NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Hurricane Aircraft

NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration all use aircraft to study and track hurricanes. Following are examples of the aircraft used.

Image to right: NASA's DC-8 aircraft. Click on image to enlarge. Credit: NASA

The NASA DC-8 is a four-engine jet transport that has been highly modified to support the Agency's science mission. The medium-altitude aircraft has a 148-foot wingspan and is 157 feet long. It can fly at altitudes from 1,000 to 42,000 feet for up to 12 hours, although most science missions average six to 10 hours. The aircraft has a range of 5,400 nautical miles and can carry 30,000 pounds of scientific instruments and equipment. NASA acquired the former commercial airliner in 1985. It was based at the Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., until late 1997 when it moved to the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.



Image to right: NASA's ER-2 aircraft. Click on image to enlarge. Credit: NASA

NASA's two ER-2 aircraft are platforms for a variety of high-altitude science missions. The aircraft are used for Earth science and atmospheric sensor research and development, satellite calibration and data validation. The ER-2s are capable of carrying a maximum payload of 2,600 pounds of experiments distributed in the equipment bay, nose bay and wing pods. Most missions last about six hours with ranges of 2,200 nautical miles. The aircraft reach cruise altitudes of above 65,000 feet within 20 minutes. Cruising speeds are 410 knots, or 467 miles per hour, at altitude. The aircraft are 63 feet long, with a wingspan of 104 feet and the top of the vertical tails are 16 feet above ground when the aircraft is on the bicycle-type landing gear. The ER-2s were acquired in 1981 and 1989 and were based at the Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., until late 1997 when they moved to the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.

+ Other aircraft used for hurricane hunting

Satellites Used in Hurricane Science

	Aqua AIRS Aqua's AIRS Web site AIRS Captures 4 Hurricanes in 2004
	Aqua Satellite: Aqua Satellite Web site Building Better Forecasts March 18, 2002
	CAMEX Missions: CAMEX-4 Mission of May - September 2003 "Dropping in on a Hurricane" http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/camex4/ http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/releases/2001/01-089.html CAMEX-4 Hurricane Tracks for the Year CAMEX Photo Gallery: MSFC photo gallery: updated each hurricane season
	CAMEX-3 Mission of 1998 CAMEX-3 Mission CAMEX-3 Wrapping up with Flights into Hurricane Georges September 21, 1998 Hurricane research team stays busy: Team flies 4 missions in 5 days September 18, 1998 NASA Team Awaits Next Hurricane: Thunderstorms Continue September 10, 1998 Hurricane Season Passing Its Prime September 2, 1998 CAMEX-3 Preparing for Hurricane Danielle August 28, 1998 Quite a Windfall Aug 31, 1998 Bonnie Now a Hurricane August 22, 1998 First CAMEX-3 hurricane brewing in mid-Atlantic August 20, 1998 NASA, NOAA Team Seeks Secrets to Hurricane's Power August 12, 1998 Scientists Analyzing Immense Data Haul From Hurricanes January 15, 1999 In the Eyewall of the Storm
	Computer Tracking Of Hurricanes: NASA Goes Online With Extra-Tropical Storm Tracks February 10, 2003
	Global Positioning System Technology and Hurricanes: GPS System to Track Hurricanes Understanding Hurricanes: Shaping Our Future September. 8, 2000
	Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon
	Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment: Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) NASA Observations Improve Hurricane Forecasts May 22, 2003
	MISR Instrument (Frances, Ivan Contribute to Hurricane Studies) September 14, 2004
	MODIS Web site
	SeaWinds and QuikScat: SeaWinds and QuikScat SeaWinds Casts a Closer Eye on Tropical Cyclones January 14, 2002
	Satellites: (Various) NASA Satellites Help Hurricane Forecasters Since 1992's Destructive Hurricane Andrew August 23, 2002 NASA Technology Eyes Better Hurricane Forecasts October 4, 2001
	Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Satellite

Rob Gutro
Goddard Space Flight Center