Engineering:List of NASA aircraft

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Throughout its history NASA has used several different types of aircraft on a permanent, semi-permanent, or short-term basis. These aircraft are usually surplus, but in a few cases are newly built, military aircraft.

Current aircraft

Aircraft Number in service Introduced Research Center
Aero Spacelines Super Guppy 1 Johnson Space Center
Aeromot TG-14 1 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Airbus H135 3 Kennedy Space Center
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor 3 Armstrong Flight Research Center (1), Glenn Research Center (2)
Beechcraft B-200 3 Armstrong Flight Research Center (1), Langley Research Center (2)
Cirrus SR22 1 Langley Research Center
Columbia LC-40 1 Langley Research Center
DHC-6 Twin Otter 1 Glenn Research Center
Dassault Falcon HU-25 Guardian 1 Langley Research Center
Gulfstream C-20A 1 2008 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Gulfstream III 4 2012 Armstrong Flight Research Center (2), Langley Research Center (1), Johnson Space Center (1)
Gulfstream V 1 2012 Johnson Space Center
Lockheed C-130 Hercules 1 Wallops Flight Facility
Lockheed P-3 Orion 1 1991 Wallops Flight Facility
Lockheed ER-2 2 1981 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Martin WB-57 Canberra 3 Johnson Space Center
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle 3 Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet 3 Armstrong Flight Research Center
Northrop T-38 Talon 20 Johnson Space Center

Aircraft

Template:Sticky-header

Aircraft Type Use Status (Qty) Dates From To Research Centers Current Location Comments
Aero Spacelines Super Guppy

100px

Fixed Wing Heavy transport aircraft Active (1) N/A El Paso Forward Operating Location
Aerojet General X-8 100px Rocket Research, X-Planes, Upper air research and sounding[1] Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center
AeroVironment Centurion

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Centurion was an evolutionary solar and fuel cell system powered unmanned aircraft.
AeroVironment Gossamer Albatross

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Human Powered Retired (1) Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
AeroVironment Helios

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center NASA's Helios Prototype was an evolutionary solar and fuel cell system powered unmanned aircraft.
AeroVironment Pathfinder

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center AeroVironment Pathfinder Prototype was an evolutionary solar and fuel cell system powered unmanned aircraft.
AeroVironment Pathfinder Plus

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Pathfinder Plus Prototype was an evolutionary solar and fuel cell system powered unmanned aircraft.
AeroVironment RQ-14 Dragon Eye

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Active (1) Ames Research Center Ames Research Center
Eurocopter EC135 Rotorcraft Active (3) Delivery of the first two on September 30, 2020,[2] the third on March 11, 2021.[3] Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center
Beechcraft Super King Air (NASA 8)

100px

Fixed Wing Transport Personnel Active (1) Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Flight Facility Carries employees from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia and Baltimore
Beechcraft King Air B-200 (UC-12B)

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Active (2) Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center
Beechcraft T-34C

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform & Photographic Chase Active (2) Glenn Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Wallops Flight Facility, Armstrong Flight Research Center
Bell UH-1H Iroquois (Huey)

100px

Rotorcraft Retired Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Flight Facility
Bell Lunar Landing Research Vehicle LLRV 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center (#2)
Bell X-1A Glamorous Glennis 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1946 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Air and Space Museum High-speed and high-altitude testing. First aircraft to break the sound barrier in level flight.Proved aerodynamic viability of thin wing sections.[4]
Bell X-1B 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force
Bell X-1E 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
Bell X-5 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1951 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force First aircraft to fly with variable geometry wings.[5]
Bell XV-15

100px

V/STOL, Tilt Rotor Research, Retired (1) Ames Research Center Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Bellanca Skyrocket II

100px

Fixed Wing Civil Aircraft Test Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Boeing 737, NASA 515

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Terminal Area Productivity (TAP) Retired (1) 1974-2003 Langley Research Center Museum of Flight NASA 515 is the first Boeing 737 ever built. After being used to qualify the 737 design, NASA heavily modified the aircraft for continuing research.
Boeing 747-100SR

100px

Fixed Wing Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Retired (2) 1977–2012 Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center Registered as N905NA (which is a 747-100 model that was acquired from American Airlines in 1974) and N911NA (a 747-100SR model purchased from Japan Airlines in 1988). In 2013, Space Center Houston announced plans to display SCA 905 with the mockup shuttle Independence mounted on its back. NASA 905 was erected on site at the space center, having been ferried in pieces from Ellington Field, and the replica shuttle was mounted in August 2014. The display opened in early 2016. N911NA is currently on display at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42.
Boeing 747, (SOFIA)

