for winds, clouds and That’s what makes the AeroVironment Team stand out. They have quirky and forward Sun angle also is important because the 27 hours for the record flight,” Teets said. over the data from the weather balloons temperature. thinking people who are comfortable coming up with creative solutions and have the talent to make those solutions work. This mix of unconventional thinking and technical excellence has defined AeroVironment and the products the company creates. ... from page 3 AeroVironment Founder and Chairman Paul MacCready is proud of his company’s ERAST accomplishments. NASA’s partnership between the FAA and the U.S. Department of Defense to “Once you develop the energy storage best for the group and the community,” “We seem to be getting into the right field. Now it is moving the way that it should, but and Ames Research Center, Mountain- combine specialties in these areas, Bauer systems, it will be possible to have he said. it is surprising it took so long,” he said of the solar-powered aircraft effort he began more view, Calif., can assist the FAA by said. a reliable aircraft that is operable for Partners in the ERAST Program have than two decades ago. recom-mending policies and procedures The solar concept might allow an months at a time,” Bauer said. included AeroVironment, Inc., Aurora MacCready is one of the major influences on the development and maturation of human- for the integration of UAVs to fit into the aircraft to fly for several weeks in the next Bauer credits the success of the program Flight Sciences, American Technology powered aircraft and the development of a family of solar-powered aircraft that is setting the sky of the future. Follow-on programs five years. However, it could take a decade with its structure and the partnerships that Alliances (AmTech), General Atomics standards for flying in the stratosphere. might include the continuation of fuel cell for the maturation of the tech-nologies make it up. Aeronautical Systems and Scaled Com- AeroVironment operations began small – the company hired people as consultants on development for the anticipated eternal that will ensure the eternal aircraft can “One of the major attributes of the posites, several suppliers, the U.S. Air early projects like the Gossamer Condor that was started in 1976 and completed a year EC99 44868-3 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida aircraft of the future and an increase in serve the missions that scientists, business program is the alliance of government Force, the U.S. Navy, The U.S Depart- autonomy for UAV aircraft and more people, strategists and environmentalists and industry. ERAST is not a contract. ment of Defense, the U.S. Department AeroVironment Chairman Paul MacCready shows a cross-section of one See AeroVironment, page 11 partnering with the other NASA Centers see for the aircraft. We work collectively to develop what’s of Energy and universities. of the solar aircraft’s spars.

NASA Dryden X-Press 5 8 NASA Dryden X-Press Focus May 8, 2002 May 8, 2002 Focus A new record – 96,863 feet Aug. 13, 2001

Center, the Helios Prototype flies by the western shore of Ni’ihau, which also is known as the “For- bidden Island.” The island is privately owned, but the He- lios Team has agree- ments to land on several locations in backup scenarios.

At left, ground crew members maneuver AeroVironment’s He- lios Prototype during functional checkouts prior to its first flights under solar power from the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facil- ity in Kauai, Hawaii. More than 1,800 pan- els containing 64,120 bi-facial cells, fabri- cated by SunPower of Sunny-vale, Calif., were installed on the solar- powered aircraft to provide electricity to its 14 motors and operating systems.

EC01 247-29 NASA Photo by Carla Thomas EC01 0146-2 NASA Photo by Nick Galante

The Helios Prototype Team consists of, row one, from left, Derek Lisoski, Bob Cur- At right, the Helios tin, Rik Meininger, Claire Prototype returns Olores, Marshall MacCready from its record alti- and Meadowsweet Levi. In tude flight. the second row are Casey Heninger, Bob Barta and Jim Daley. Row three includes Casey Donohue, Jenny Center, bottom, Baer-Riedhart, Ken Cross, the Helios Proto- Ed Teets, Win Banning type is stored in a and Vince Nishina. In row hangar at the U.S. four are Ken Carbine, Dale Navy’s Pacific Mis- Tietz, Mandy Cannone, Bart sile Range Facility Rusnak,Brian Matsumura, in Kauai, Hawaii Greg Faith, Shaun Arakaki, until flight day ar- Wolfgang Kniedl and Kirk rives. Helios has a Flittie. The fifth row features wing span of 247 Mark Shipley, Dana Taylor, feet, or larger than Cliff Cates, Greg Kendall, the wing span of a Jason Mukherjee and Ste- Boeing 747-400. fano Paris. The back row consists of Patrick Wright, John Del Frate, Ray Morgan, Wyatt Sadler and Earl Cox.

