Oct 29 1979
From The Space Library
NASA reported that DFRC in conjunction with the FAA was conducting tests with a Boeing 747 aircraft to generate wake vortices for probing by small instrumented aircraft. The tests, performed both in a simulated approach and in actual approaches and landings, would try to verify optimum spoiler arrangements suggested by wind-tunnel tests.
Wake vortices, normally invisible turbulent airflows that stream in funnel shape from wingtips and flaps of aircraft in flight, could be hazardous to smaller aircraft; for this reason FAA required spacing of 3 to 6 miles between aircraft approaching terminals for landing, to allow time for vortices to break up. However, the spacing had slowed flight operations and added to delays experienced by passengers because of airport congestion. To allow closer spacing of aircraft and reduce delays, NASA had begun using wind-tunnel and other experimental techniques to study reduction of strength in wake vortices; one method was partial deployment of wing spoilers, normally used to decrease lift after landing. (NASA Release 79-140; DFRC Release 79-38)
MSFC announced that NASA would buy from Rocketdyne Division, Rockwell International, 12 more main engines for the Space Shuttle under a $365.7 million amendment of the original 1972 contract that would bring its value to $1,263,215,058. The original contract was for purchase of 27 engines; the amendment would bring the total ordered to 19. The amendment also called for overhaul and test of 10 engines to 109% of rated power level, plus a second overhaul and flight test of the 3 engines being used for propulsion testing.
Rocketdyne had delivered the engines for the first Shuttle flight, three ground-test engines, and a spare flight engine under the original 1972 contract. The three flight engines delivered to KSC had been installed on Columbia for next year's first spaceflight. (MSFC Release 79-117)
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