100px

Fixed Wing Airborne observatory, Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Retired (1) 1997–2022 Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center Retired 2022[6]
Boeing 757

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Advanced technology Retired (1) Ex–Eastern 757
Boeing B-52B 100px Fixed Wing Research, Test Platform Retired (2) 1959-2004 Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Pima Air & Space Museum (003), Air Force Flight Test Center Museum (008) Balls 8 (NB-52B) was used as a mothership for the X-15 program, 127 Lifting body flight tests such as the HL-10 test flight, to support development in the Space Shuttle program, and several other miscellaneous test programs.[7] After almost 50 years flying service Balls 8 was retired from active service with NASA on December 17, 2004, following its participation in the Hyper-X program.[8]
Boeing CH-47B Chinook

100px

Rotorcraft Research, Variable Stability Research Rotorcraft project Retired (2) Ames Research Center, Langley Research Center It was equipped to fly by wire and had three on-board computers. After research was completed, it was returned to the US Army and upgraded to the CH–47D standard.[9]
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

100px

Fixed Wing Trainer, Reduced gravity aircraft Retired (2) 1973 - 2004 Ellington Field, Houston, Texas Ellington Field, Houston, Texas USAF KC–135As (designated N930NA and N931NA) Potential astronauts were exposed to simulated near–weightlessness. These aircraft are also known as Vomit Comets.
Boeing X-37 100px Research, X-Planes, Active 2006 (drop test), 2010 (orbital flight) Armstrong Flight Research Center Reusable orbital spaceplane.[10]
Boeing X-40 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1998 Armstrong Flight Research Center 80% scale Space Maneuver Vehicle testbed.X-37 prototype.[11]
Boeing X-48

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, X-Planes, Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project[12] Retired (1) Armstrong Flight Research Center X-48 series was utilized to "evaluate the low-speed stability and control of a low-noise version of a notional hybrid-wing-body design." NASA is hoping that this particular aircraft will aid in the design "green airlines." Blended Wing Body (BWB) testbed.[13]
Boeing X-45A 100px Fixed Wing, UAV Research, X-Planes, Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center National Air and Space Museum (#1 Blue), National Museum of the United States Air Force (#2 Red)
Boeing X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 2002 Armstrong Flight Research Center Active Aeroelastic Wing testbed.[14]
Boeing Vertol VZ-2 (Model 76)

100px

V/STOL, Tilt Rotor Research, Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Paul E. Garber Facility.[15] Built in the United States in 1957 to investigate the tiltwing approach to vertical take-off and landing.
Cessna 206H

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Retired (1)[16] 2001-2024 Langley Research Center Langley Research Center
Cessna 337 Skymaster Fixed Wing Civil Aircraft Test, Small Aircraft Transportation System Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Cessna 318 T-37 Tweet

100px

Fixed Wing Civil Aircraft Test, Small Aircraft Transportation System Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Cirrus SR22

100px

Fixed Wing Civil Aircraft Test, Small Aircraft Transportation System Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Convair 880

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Controlled Impact Demonstration Program Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Langley Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center
Convair 990 (Galileo)

100px

Fixed Wing Airborne observatory, Galileo Observatory Destroyed (1), Retired (1) & Crashed (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Mojave Air and Space Port The Galileo I aircraft was lost in a mid-air collision in 1973 with a P-3. The Galileo II continued service into the 1980s providing research into aeronautics, astronautics, astronomy, and earth observations, but was destroyed in 1985 by fire after the right main landing gear failed and punctured fuel tanks. NASA 810 was used to test the shuttle landing gear and braking systems, before being retired.
Convair F-106 Delta Dart (QF–106A)

100px

Fixed Wing Retired 1986 - 1998 Langley Research Center
Convair C-131 Samaritan (Convair CV-240)

100px

Fixed Wing Training, Reduced gravity aircraft, Landsat Earth Resources Survey program (ERS) Retired (2) Langley Research Center, Ellington Field, Houston, TX Project Mercury astronauts flew aboard a C-131 Samaritan flying as the "vomit comet
Dassault HU-25C Falcon

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Active (1) Langley Research Center Langley Research Center
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo (Bisontennial) named in 1976