EC01 247-17 ED01 230-6 NASA Photo by Carla Thom- NASA Photo by Nick Galante EC01 247-20 NASA Photo by Nick Galante

6 NASA Dryden X-Press NASA Dryden X-Press 7

May 8, 2002 News History May 8, 2002 Night... from page 2 before, like charging flammable gases to high pressure before we launch,” Del “We have to provide power to systems Frate said. and motors all the time. At night time, The Helios Prototype is a solar wing where are you going to get that power? that resembles a yardstick with a wing When the sun goes down, you carry span of 247 feet, or larger than that of batteries or you carry something else. NASA’s 747 and will demonstrate a fuel What we are doing is something else.” cell-based power system to permit the John Del Frate aircraft to fly at night. Dryden’s solar-powered aircraft manager AeroVironment, NASA’s partner and the aircraft’s builder, is developing the fuel-cell-based power system. The fuel- mined a long time ago that even with the strument for Clark cell based power system is a step toward best batteries we could barely get off the University, Worches- flying an eternal airplane that could be ground.The fuel-cell-based power system ter, Mass., to monitor sent on missions spanning months, said will be incorporated into one pod to coffee crops. That Del Frate. provide the power,” Del Frate said. mission is funded by These capabilities are developed as The team also will take on a new NASA’s Code Y. part of Dryden’s Environmental Research configuration. Rather than two main flight “It’s gratifying to Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) teams that switch about every three hours, see commercial use of Program that began in 1994. the duration flight probably will require the solar flying wings. NASA Illustration by David Faust Because the mission does not require two 12-hour shifts each with two teams that Ultimately the real the aircraft to fly as high as the mission alternate. Each flight crew could be twice commercialization in 2001 did, the Helios Prototype will be as large because in addition to monitoring of the airplane will Box... from page 4 modified to run with about 8 to 10 motors the basic aircraft, the flight crews also will blos-som when it can versus the 14 motors it flew with on the be monitoring the power system. rou-tinely fly extreme more advanced, solar-powered aircraft, record altitude flight. In addition to training people for the duration flights be- EC99 45140-11 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida since the Gossamer Penguin was fragile The Helios Prototype team opted to Helios Prototype mission, AeroViron- cause that’s how you and had limited controllability. Before record-setting altitude flights in Hawaii, the Helios remove some of the solar cells on the ment currently is training people for work get the costs down. If Prototype flew at Dryden. This image was taken prior to the forward portion of the wing to reduce drag. on another of the company’s family of you launch an airplane A single pod replacing the existing center installation of solar cells. Solar Challenger high flying solar wings, the Pathfinder to the stratosphere for Using the specific conclusions derived pod will contain the new power system. Plus, in Kauai, Hawaii. Scheduled for a single day and come very attractive,” Del Frate said. from their experience with Gossamer “We have to provide power to systems two commercial demonstration missions back down after dark, it’s going to be cost An aircraft with multi-week to multi- Penguin, the AeroVironment engineers and motors all the time. At night time, outside of the ERAST Program, the prohibitive unless you have a very high- month flight capability opens the door to designed Solar Challenger, a piloted, where are you going to get that power? Pathfinder Plus will provide a flight value mission. But once you are able to a new way of Earth monitoring. Helios solar-powered aircraft strong enough to When the sun goes down, you carry platform for a Japanese agency that wants fly an airplane for two weeks to several could serve as a platform for disaster handle both long and high flights when batteries or you carry something else. to test some of their communications months at a time, your life cycle costs relief and crop monitoring, or follow the encountering normal turbulence. As What we are doing is something else. payloads in the stratosphere. The aircraft come way down and so do the costs per Batteries are so heavy that we deter- eye of a hurricane. compared with the Penguin’s 71-foot also will carry a remote sensing in- flight hour. All of a sudden it becomes wingspan, Solar