Unmanned Science Research Aircraft

该合同为概念验证无人驾驶研究飞机的最终组装和初始飞行测试的准备提供资金。该奖项是五个计划元素项目中的第四个计划元素，旨在设计，建造，测试和飞行无人驾驶研究飞机。先前完成的项目元素（飞机部件的设计和建造）由Aurora Flight Science，NASA和NSF资助。NASA预计将为该计划的第五个要素（飞行测试）提供资金。与无人驾驶、高空、长航时、低雷诺数、轻型飞机相关的显著能力增强的前景在科学界受到了热烈的欢迎。已经提出了这种飞机的各种任务。一个不完整的列表包括：平流层臭氧化学研究;探索SST排放对平流层的影响;测量地球辐射收支;确定CO2和CH 4的源和汇;研究平流层-对流层交换;以及飓风研究。其中一些任务需要极高的高空能力（高达30公里），而另一些任务则需要具有较低高空能力但持续时间长于平流层臭氧使命的平台。一架飞机的设计并不能完成上述所有任务。然而，执行这些任务所需的飞机设计将来自一个共同的技术基础，该技术基础将部分由本项目供资。设计策略的中心是一架基本的飞机，载人的珀尔修斯，它将作为科学无人驾驶飞机的概念验证。这是一个高风险项目，具有极大的潜力，可大大扩大今后可收集的现场大气观测的时间和空间范围。

This award provides funds for final assembly of a proof-of- concept demonstrator unmanned research aircraft and preparation for initial flight testing. The award is the fourth program element in a five program element in a five program element project to design, build, test and fly an unmanned research aircraft. The previously completed program elements (the design and construction of the aircraft components) were funded by Aurora Flight Science, NASA and NSF. NASA anticipates it will fund the fifth element (flight testing) of the program. The promise of significant capability enhancements associated with an unmanned, high altitude, long duration, low Reynolds number, lightweight aircraft has been enthusiastically received within the scientific community. A variety of missions for such an aircraft have been proposed. An incomplete list includes: stratospheric ozone chemistry research; exploring the impact of SST emissions on the stratosphere; measuring the earth's radiation budget; determining sources and sinks of CO2 and CH4; studying stratosphere-troposphere exchange; and hurricane research. Some of these missions require extremely high altitude capability (up to 30km), while others require platforms with less altitude capability but longer durations than required for the stratospheric ozone mission. A single aircraft designs is not planned to accomplish all the missions mentioned above. However, aircraft designs necessary to carry out these missions will be derived from a common technology base that is to be funded, in part, under this project. At the center of the design strategy is a basic aircraft, manned Perseus, that will serve as a proof-of-concept for the scientific unmanned aircraft. This is a high risk project with a tremendous potential for significantly expanding the time and space domain of in situ atmospheric observations that could be collected in the future.***//