100px

Fixed Wing Research, STOL Retired (1) 1970s late - early 1980s Ames Research Center Fitted with a short-span Boeing wing incorporating split-flow turbofan engines based on the Rolls-Royce Spey (providing both propulsion and augmentor airflow for the powered lift system).[17][18][19][20] Beginning in 1972 with its first flight in this experimental configuration, this aircraft was used jointly by the NASA Ames Research Center and the Canadian Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce for STOL research.[19][21]
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo (QSRA)

100px

Fixed Wing Research, STOL, Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft program.[17][18][22]: 153 [23][24][25] Retired (1) 1970s late - early 1980s Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center The experimental wing was designed, fabricated and installed by Boeing was a swept, supercritical design incorporating a boundary layer control system.[23][24]: 8  Instead of the standard engines, this aircraft was powered by four prototype Avco Lycoming YF102 high-bypass turbofan engines (originally from the Northrop YA-9 program) mounted above the wing to take advantage of the Coandă effect.[24]: 9–10  In 1980, this aircraft participated in carrier trials aboard missing name, demonstrating STOL performance without the use of catapults or arrestor gear.[18][22]: 154 
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (N607NA)

100px

Fixed Wing Research, aircraft icing Retired (1) Glenn Research Center[26] Middle Tennessee State University at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport[27]
Doak VZ-4

100px

VTOL Research Retired (1) Langley Research Center U.S. Army Transportation Museum
Douglas C-47 Skytrain

100px

Fixed Wing Test Retired Ames Research Center
Douglas C-118 Liftmaster

100px

Fixed Wing Wallops Flight Facility
Douglas C-133 Cargomaster

100px

Fixed Wing Heavy Transport Aircraft Retired 1966–1969
Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of Naval Aviation (#1), Carolinas Aviation Museum (#3)
Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Planes of Fame Museum (#1), National Air and Space Museum (#2), Antelope Valley College (#3)
Douglas F5D Skylancer

100px

Fixed Wing Trainer, Chase Plane Retired (2) 1961 - 1970 Armstrong Flight Research Center Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum (802), Ontario Municipal Airport (708) Used as a testbed for supersonic research and to train pilots for the X-20 Dyna-Soar program. The F5D-1 Skylancer had a wing planform similar to the proposed design for Dyna-Soar. After the Dyna-Soar program was canceled in December 1963, one F5D-1 stayed on at Armstrong, eventually becoming a flight simulator for the M2-F2, and a chase plane for experimental flights until 1970. In May 1970 one of the aircraft was retired and donated to the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum.[28]
Douglas X-3 Stiletto

100px

Fixed Wing Research, X-Planes Retired (1) 1952–1956 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force Titanium alloy construction; low aspect ratio wings. Planned to test long-duration high-speed flight. Incapable of reaching design speed, but provided insights into inertia coupling.[29]
Dyke Delta

100px

Fixed Wing
Eiri-Avion PIK-20

100px

Fixed Wing, Sailplane Research, Lift & Aerodynamics Retired (1) 1981–1996 Armstrong Flight Research Center
General Atomics ALTUS

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) Retired? (2) Armstrong Flight Research Center
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (Predator-B IKHANA)

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research Platform Active (1) Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Retired (2) 1988 - 1999 Armstrong Flight Research Center Prototypes of the F-16XL, designed as a competitor to the F-15E Strike Eagle in the USAF's Enhanced Tactical Fighter program
General Dynamics F-16 VISTA

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Variability in flight simulator aircraft Retired (1) Langley Research Center Now in use by the USAF Test PIlot School under the designation X-62.[30]
General Dynamics F-16XL

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Retired (2) Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center (1)
Grumman Gulfstream I

100px

Fixed Wing Retired (7) Johnson Space Center
Grumman X-29

100px

Fixed Wing Research, X-Planes, Forward swept wing Retired (2) 1984–1991 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force
Grumman Gulfstream II

100px

Fixed Wing Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) Active (4) NA El Paso Forward Operating Location, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas[31] (NASA C-11A)
Gulfstream G-III

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Research Platform, Airborne Science Program, Unmanned Air Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) Active (1) 2003 - Today Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center (NASA C–20A) Acquired from the United States Air Force and modified by Armstrong Flight Research Center. The aircraft was equipped with a self-contained on-board Data Collection and Processing System (DCAPS), which allows for automated configuration setups thereby reducing engineering costs for each flight. The aircraft has been used by the Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) program, the Access 5 program alongside Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft, and as a test bed to develop collision avoidance systems and procedures.[32]
Gulfstream G-III, NASA one

