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Ikhana

NASA's Ikhana unmanned science aircraft ground control station includes consoles for two pilots and positions for scientists and engineers along the side.

 
Photo Number: ED07-0038-038
Photo Date: March 5, 2007
 
Formats: 640x542 JPEG Image (242 KBytes)
1280x1084 JPEG Image (689 KBytes)
3000x2541 JPEG Image (2961 KBytes)
 
Photo
Description:
NASA's Ikhana unmanned science aircraft ground control station includes consoles for two pilots and positions for scientists and engineers along the side.
 
Project
Description:
A Predator B unmanned aircraft system has joined the inventory of research aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. Built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. of San Diego, NASA took possession of the aircraft during the fall of 2006. The aircraft has been given the Choctaw Nation name "Ikhana" (pronounced ee-kah-nah), which means intelligent.

Designed for long-endurance, high-altitude flight, Ikhana will be flown primarily on Earth science missions under the Earth Science Capability Demonstrations project at NASA Dryden. It will also be used for advanced aircraft systems research and technology development.

As part of the Ikhana/Predator B acquisition, NASA also purchased a ground control station and satellite communication system for control of the aircraft and transmittal of research data. The ground control station is in a mobile trailer and, in addition to the pilot's "cockpit," includes computer workstations for scientists and engineers. All of the aircraft systems are mobile, making Ikhana ideal for remote studies.

 
NASA Photo by: Tony Landis
 
Keywords: Ikhana, Predator B unmanned aircraft, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc, long-endurance, high-altitude, Earth Science Capability Demonstrations project, ground control station
 


Last Modified: October 25, 2007
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