ERAST Project
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The Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology, or ERAST project is a NASA initiative to develop new technologies for civil use of remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). According to NASA, the "ERAST program is a NASA initiative to develop and flight-demonstrate remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) for cost-effective science missions. Two science mission flight profiles have been identified by the science community as being critical to the collection, identification, and monitoring of environmental data for the assessment of global change. The first is flight to extreme altitudes, defined as the region between 80,000 to 100,000 feet. Desired payload capacity is 500 pounds with a minimum time on station of 2 hours. The second mission is defined as exceeding 96 hours in continuous operation at altitudes from 50,000 to 75,000 feet carrying a minimum payload of 1,000 pounds. For each mission, the desired cost per flight hour is $5000. Each of these science mission profiles requires subsonic flight speeds in order to obtain chemically unaltered samples.
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[edit] Program overview
The primary focus of ERAST is to develop slow-flying UAVs that can perform long-duration science missions at altitudes above 60,000 feet. These missions could include remote sensing for Earth sciences studies, hyperspectral imaging for agriculture monitoring, tracking of severe storms, and serving as telecommunications relay platforms.
A parallel effort headed by NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California., developed lightweight, microminiaturized sensors that can be carried by these aircraft for environmental research and Earth monitoring.
Additional technologies considered by the joint NASA-industry ERAST Alliance include lightweight materials, avionics, aerodynamics, and other forms of propulsion suitable for extreme altitudes and duration.
Although ERAST Alliance members are responsible for aircraft development and operation, NASA has primary responsibility for overall program leadership, major funding, individual project management, development and coordination of payloads. NASA also is working long-term issues with the Federal Aviation Administration and developing technology to make operation of these remotely operated aircraft in national airspace practical.
[edit] Project components
[edit] ALTUS
The General Atomics ALTUS is an unarmed version of the MQ-1 Predator UAV modified for scientific research missions. One of the two ALTUS aircraft, ALTUS II, was built under the ERAST program and has participated in a number of the related research missions.
[edit] Pathfinder
The Helios Pathfinder is a solar-powered UAV. A number of the other components were flown on board Pathfinder.
[edit] ARTIS camera
A small Airborne Real-Time Imaging System (ARTIS) camera, developed by HyperSpectral Sciences, Inc., under NASA's ERAST project, was flight demonstrated during the summer of 1999 on board the Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft when it took visual and near-infrared photos from Proteus while it was flying high over the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture 99 Airshow at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The images were displayed on a computer monitor at the show only moments after they were taken.
[edit] DSA
In March 2002, NASA Dryden, in cooperation with New Mexico State University's Technical Analysis and Applications Center (TAAC), the FAA and several other entities, conducted flight demonstrations of an active detect, see and avoid (DSA) system for potential application to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) out of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft jkiwas flown as a surrogate UAV controlled remotely from the ground, although safety pilots were aboard to handle takeoff and landing and any potential emergencies. Three other aircraft, ranging from general aviation aircraft to a NASA F/A-18, served as "cooperative" target aircraft with an operating transponder. In each of 18 different scenarios, a Goodrich Skywatch HP Traffic Advisory System (TAS) on the Proteus detected approaching air traffic on potential collision courses, including several scenarios with two aircraft approaching from different directions. The remote pilot then directed Proteus to turn, climb or descend as needed to avoid the potential threat.
In April 2003, a second series of flight demonstrations focusing on "non-cooperative" aircraft (those without operating transponders), was conducted in restricted airspace near Mojave, California., again using the Proteus as a surrogate UAV. Proteus was equipped with a small Amphitech OASys 35 GHz primary radar system to detect potential intruder aircraft on simulated collision courses. The radar data was telemetered directly to the ground station as well as via an Inmarsat satellite system installed on Proteus. A mix of seven intruder aircraft, ranging from a sailplane to a high-speed jet, flew 20 scenarios over a four-day period, one or two aircraft at a time. In each case, the radar picked up the intruding aircraft at ranges from 2.5 to 6.5 miles, depending on the intruder's radar signature. Proteus' remote pilot on the ground was able to direct Proteus to take evasive action if needed.
[edit] DASI
The Digital Array Scanned Interferometer (DASI) was operated from the Pathfinder in the summer of 1997, acquiring imaging interferometric data of the Hawaiian Islands. The DASI, which originated at Washington University and was jointly developed with Ames Research Center, will meet the stringent engineering and operating requirements of the Pathfinder with respect to remote operation, very light weight, and low volume, power and bandwidth.[1][2]