100px

Fixed Wing Business jet of the NASA Administrator Active (1) 2003 - 2008 NA NASA one was a Gulfstream G-III with a seating capacity of 12 people. The jet is stored in an FAA hangar along with 3 other government planes.[33] NASA now shares a plane with FAA.
Gulfstream X-54 Research, X-Planes, Proposed Armstrong Flight Research Center
Hawker Siddeley P.1127

100px

V/STOL Retired Langley Research Center
Kreider-Reisner XC-31

100px

Fixed Wing Research, DeIcing Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Learjet 23

100px

Fixed Wing Business jet ?
Learjet 24

100px

Fixed Wing Business jet Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Lear Jet Airborne Observatory[34][35]
Learjet 25

100px

Fixed Wing Business jet Active Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Flight Facility
Learjet 28

100px

Fixed Wing Business jet
Ling-Temco-Vought LTV XC-142

100px

V/STOL, Tilt Wing Research, Transport aircraft Retired (1) 1966–1970 Langley Research Center
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

100px

Fixed Wing Heavy transport aircraft Active (2) Flown by USAF crews.
Lockheed C-121 Starliner

100px

Fixed Wing Retired
Lockheed C-141A Starlifter

100px

Fixed Wing Airborne observatory, Kuiper Airborne Observatory Retired (1) 1974 - 1995 Ames Research Center
Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center National Air and Space Museum (818) (N818NA), Air Force Flight Test Center Museum (N820NA) (0790)
Lockheed F-104B Starfighter 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center McClellan AFB (N819NA)
Lockheed F-104G Starfighter 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Estrella Warbird Museum (N824NA), Armstrong Flight Research Center (N826NA)
Lockheed F-104N Starfighter 100px Fixed Wing Chase Retired (6) & Crashed (1) 1963 - 1995 Armstrong Flight Research Center Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (N811NA) (4045), Lockheed Martin, Palmdale, CA (N812NA) One of these aircraft, piloted by Joe Walker, collided with the XB-70 Valkyrie experimental bomber on June 8, 1966, killing Walker.
Lockheed JetStar

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform Retired (1) 1964-1989[36] Armstrong Flight Research Center
Lockheed NC-130B Hercules

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Landsat Earth Resources Survey program (ERS) Active (1) Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Flight Facility
Lockheed P-3 Orion

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Active (1) Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Flight Facility
Lockheed S-3 Viking

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform Retired Glenn Research Center
Lockheed SR-71

100px

Fixed Wing Trainer Retired (1) 1991 - 1999 Armstrong Flight Research Center Pima Air Museum The plane was permanently retired in 1998, and the Air Force quickly disposed of their SR-71s, leaving NASA with the last two airworthy Blackbirds until 1999.[37] All other Blackbirds have been moved to museums except for the two SR-71s and a few D-21 drones retained by the NASA Dryden Research Center.[38]
Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird Fixed Wing Trainer Retired (1) 1991 - 1999 Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center The plane was permanently retired in 1998, and the Air Force quickly disposed of their SR-71s, leaving NASA with the last two airworthy Blackbirds until 1999.[37] All other Blackbirds have been moved to museums except for the two SR-71s and a few D-21 drones retained by the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.[38]
Lockheed SR-71B Blackbird Fixed Wing Trainer Retired (1) 1991 - 1999 Armstrong Flight Research Center Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum The plane was permanently retired in 1998, and the Air Force quickly disposed of their SR-71s, leaving NASA with the last two airworthy Blackbirds until 1999.[37] All other Blackbirds have been moved to museums except for the two SR-71s and a few D-21 drones retained by the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.[38]
Lockheed U-2 "Dragon Lady"

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Airborne Science Program, Landsat Earth Resources Survey program (ERS), High Altitude Active (2) Armstrong Flight Research Center Modified to the ER-2 (Earth Resources-2) standard
Lockheed YF-12

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Retired (1) Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center, Glenn Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force
Lockheed YO-3 Quiet Star

100px

Fixed Wing Research Retired (1) Armstrong Flight Research Center
X-33 Venture Star 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired (1) Prototype never completed Lockheed Martin Half-scale reusable launch vehicle prototype.[39]
Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA Research, X-Planes, Retired Cancelled Armstrong Flight Research Center F-22-based Multi-Axis No-Tail Aircraft thrust vectoring testbed.[40]
Lockheed Martin X-56 (MUTT) 100px Fixed Wing, UAV Research Platform, X-Planes, Multi-Utility Technology Testbed Retired (1) 2012 Armstrong Flight Research Center Active flutter suppression and gust load alleviation technology for potential use in future high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) reconnaissance aircraft.[41]
Lockheed Martin X-59 QueSST 100px Research, X-Planes In Development (1) 2022 Armstrong Flight Research Center Low boom quiet super sonic demonstrator.[42]
Martin WB-57 Canberra

