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When the research program was begun in 1950 by the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (predecessor to
NASA) , the Federal Agency did not have a sufficient number
of pilots to operate the program, and so a contract was made
with Lockheed to provide the pilots.
Overseas logistic support for NASA's continuing use of
the U-2 is provided by air weather service units of the USAF.
NASA has procured a total of 10 U-2 airplanes. The air-
plane was originally built as a private venture by Lockheed to
serve as a "Flying Test Bed". It is powered by a single Pratt
& Whitney J-57 turbojet engine, and can maintain flight for as,
long as four hours at altitudes of up to 55,000 feet.
Since inception of the research program in 1956, the U-
and
flying weather laboratories have operated from bases in
California, New York, Alaska, England, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan,
Japan, Okinawa and the Philippines.
The U-2 airplanes are presently being used in California
(Edwards AFB, One), Japan (ATSUGI, Three) and Turkey (Adana,
Four).
The instrumentation carried by the U-2 permits obtaining
more precise information about clear air turbulence, convective
clouds, wind shear, the jet stream, and such widespread weather
patterns as typhoons, The airplane also has been used by NASA
to obtain information about cosmic rays, and the concentration
of certain elements in the atmosphere, including ozone and water
vapor.
Instrumentation carried includes: Angular velocity
recorder, to measure the airplane's rate of pitch; modified
VGH recorder, to measure and record head-on gust components
in flight; flight recorder model BB, continuous recorder of
indicated airspeed, pressure altitude and normal acceleration;
airspeed and altitude transducer to measure altitude and
indicated airspeed; temperature and humidity measuring set
AN/AMQ 7 to measure indicated free air temperature and indicated
relative humidity; and vortex thermometer system, to me asure
true free-air temperature within one-half degree centigrade
at high speeds.
5/5/60 HTQ 249PES
Document source description
This press release concerns the U-2 spy plane piloted by Gary Powers. The initial cover story describes its mission as weather research.
Page data
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- ee66218a19be7c97
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Document data
- ID
- 12009392
- Core
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- Type
- document
DTO data
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Context sent to Scholar
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"ocrText": "- 2 -\nWhen the research program was begun in 1950 by the\nNational Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (predecessor to\nNASA) , the Federal Agency did not have a sufficient number\nof pilots to operate the program, and so a contract was made\nwith Lockheed to provide the pilots.\nOverseas logistic support for NASA's continuing use of\nthe U-2 is provided by air weather service units of the USAF.\nNASA has procured a total of 10 U-2 airplanes. The air-\nplane was originally built as a private venture by Lockheed to\nserve as a \"Flying Test Bed\". It is powered by a single Pratt\n& Whitney J-57 turbojet engine, and can maintain flight for as,\nlong as four hours at altitudes of up to 55,000 feet.\nSince inception of the research program in 1956, the U-\nand\nflying weather laboratories have operated from bases in\nCalifornia, New York, Alaska, England, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan,\nJapan, Okinawa and the Philippines.\nThe U-2 airplanes are presently being used in California\n(Edwards AFB, One), Japan (ATSUGI, Three) and Turkey (Adana,\nFour).\nThe instrumentation carried by the U-2 permits obtaining\nmore precise information about clear air turbulence, convective\nclouds, wind shear, the jet stream, and such widespread weather\npatterns as typhoons, The airplane also has been used by NASA\nto obtain information about cosmic rays, and the concentration\nof certain elements in the atmosphere, including ozone and water\nvapor.\nInstrumentation carried includes: Angular velocity\nrecorder, to measure the airplane's rate of pitch; modified\nVGH recorder, to measure and record head-on gust components\nin flight; flight recorder model BB, continuous recorder of\nindicated airspeed, pressure altitude and normal acceleration;\nairspeed and altitude transducer to measure altitude and\nindicated airspeed; temperature and humidity measuring set\nAN/AMQ 7 to measure indicated free air temperature and indicated\nrelative humidity; and vortex thermometer system, to me asure\ntrue free-air temperature within one-half degree centigrade\nat high speeds.\n5/5/60 HTQ 249PES"
}