Challenger had only a 46.5-foot wingspan, but it had a huge horizontal stabilizer and a large enough Morgan... from page 4 wing area to accommodate 16,128 solar cells. Analysis showed the candy bar shape a technical standpoint that was the big Solar Challenger set an initial altitude of the solar wings was optimum because leap since we hadn’t been over 1,000 feet record of 14,300 feet. More spectacularly, it would catch the maximum sun with above the ground before,” he said. on July 7, 1981, the solar-powered aircraft minimum weight, yet tolerate atmospheric Other big events happened in Hawaii. Ray Morgan was one flew 163 miles from Corneille-en-Verin turbulence like an “air mattress on the “We intended to fly two flights above of the driving forces in Airport north of Paris across the English ocean,” Morgan explained. 65,000 feet in 1997 when we were doing developing solar-elec- Channel to Manston Royal Air Force Base “The biggest challenge was proving it our planning in 1996. And we predicted tric powered aircraft. south of London, staying aloft 5 hours and (the solar wing) was a viable approach – to our first flight day would be June 9. On Although retired from 23 minutes. have something extremely light, large and June 9, 1997, we flew above 67,000 feet AeroVironment, he still Using in-house computer programs, apparently fragile that could operate past and a month later, in July, our second has an active role as a AeroVironment engineers Peter Lissaman the jet stream and into the stratosphere EC98 44776-40 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida flight reached 71,530 feet. We flew consultant to John Del and Bart Hibbs designed the unusual and back down again. We needed it to back- to-back record flights on our first Frate on the Helios wings and stabilizers, which they made Before it was the Helios Prototype, it was called Centurion (see story) and it came to Dryden for checkout flights in 1998. be large and light to be able to fly under two attempts and that felt pretty good,” Prototype Project. flat on top to hold the solar cells. Hibbs solar power. We did it with a unique he said. developed the aerodynamic design for the develop remotely piloted, and the diversity of terrestrial and coastal approach. It appears to be a monolithic, And Morgan still believes the solar propeller with another in-house computer long-duration aircraft for ecosystems for validating scientific flimsy airplane, but it functions like a lot airplanes are an amazing sight. program. The result was a “smooth and environmental sampling and imaging applications. While in Hawaii, of small airplanes flying in formation with “I did the original layout for the docile” aircraft that dropped in a steady, sensing at altitudes above Pathfinder flew seven high-altitude flights relatively flexible structural links between Pathfinder in 1980 and I have seen those wing-level attitude when stalled and 60,000 feet. Pathfinder was from PMRF, one of which reached a them,” Morgan said. designs fly for nearly 20 years. Yet every EC97 44287-86 rapidly regained unstalled flight. then modified with additional then world altitude record for propeller- A number of accomplishments were time I see one take off, I’m astounded it NASA Photo by Nick AstroFlight Inc. again provided the solar arrays spanning its driven as well as solar-powered aircraft notched during Morgan’s tenure with works and works as well as it does. The Galante motor, and the DuPont Company, which entire 98-foot-long wing of 71,530 feet on July 7, 1997. AeroVironment. Helios Prototype saw extreme turbulence produced many of the advanced materials and other upgrades. It “Our first flight with Pathfinder into right above the runway on its first high- Development of the remotely piloted “The legacy of our program is we never was then brought back to for the Gossamer Albatross, Gossamer Pathfinder-Plus the stratosphere above 50,000 feet at altitude flight last summer and it just kept solar-powered wings also has claimed had a catastrophic event in flight test. We Dryden for another series Penguin, and Solar Challenger, sponsored During 1998, the Pathfinder was Dryden worked out as we predicted. From going,” he said. another remarkable achievement. never crashed an airplane,” Morgan said. of developmental flights in the project. Brown remained one of modified with longer wings, improved 1995. the pilots, but Stephen R. Ptacek, who motors, and more efficient solar arrays On Sept. 11, 1995, brought to the project over 4,600 hours and renamed the Pathfinder-Plus. On ... from page 3 Pathfinder exceeded Solar Proteus of flight in a variety of aircraft, was at the Aug. 6, 1998, the aircraft flew to a record EC99 4514015 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida Challenger’s altitude record controls during the record-setting cross- altitude for propeller-driven aircraft of are safe and compatible out of harm’s way. In infrared or radar technology to pick out for solar-powered aircraft channel flight in 1981. 