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform - Airborne Science Program, Landsat Earth Resources Survey program (ERS) High Altitude Active (3) Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Earth Resources Technology Satellite program (ERTS), Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL - FACE) and Clouds and Water Vapor in the Climate System (CWVCS)
Martin-Marietta X-24A 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force Low-speed lifting body handling testbed.Lifting body aerodynamic shape trials.[43]
Martin-Marietta X-24B 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1973 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force Low-speed lifting body handling testbed.Lifting body aerodynamic shape trials.[43]
McDonnell 188 (Breguet 941)

100px

STOL Retired (1) 1964 - 1965 Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center McDonnell conducted demonstrations with the prototype of French Breguet plane from June 9, 1964, to April 16, 1965. The aircraft was evaluated by both NASA and the US military
McDonnell Douglas DC-8

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Retired [44] 1987-2024 Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas C-9 Skytrain II

100px

Fixed Wing Training, Reduced gravity aircraft Active (1) 2005 - TBD Johnson Space Center Ex-USN C-9B
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

100px

Fixed Wing Chase Plane Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center X-15 program, Lifting body flights (also collected biomedical data and used to see if sonic booms could be used as a weapon)
McDonnell Douglas F-15A RPRV/SRV 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas F-15 STOL/MTD

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, advanced propulsion concepts Retired (1) 1993 – 1999 and IFCS programs 2002 – TBD Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center F-15S/MTD The F-15B research aircraft (tail number 837), the first two-seat F-15 built by McDonnell Douglas, was used initially for developmental testing and evaluation.
McDonnell Douglas F-15B 100px Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas F-15D 100px Active (2) [45] Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet 100px Active (3) [46] Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet (842NA)

100px

Fixed Wing Research Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Clear Channel Stadium
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 HARV

100px

Fixed Wing Research, High Alpha Research Vehicle Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Virginia Air and Space Center (840NA)
McDonnell Douglas X-36 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1997 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force 28% scale tailless fighter testbed.[47]
McCulloch J-2

100px

Rotorcraft Civil Test Retired? (1) 1973 Langley Research Center
Micro Craft X-43 Hyper-X 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 2001 Armstrong Flight Research Center Scramjet hypersonic testbed (Mach 9.68) (110,000 ft).[48]
NASA X-57 100px Research, X-Planes, In Development (1) 2021 Armstrong Flight Research Center Fully electric powered aircraft demonstrator.[49]
MIT Daedalus

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Human Powered Retired (1) 1988 Armstrong Flight Research Center Museum of Science (Boston)
NASA AD-1

NASA AD-1

Fixed Wing Research, Oblique Wing Retired (1) 1979 - 1982 Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Hiller Aviation Museum Successfully demonstrated an aircraft wing that could be pivoted obliquely from zero to 60 degrees during flight.[50]
NASA Hyper III

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Retired (1) Armstrong Flight Research Center
NASA Mini-Sniffer

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, atmosphere, high altitude Retired (3) 1975 - 1982 Langley Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center
NASA M2-F1

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Fixed Wing Model Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center The NASA M2-F1 was a lightweight, unpowered prototype aircraft, developed to flight test the wingless Lifting body concept. It looked like a "flying bathtub," and was designated the M2–F1, the "M" referring to "manned" and "F" referring to "flight" version. In 1962, NASA Dryden management approved a program to build a lightweight, unpowered Lifting body prototype. It featured a plywood shell placed over a tubular steel frame crafted at Dryden. Construction was completed in 1963.[51]
NASA Paresev

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Fixed Wing, Paraglider Research, Space Capsule Safety (1) Retired (4) 1961 - 1965 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Was designed to study the ability of the Rogallo wing, also called Parawing, to descend a payload such as the Gemini space capsule safely from high altitude to ground.[52][53] Specifically, the Paresev was a test vehicle used to learn how to control this paraglider for a safe landing at a normal airfield.
NASA X-43

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, X-Planes Retired (3) Langley Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center
North American AJ Savage

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Fixed Wing Trainer, Reduced gravity aircraft Retired (3) 1960 - TBD
North American A3J-1 Vigilante Fixed Wing Research - Supersonic transport program Retired (3) Armstrong Flight Research Center A3J-1 147858 to NASA as 858. Brought from NAS Patuxent River and spent one year at in support of supersonic transport program.
North American F-82 Twin Mustang

