NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in cooperation with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), will be conducting a series of flights near the Channel Islands off the Southern California coast this spring to evaluate the ability of remotely operated aircraft to conduct a variety of Earth Science missions. News media representatives are invited to learn more during a VIP/Media Day on Wednesday, April 20, at GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operation Facility east of Palmdale, Calif.
The goal of the Altair Integrated System Flight Demonstration Project is to evaluate the operational capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for science missions related to oceanic and atmospheric research, climate research, marine sanctuary mapping and enforcement, nautical charting, and fisheries assessment and enforcement. GA-ASI’s remotely piloted Altair, whose development was funded in part by NASA, will carry a payload of instruments for measuring ocean color, atmospheric composition and temperature, and surface imaging during flights in late April and early May. Six flights totaling about 53 hours flight time will be flown at altitudes up to 45,000 feet and durations up to 20 hours.
The VIP/Media Day April 20 at GA-ASI’s Gray Butte facility is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. News media will have the opportunity to view the Altair in flight and witness real-time imagery being downlinked to the ground command and control center. Journalists will also be able to observe the sensor payload and interview the scientists and engineers who developed this demonstration.
Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator; Thomas J. Cassidy Jr., President and CEO of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.; and Terrence Hertz, Deputy Associate Administrator for Technology of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, will make remarks and be available for interviews.
Security deadline: Media representatives planning to attend must be U.S. citizens and should provide their driver’s license number and proof of media affiliation to Rebe Philip at GA-ASI via e-mail to rebe.philip@uav.com or by FAX to 858/455-4247 by April 15. For further information, phone 858/455-2694.
Directions: Media traveling from the San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino areas should travel north on I-15, exit on Hwy. 138 and head west. Turn right on Sheep Creek Road, left on El Mirage Road, left on 240th Street East and then left again on Avenue R-8 to the GA-ASI facility at 25500 East Avenue R-8. From Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley, media should travel north on Hwy. 14 and exit at Palmdale Blvd. Take Palmdale Blvd. east about 24 miles to 240th Street East, then turn right onto 240th Street East, and left on Avenue R-8 to the facility. Media planning to attend should allow ample driving time to the location, which is about 26 miles east of central Palmdale.
Additional information is available at: http://uav.noaa.gov/index.html
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Dryden Flight Research Center
P.O. Box 273
Edwards, California 93523
Phone 661/276-3449
FAX 661/276-3566
Beth Hagenauer
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
661/276-7960
Madelyn Appelbaum
NOAA Headquarters
202/482-4858
Kimberly Kasitz
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
858/455-2294