USTDC Support of Global Flyer:Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer is an advanced experimental airplane that is in just two weeks' time will embark on an attempt to be the first airplane to fly alone around the world non-stop without refueling with Steve Fossett piloting the airplane. On Monday, Fossett carried out a final two-hour test flight. The plane reached a new record altitude of 50,000 feet and handled very well. The University-affiliated Spaceport Technology Development Contract (USTDC), held by ASRC Aerospace Corporation, has been tasked by NASA to provide engineering expertise to assist Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer Airplane to establish video communication link with the control center during the non-stop flight. ASRC Aerospace’s Range Technologies Development Laboratory utilized expertise gained during the development and testing of STARS (Space Based Tracking and Range Safety) project and adapted the STARS hardware to be able to transmit video signals over the TDRSS s-band link in a short time. ASRC Aerospace’s Richard Birr, an RF Engineer in Range Technologies development Laboratory, coordinated with different NASA organizations such as MILA, Goddard, and Wallops to use their TDRSS setup. This experiment will also provide an additional test data for NASA/USTDC to further evaluate the performance of the STARS system. Two field tests were conducted using TDRS to establish video communication link with Global Flyer airplane. Test objectives were met. Better signal levels were achieved than expected. Additional testing will be performed on January 25, 26, 2005. Additional information on Global Flyer activities which summarizes NASA/USTDC tasks can be found at the following URL address: http://www.virginatlanticglobalflyer.com/NewsFeatures/NewsArchive/ FinalPreparations.jsp
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