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Handling & Performance Retired (1) Langley Research Center
North American F-86 Sabre

100px

Fixed Wing Chase Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center
North American F-100 Super Sabre

100px

Fixed Wing Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center
North American OV-10 Bronco

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Noise & Wave Turbulence Retired Langley Research Center
North American X-15 (Rocket plane)

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Fixed Wing Research, X-Planes, Hypersonic Flight Retired (1) 1959 - 1968 Armstrong Flight Research Center Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Conceived by NACA, three were built and explored the regime of hypersonic flight, often regarded as a direct predecessor to the Space Shuttle
North American X-15A-2 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force
North American XB-70A Valkyrie

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Fixed Wing Research, Retired (1), Crashed (1) 1965 - 1969 Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center National Museum of the United States Air Force NASA participated heavily in the design and testing of the XB-70 Valkyrie in the mid to late 1960s. NASA and the United States Air Force had a joint agreement to use the second XB–70A prototype for high–speed research flights in support of the proposed SST program. These plans went awry on June 8, 1966, when the second XB–70 crashed following a midair collision with NASA's F–104N chase plane. After 33 research flights following the mid–air collision, the remaining XB–70A was flown to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on February 4, 1969, for museum display.[54]
North American YF-93

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Retired (2) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center
North American F-107 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Pima Air and Space Museum (#1) (55–5118)
Northrop HL-10

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Lifting body Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
Northrop M2-F2

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Lifting body Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center
Northrop M2-F3

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Lifting body Retired (1) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Northrop T-38 Talon

100px

Fixed Wing Trainer Active, Retired 1960s - Today El Paso Forward Operating Location, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas Used as a jet trainer for its astronauts since the 1960s.
Northrop X-4 Bantam 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1948 Armstrong Flight Research Center Air Force Flight Test Center Museum#Air Force Flight Test Museum Evaluated handling characteristics of tailless aircraft in the transonic speed region.[55]
Northrop-Grumman F-5E modified

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration (SSBD) Retired (1) 2003–2007 Armstrong Flight Research Center, Langley Research Center Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum The Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration was a two-year program that used an F-5E with a modified fuselage in order to demonstrate that the aircraft's shockwave, and accompanying sonic boom, can be shaped and thereby reduced.[56]
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk 100px Fixed Wing, UAV Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Active (2) Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center
Orbital Sciences X-34 100px Fixed Wing Research, X-Planes, Retired Never flew National Museum of the United States Air Force Reusable unmanned space plane testbed.[57]
OMAC Laser 300

100px

Fixed Wing Civil Test Retired (3) Langley Research Center
Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche 100px Retired Armstrong Flight Research Center Kings River Community College (808NA)
Pitcairn PAA-1

100px

V/STOL Research, Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Rockwell RPRV-870 HiMAT

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research, Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology Retired (2) Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Rockwell-MBB X-31

100px

Fixed Wing Research, X-Planes, Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability (EFM) Retired (1), Crashed (2) Armstrong Flight Research Center, European Aeronautic, Defense and Space Company Oberschleißheim Museum (part of the Deutsches Museum)
Rutan VariEze

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Civil Air Active Langley Research Center
Ryan VZ-3 Vertiplane

100px

VTOL Experimental VTOL aircraft Retired (1) Moffett Federal Airfield United States Army Aviation Museum
Ryan XV-5 Vertifan

100px

V/STOL Research, Rescue Research Retired (1) Ames Research Center United States Army Aviation Museum
Scaled Composites X-38 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired (2) 1999 Armstrong Flight Research Center Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum (V-131), Strategic Air and Space Museum(V-132) Lifting body Crew Return Vehicle demonstrator.[58]
Systems Integration Evaluation Remote Research Aircraft (SIERRA)

100px

Fixed Wing, UAV Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Crashed (1) Ames Research Center Lost at Sea
Schweizer X-26 Frigate 100px Research, X-Planes, Retired 1967 Armstrong Flight Research Center National Soaring Museum (1-36) Training glider for yaw-roll couplingQuiet observation aircraft testbed.[59]
Sikorsky CH-54B Tarhe

100px

Rotorcraft Utility Retired (1) 18 Mar 1972 - 15 Jan 1974 Langley Research Center Firefighting helicopter NASA s/n was NASA 539. Now owned by US Leaseco Inc Aurora,OR,US https://www.helis.com/database/cn/5060/
Sikorsky H-19