80,201 feet on the third of a series of with piloted airplanes. The “We believe this is the first time a remotely all cases, the ground aircraft without transponder signals. Helios Protoype Team works a 1999 mission at when it reached an altitude developmental test flights from PMRF. ERAST Team is developing piloted airplane has been maneuvered away controller was able Bauer said an optimized detect, see and Dryden. of 50,500 feet, setting a new (That record held until Aug. 13, 2001 a series of UAVs that could from a collision course based on onboard to safely maneuver avoid (DSA) suite for operational UAVs Pathfinder altitude record for solar- when Aerovironment’s follow-on aircraft, one day provide low-cost sensors detecting a collision potential.” Proteus. In reality, would probably rely on a combination In 1981, the U.S. government funded become possibly the most valuable test powered aircraft. The National Aeronautic the Helios Prototype, flew to a new tele-communications relay the approaches had a of radio and non-radio sensors. Another a classified program to look into the bed for evolving solar and uninhabited Association presented the NASA-industry Jeff Bauer altitude record certified at 96,863 feet.) services, environmental built-in safety margin expected benefit of this research is a feasibility of long-duration, solar- aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies. team with an award for one of the “10 Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology electric flight above 65,000 feet altitude. The goal of the flights was to validate monitoring, and even (ERAST) Program Manager of separation, but the reduction in the cost of DSA equipment After a decade in storage, the HALSOL Most Memorable Record Flights” of new solar, aerodynamic, propulsion remote border surveillance sensors on Proteus to make it practical to use in more AeroVironment designed a flying wing flying wing was resurrected in 1993 for a 1995. and systems technology developed for in ways that are impractical could treat these as aircraft, whether piloted or remote, he airplane designated HALSOL (High- short-lived development program under After additional upgrades and one Pathfinder’s successors. or impossible for piloted aircraft today. safety margin, but a remote controller genuine airspace threats to validate the said. Altitude SOLar), built and tested three the auspices of the Ballistic Missile checkout flight at Dryden in late 1996, The Pathfinder-Plus is a hybrid of NASA ran the tests in Las Cruces, on the ground operated Proteus. In equipment. The introduction of UAVs into the subscale models and a full-scale prototype Defense Organization. Its first flights with Pathfinder was transferred to the U.S. Pathfinder technology and items developed N.M., with partners New Mexico State about 18 approach scenarios singly or The primary sensor used is the national airspace must be approved by on battery power. HALSOL proved a small number of solar arrays assisting the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility, for Centurion/Helios Prototype. The most University, the U.S. Navy, and com- in converging groups of two, airplanes Skywatch HP traffic advisory system, the Federal Aviation Administration. the aerodynamics and structures, but batteries occurred that year. (PMRF) on Kauai, Hawaii, in April 1997. noticeable change was the installation of mercial partners Scaled Composites and approached Proteus from a variety of a radio-based device that relies on The UAV testers gathered in New subsystem technologies, principally When funding for the program ended Kauai was chosen as an optimum location a new 44-foot-long center wing section MTSI, Inc. angles and altitudes, providing the ground common transponder radio signals Mexico believe they are a step closer for solar arrays and energy storage, after a few months, the HALSOL, for testing the solar-powered Pathfinder that incorporated a high-altitude airfoil During the New Mexico tests, all the controller with sometimes complex from other aircraft to detect collision to achieving that approval as a result were inadequate. HALSOL was then now renamed the Pathfinder, became because of the high levels of sunlight, aircraft carried pilots for an additional problems to solve to keep his aircraft potential. Other sensors on Proteus used of these tests. mothballed, but in the future it would part of NASA’s ERAST Program to available airspace and radio frequencies See Box, page 12

