Hot summer days in Southern California’s Antelope Valley force many aircraft operations to start early in the morning before the sun rises. On a back ramp at Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, a NASA Global Hawk goes through testing of its communication components and satellite connection links for the International Maritime Satellite Terminal, or Inmarsat, in preparation for flight.
With temperatures reaching over 100 degrees, the Global Hawk team arrives at the center by 4 a.m. while electronic components, which are cooled by fuel onboard, can function within temperature limitations. Testing usually ceases by 1 p.m. PDT as fuel and onboard computers become too hot to operate.
Inmarsat is a commercial global satellite network that offers mobile satellite communication solutions for maritime, land and aeronautical users. The agency’s Global Hawk uses Inmarsat as one of its command and control links from the ground control station to the aircraft.
The Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is used for high-altitude, long-duration Earth science missions. The ability of the Global Hawk to autonomously fly long distances, remain aloft for extended periods of time and carry large payloads brings a new capability to the science community for measuring, monitoring and observing remote locations of Earth not feasible or practical with piloted aircraft, most other robotic or remotely operated aircraft, or space satellites.