100px

Rotorcraft Utility Retired (1) Langley Research Center
Sikorsky S-72, RSRA

100px

V/STOL Research, Retired (2) 1979-? Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center RSRA, Rotor Systems Research Aircraft
Vought F-8 Crusader (Fly by Wire)

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Digital Fly–By–Wire Control System Retired (1) 1970s Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center Technology has become standard on modern high performance military aircraft.
Vought F-8 Crusader (Supercritical wing)

100px

Fixed Wing Research Platform, Supercritical wing Retired (1) 1970s Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Flight Research Center Technology has become standard on modern high performance military aircraft.
Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III

100px

Fixed Wing Research, Atmospheric Platform Retired (3) 1958-?
eXperimental Sensor-Controller Aerial Vehicle (XSCAV) Fixed Wing, UAV Research Platform, Airborne Science Program Active (1) Ames Research Center Ames Research Center

References

  1. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 14.
  2. ↑ https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/arrival-of-new-nasa-airbus-h135-helicopters-ksc/
  3. ↑ https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/arrival-of-third-airbus-helicopter-completes-kennedys-security-fleet/
  4. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, pp. 5–7.
  5. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 11.
  6. ↑ "NASA's Retired SOFIA Aircraft Finds New Home at Arizona Museum". 8 December 2022. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-retired-sofia-aircraft-finds-new-home-at-arizona-museum. 
  7. ↑ Curry, Marty, ed (May 7, 2008). "NASA — NASA Dryden Fact Sheet — B-52B "Mothership" Launch Aircraft". Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-005-DFRC.html. 
  8. ↑ Creech, Gray (December 15, 2004). "NASA — End of an Era: NASA's Famous B-52B Retires". Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/improvingflight/B-52B_retires.html. 
  9. ↑ Borchers, Paul F.; Franklin, James A.; Fletcher, Jay W. (1998). "Rotorcraft Research". SP–3300 Flight Research at Ames, 1940–1997. Moffett Field, California: NASA. https://history.nasa.gov/SP-3300/ch9.htm. Retrieved January 9, 2010. 
  10. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 47.
  11. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 50.
  12. ↑ NASA - X-48 Project Completes Flight Research for Cleaner, Quieter Aircraft, NASA, April 12, 2013, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/NewsReleases/2013/13-08.html, retrieved May 3, 2013 
  13. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 58.
  14. ↑ Jordan, Holly (December 11, 2006). "Active Aeroelastic Wing flight research vehicle receives X-53 designation". United States Air Force. https://www.wpafb.af.mil/News/story/id/123035661/. 
  15. ↑ Borchers, Paul F.; Franklin, James A.; Fletcher, Jay W. (1998). "Boundary Layer Control, STOL, V/STOL Aircraft Research". SP-3300 Flight Research at Ames, 1940-1997. Moffett Field, California: NASA. https://history.nasa.gov/SP-3300/ch8.htm. Retrieved January 9, 2010. 
  16. ↑ "Cessna 206H - LaRC | NASA Airborne Science Program". https://airbornescience.nasa.gov/aircraft/Cessna_206H_-_LaRC. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Baugher, Joseph F. "1963 USAF Serial Numbers." USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to Present, 2008. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Buser, Wayne E. "NASA Buffalos." The deHavilland Caribou (DHC-4) and Buffalo (DHC-5) Website, 2006. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "First Augmentor Wing Aircraft Flight." The Astrogram, Volume XIV, Issue May 16, 11, 2005, pp. 1–2. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Photo Search Results: N716NA". Airliners.net. http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=N716NA. 
  21. ↑ "STOL Buffalo Flies." Flight International, Volume 101, Issue 3295, p. 658. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Norton, Bill. STOL Progenitors: The Technology Path to a Large STOL Transport and the C-17A. Reston, VA: AIAA, 2002. ISBN 978-1-56347-576-4.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "CV-7 / C-8A Buffalo / DHC-5." GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Shovlin, Michael D. and John A. Cochrane. 1979002863.pdf "An Overview of the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft Program." nasa.gov, 1978. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  25. ↑ entry=true "N715NA." Airliners.net, Aviation Photos. Retrieved: September 13, 2009.
  26. ↑ "NASA GRC Icing Branch Facilities". NASA. October 28, 2008. http://icebox.grc.nasa.gov/facilities/index.html. 