NASA Dryden X-Press 9 10 NASA Dryden X-Press May 8, 2002 News May 8, 2002 News AeroVironment... from page 5 later, he explained. When MacCready NASA mission inspires students was developing the Gossamer Albatross By Michelle Davis More than 1,000 students toured the project required managers and a full Smithsonian Aerospace Education Specialist the Pathfinder hangar at the Pacific staff. Then came the successful Solar NASA is reaching out to inspire people At left, a group Missile Range Facility (PMRF) during an Challenger and operations were growing with its aerospace projects by initiating of Hawaiian educational open house wrapping up the large enough that full-time employees features 5 a number of teacher, student and com- teachers builds Pathfinder outreach in 1997. Since then, were required. munity opportunities. Pathfinder hundreds of teachers and students have “The development of solar aircraft lead AV projects Dryden’s Education Office offers paper airplanes toured the PMRF hangar and the NASA to the development of the AeroVironment programs on NASA research to teachers, during a teach- hangar when the aircraft have been at division in Simi Valley. That’s where Ray Five AeroVironment vehicles/ students and institutions like museums er workshop at Dryden. Morgan lived and he was available to models are part of the per- and science centers. In 1997, the Dryden Dryden. Below, On December 10, 1997, the Pathfinder head up the division and charge ahead,” manent Smithsonian Institution Education Office began informing the this illustration solar airplane altitude world record flight MacCready said. Exhibits. national education community of the shows how to of 71,500 feet was dedicated to the memory Although Solar Challenger was a • The Gossamer Condor Environmental Research Aircraft and make an airfoil. of Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka and the youth success, it wasn’t enough business to in 1977 won the Kremer prize Sensor Technology (ERAST) Program. of Hawaii. ensure the division’s survival, he said. for the first controlled human- Working closely with the ERAST program To ensure a lasting educational presence AeroVironment did what any fledgling powered airplane flight. managers on Pathfinder and later the Helios in Hawaii, NASA Pathfinder and Helios company would do – it sought out work. • The Gossamer Albatross Prototype, the traveling road show was Prototype displays have been constructed The division retained its strengths and in 1979 won the company a developed. The plan included an educators’ EC00 249-57 at the Kauai Children’s Museum and at the staff by building a pterodactyl for the second Kremer prize for a guide with lesson plans, a poster with a NASA Photo by Tom Tschida Bishop Museum in Honolulu. IMAX movie “On the Wing.” It was human-powered flight across flyable model on the back (see graphic A group of 25 Hawaiian educators was developed at a loss, but the income kept the English Channel. on how to build one), Web pages and chosen to attend a two-week workshop at EC99 44868-7 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida the company’s core aviation elements • The Solar Challenger in an interactive demonstration for student Dryden in 2001. During this workshop, the intact, MacCready explained. 1981 achieved the first solar- AeroVironment Founder and Chairman Paul MacCready and his son, Marshall, Mac- assemblies and community events. participants toured Dryden facilities, spoke AeroVironment has five air and ground powered distance flight of 163 Cready, show some of the company’s unusual aircraft. Many teachers are excited by the materials with scientists and engineers, and learned vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian’s miles from Paris to the Royal and one educator said, “The handouts are Classroom Activity – Pathfinder on a String how to incorporate NASA resources into Air Force Base in Manston, permanent collection (see related story). very interesting and will be incorporated In this activity you will construct a model of the Pathfinder aircraft that really flies. their curriculum. England. The non-aviation part of AeroVironment, into teaching the chapter ‘Wings … Materials needed per student “My two weeks at Dryden were the which has grown faster than the aviation • Quetzacoatlus Northropi • One meter of string (fishing line or monophilement