大气探测器升空
On Oct. 22, 2024, the latest iteration of an atmospheric probe developed by researchers at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, successfully completed a test flight. Building on NASA 1960s research on lifting body aircraft, which use the aircraft’s shape for lift instead of wings, the concept could offer future scientists a potentially better and more economical way to collect data on other planets. Testing demonstrated the shape of the probe works.
The atmospheric probe flew after release from a quad-rotor remotely piloted aircraft above Rogers Dry Lake, a flight area adjacent to NASA Armstrong. “I’m ecstatic,” said John Bodylski, atmospheric probe principal investigator at NASA Armstrong. “It was completely stable in flight. We will be looking at releasing it from a higher altitude to keep it flying longer and demonstrate more maneuvers.”
See more photos from the test flight.
Image credit: Steve Freeman
2024年10月22日，由NASA位于加州爱德华兹的阿姆斯特朗飞行研究中心研发的最新版本大气探测器成功完成了一次试飞。基于NASA在20世纪60年代关于升力体飞行器的研究，这类飞行器通过自身形状而非机翼产生升力，这一概念为未来科学家提供了一种更好且更经济的其他行星数据收集方式的潜力。测试表明，该探测器的外形设计是可行的。
这台大气探测器在罗杰斯干湖上空从一架四旋翼遥控飞行器上释放后进行了飞行。NASA阿姆斯特朗研究中心的大气探测器首席研究员约翰·博迪尔斯基（John Bodylski）表示：“我感到非常兴奋。它在飞行中完全保持稳定。我们将尝试从更高的高度释放它，以延长飞行时间并演示更多的飞行动作。”
影像来源: Steve Freeman