  27. ↑ "Middle Tennessee State University Department of Aerospace on LinkedIn: Not only are we growing our flight training fleet, we are also growing our…" (in en). https://www.linkedin.com/posts/middle-tennessee-state-university-department-of-aerospace_not-only-are-we-growing-our-flight-training-activity-6974025049578037248-qRAh. 
  28. ↑ "NASA Dryden F5D-1 Photo Collection". Dryden Flight Research Center Photo Collection. NASA. September 27, 2007. http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-5D/HTML/EC71-02569.html. 
  29. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 9.
  30. ↑ "NF-16D VISTA becomes X-62A" (in en-US). 2021-07-30. https://www.edwards.af.mil/Units/X62A-Vista/?Page=3. 
  31. ↑ "NASA - Test Drive: Shuttle Training Aircraft Preps Astronauts for Landing". NASA. March 3, 2005. http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/preparingtravel/rtf_week5_sta.html. 
  32. ↑ Curry, Marty, ed (March 1, 2008). "Gulfstream III Multi-Role Cooperative Research Platform". Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/research/G-III/index.html. 
  33. ↑ Cowing, Keith (March 22, 2004). "A Day in the Life of NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe". SpaceRef.com (SpaceRef Interactive). https://spaceref.com/uncategorized/a-day-in-the-life-of-nasa-administrator-sean-okeefe/. 
  34. ↑ Creech, Gray (November 30, 1998). "Lear Jet gets new cameras". The Dryden X-Press (NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center) 40 (22). http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Newsroom/X-Press/1998/Nov30/learjet.html. 
  35. ↑ "Lear Jet Flight Research Support Aircraft". NASA/Dryden Flight Flight Research Center. 1998. https://www.scribd.com/document/58474723/NASA-Facts-Lear-Jet-Flight-Research-Support-Aircraft. 
  36. ↑ "JetStar" (in en). https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/jetstar-3/. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 "NASA/DFRC SR-71 Blackbird". Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-030-DFRC.html. 
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Jenkins, Dennis R. (2001). Lockheed Secret Projects: Inside the Skunk Works. St. Paul, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint. ISBN 978-0-7603-0914-8. 
  39. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 42.
  40. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 54.
  41. ↑ Norris, Guy (February 1, 2012). "USAF Reveals Latest X-Plane: X-56A". Aviation Week. http://aviationweek.com/awin/usaf-reveals-latest-x-plane-x-56a. 
  42. ↑ "NASA's X-59 Quiet Supersonic Research Aircraft Cleared for Final Assembly". NASA. December 16, 2019. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-x-59-quiet-supersonic-research-aircraft-cleared-for-final-assembly. 
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, pp. 31–32.
  44. ↑ Aguirre, Elena. "NASA's DC-8 Completes Final Mission, Set to Retire". https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasas-dc-8-completes-final-mission-set-to-retire/. 
  45. ↑ "F-15D Support Aircraft". NASA. June 3, 2015. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/aircraft/F-15D/index.html. 
  46. ↑ "F/A=18 Support Aircraft". NASA. November 5, 2015. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-006-DFRC.html. 
  47. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 46.
  48. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 53.
  49. ↑ "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: NASA X-57 Maxwell". NASA. September 13, 2018. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-109.html. 
  50. ↑ Curry, Marty (May 7, 2008). "NASA — NASA Dryden Fact Sheet — AD–1". Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-019-DFRC.html. 
  51. ↑ Reed, R. Dale; Lister, Darlene (2002). Wingless Flight: The Lifting body Story. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-9026-6. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19980169231.pdf. Retrieved January 9, 2010. 
  52. ↑ "The Rogallo Parasev: A revolution in flying wings". Aviation News (HPC Publishing) (March 2007). March 2007. http://www.aviation-news.co.uk/Parasev.html. Retrieved January 9, 2010. 
  53. ↑ Wade, Mark (July 31, 2008). "FIRST Re-entry glider". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/craft/firlider.htm. Retrieved January 9, 2010. 
  54. ↑ Curry, Marty (December 9, 2009). "NASA — XB–70A Valkyrie". Dryden Flight Research Center. NASA. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-084-DFRC.html. 
  55. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 10.
  56. ↑ Malik, Tariq (April 21, 2004). "Shushing Sonic Booms: Changing the Shape of Supersonic Planes". Space.com (Imaginova). http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/sonicboom_techwed_042104.html. 
  57. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 43.
  58. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 48.
  59. ↑ Jenkins, Landis & Miller 2003, p. 34.

Bibliography



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