works best) Thread the string Rockets’ in my grade level. I am especially • One drinking straw through the straw most memorable I’ve ever experienced as part, involves electric vehicles and (QN) in 1985 replicated the grateful for the really neat posters that my • Transparent tape to make a handle. a teacher,” said Wes Kawata, who attended flight of the largest winged • One sheet of letter-size paper Secure the handle devices for ground use. students will be sure to enjoy.” • Scissors with a knot. Straw handle that workshop. prehistoric bird (a 36-foot “Then the aviation programs became Communities directly impacted Construction procedure ERAST, Pathfinder, and Helios bigger and better. The division grew wingspan), the pterodactyl, for 1. Distribute the materials. by Dryden’s exciting flight research 2. Fold sheet of paper in half. Push one half forward and tape it. Prototype education programs have also significantly with the High Altitude an IMAX film “On the Wing.” programs were offered the outreach 3. Punch hole for the straw to be inserted through the airfoil. reached the local California audience. To • The Sunraycer in 1987 4. Cut straw into three equal pieces, about five cm long. Straw Solar Energy (HALSOL), a classified activities. The Pathfinder and Helios 5. Insert one of the straw pieces through both holes. find out more about teacher and student program that looked at the use of the solar won the first trans-Australian 6. Thread the string through the straw to create the Pathfinder on a String. educational programs were conducted 7. Use the other two pieces of the straw for handles. opportunities visit the Dryden Education wing as a platform for missile defense,” solar-powered car race in 4.5 at several under-represented and rural Flying your Pathfinder on a String Tape Home Page at http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/ MacCready said. days, two days ahead of its schools of the Hawaiian Islands. The Hold the straw handles, with your arms straight out, so the string through the wing trc/index.html nearest competitor. is parallel to your body. Walk forward. This forward motion will cause air to flow But HALSOL required technologies programs were in high demand and over and under the Pathfinder creating lift and a flying model. Flying the Pathfinder Airflow Planning is underway to continue that were not yet available and it was offered by request. on a String can be done in or outdoors. String the legacy of the Pathfinder/Helios mothballed. Later it evolved into “It was great to have two people edu-cational programs. These outreach Pathfinder and Pathfinder Plus for the The company is preparing for yet from Dryden come out to my school’s activities have accomplished an aware- NASA Environmental Aircraft and another change – full production. area. It is very rare to have speakers ness of what NASA does and how Sensor Technology (ERAST) Program Through its commercial arm, SkyTower, present that are so close to the school NASA’s unique programs and missions managed by Dryden. it is expected that the Helios will go into and community,” said another teacher can inspire future generations of scientists Bob Curtin took over as manager of the production as the telecommunication participant. NASA Illustration by David Faust and engineers. division in 2000 and Aero-Vironment’s platform solution to overcome the Helios Prototype flew to 96,863 feet on “the last mile” barriers facing the tele- Aug. 13, 2001 (see related story). communications industry. Box ... from page 10 designed for Centurion/Helios Prototype. In addition, the Pathfinder-Plus was altitude airworthiness tests at Dryden in altitudes, up to 170 mph true air speed The new section was more than twice powered by eight electric motors, two late 1998, AeroVironment modified the at extreme altitude. Although pitch as long as the original Pathfinder center more than had powered the previous Centurion with a sixth wing section and control is maintained by a full-span section and increased the overall wingspan version of Pathfinder. Designed for a fifth landing gear and systems pod, and segmented elevator on the trailing edge of the craft from 98.4 feet to 121 feet. Centurion, the motors are slightly more renamed the craft the Helios Prototype. of the wing, turns and yaw control are The new center section was topped by efficient than the original Pathfinder The additional wing section would accomplished by applying differential more efficient silicon solar cells developed motors. provide room for additional solar arrays power – slowing down or speeding up by SunPower Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif. that AeroVironment engineers believed the motors – on the outboard sections The cells can convert 19 percent of the Centurion/Helios Prototype would be necessary to power the craft of the wing, 8 to 14 motors, each rated solar energy they receive to electrical Centurion, the next iteration in the to ultra-high altitudes near 100,000 feet, at only about 2 horsepower, drive the energy to power the craft’s motors, AeroVironment family of high flying the milestone that NASA had set. With Helios Prototype. EC97 44287-149 NASA Photo by Nick Galante avionics and com-munication systems. solar wings, was intended as a transitional the additional wing section, the Helios On Aug. 13, 2001, the Helios Prototype AeroVironment Vice President Bob Curtin is a hard worker, which led to his promotion That compares with about 14 percent step to the ultimate goal: the Helios. The Prototype spans 247 feet, more than 30 flew to a new altitude record certified at EC01 299-3 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida in 2000. Above, he checks procedures during a 1997 Pathfinder flight in Hawaii. efficiency for the older solar arrays that aircraft was designed to demonstrate both feet longer than a Boeing 747-400. 96,863 feet during an almost 17-hour EC01 299-2 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida Jim Daley, AeroVironment engineer and cover most of the surface of the middle extreme-altitude and long-endurance The Helios Prototype’s wing airfoil is flight from PMRF. Though short of the flight. It is considered to be a forerunner of Kirk Flittie, AeroVironment ERAST pro- project manager for the solar arrays and outer wing panels from the original designed for flight at extreme altitude. The hoped-for 100,000 feet altitude, the a fleet of solar-powered aircraft that could gram manager, seeks ways to maximize used on the solar-powere aircraft, led Pathfinder. Maximum potential power flexible wing is primarily fabricated from milestone flight sustained horizontal stay airborne for weeks or months on commercial usage of the Helios Prototype the development of the fuel-cell powered was boosted from about 7,500 watts carbon fiber and graphite epoxy composites winged flight more than two miles higher scientific sampling and imaging missions and other AeroVironment products. Helios Prototype. on Pathfinder to about 12,500 watts on and Kevlar. Its six sections are 41-foot- than any previous non-rocket-powered Pathfinder-Plus. or while serving as tele-communications long. All the sections have an identical aircraft. relay platforms. thickness that is 12 percent of the chord, or Both NASA and AeroVironment Doug Profitt, Centurion shared much of the design about 11.5 inches, with no taper or sweep. foresee Helios derivatives functioning project manag- concepts of the Pathfinder, but sported The Helios design involves a minimum of as non-polluting, reconfigurable “atmo- er for the first a wingspan of 206 feet, more than twice moving parts, high redundancy and solid- spheric satellites” both for atmospheric energy storage The X-Press is published each the 98-foot span of the original Pathfinder state control systems. and environmental science missions and pod for the He- month for civil servants, contractors and 70 percent longer than the Pathfinder- The Helios Prototype flies at an for commercial telecommunications relay lios Prototype, and retirees of the Dryden Flight Plus’ 121-foot span. After initial low- airspeed of 19 to 27 mph cruise at low services. said his project Research Center. offers a number Editor: Jay Levine, AS&M PRSRT STD of challenges. ext. 3459 U.S. POSTAGE PAID However, he National Aeronautics and NASA said he enjoys Managing Editor: Space Administration PERMIT #G27 his job and he Steve Lighthill, NASA is working to overcome the Address: P.O. Box 273, challenges in EC01 299-5 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida Building 4839 Dryden Flight Research Center developing the Rik Meininger, from left, who is the program manager for design, construction and Edwards, Calif. 93523-0273 P.O. Box 273 energy storage flight research of Centurion and the Helios Prototype, and Bill Parks, who is the Phone: (661) 276-3449 Edwards, CA 93523-0273 pod. chief engineer for Centurion and the Helios Prototype, show an image of the Helios FAX: (661) 276-3566 Official Business EC01 299-7 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida Prototype returning from its record mission. Dryden Home Page: Penalty for Private Use, $300 NASA Dryden X-Press 11 http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/